S: Happy New Year! We are back and happy to discuss the 1996 Emma movie adaptation starring Gwyneth Paltrow. I confess I was never interested in watching this adaptation and, in all honesty, I don’t know why. It really doesn’t make any sense considering there were so many Jane Austen adaptations released during this period of time that I have seen and enjoyed: the Emma Thompson adaptation of Sense and Sensibility, the A&E adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, and Clueless (a modern interpretation of Emma) were all released in 1995, and another version of Emma starring Kate Beckinsale was released in 1996.

R: I think this may be the only adaptation of Emma that I’ve seen. It’s not one of my favourites of the novels, so while this movie adaptation is somewhat enjoyable, I’m not particularly excited about it. 

S: The introduction and conclusion with Emma’s paintings of everyone and all the places was a neat way to give an overview and summation. I also enjoyed that she kept a diary since quite a bit of the book takes place in her mind. Further, the marriage of the Westons at the beginning of the movie was not in the book but I think it was a great addition and introduction to some of the main characters. 

I was quite pleased with how the actors played their roles even though a couple of them were a bit different from what I had in my mind. Mr. Knightley was less stoic than I had read him and thinking back on the book this interpretation makes sense: he cares for people. Miss Bates was more bubbly than I envisioned and also more nervous. I never read her as a very nervous character but this interpretation works.

R: I don’t care at all for how Mr. Knightley was portrayed. I saw a little more of the book version when he and Emma had their first big disagreement about Harriet marrying Mr. Martin, but otherwise, I did feel that his personality came through well.

S: Ah, yes; that was a good scene and has a lot of comedy in it, with Emma shooting the arrows worse and worse each time Mr. Knightley says something that she disagrees with or convicts her of her actions. I also enjoyed the outdoor tea scene with everyone even though I cringed watching it because of Emma’s rudeness. Here again, I think the Mr. Knightley and Miss Bates characters are played well. I appreciated how the Emma character is torn between wanting to cry because she knows she was wrong and yet feeling prideful and not wanting to hear Mr. Knightley’s rebuke. Mr. Knightley’s sadness over her blunder is executed well. That scene is really sort of the climax of the novel as Emma begins to change for the better after that altercation. 

R: When Mr. Knightley confronted Emma after the tea party was probably his best moment for me. 

S: I was disappointed that we do not see as much character development from Jane Fairfax or Frank Churchill, including the manipulative relationship he has with his aunt – there is so much of both of them in the book! It is a rather long movie and I understand that to have added a few more scenes for them would have made it overly long. I’m further reminded that I think the plot moves rather more quickly than I feel like it should for an over two-hour movie. I’m not sure how that works, but there you are.

R: I think I actually hate the casting choice of Ewan McGregor as Frank Churchill. His hair is also terrible. I agree that the pacing seems too fast, but it’s a lot of book to cram into two hours. I believe it’s the longest of Jane Austen’s novels.

S: Oh, that’s funny! Come to think of it, I think I had to rewind the movie to make sure it was Ewan McGregor because the hair was throwing me off. Yes, I believe you’re correct – Emma is the longest of Austen’s novels. 

I like the added scene of the prayer in the chapel. Although not in the book, it was definitely something that fit well with Emma’s character and, I think, Austen’s background and wit. This movie does that well, showing the humour as well as the seriousness of the plot. 

R: I agree about the humour, and I thought Gwyneth Paltrow did a great job showing Emma’s emotions, especially as she begins to realise her culpability in the harm she causes.

S: As much as the Westons were present, I did lament the fact we are never told they are expecting, although we do see Mrs. Weston holding a baby in one of the end credit paintings. 

R: They also almost completely cut out Emma’s sister and brother-in-law, which I thought was fine. They would have muddied an already complicated plot, which was already simplified significantly for film.

S: I agree with that. As I say, it is rather interesting which bits they cut out and which bits they added that were not actually part of the book.

R: I liked the final scene between Emma and Harriet. It felt heartfelt and realistic.

S: Do you know that is one scene with which I wasn’t as happy? I’m not sure why; it just felt too – bubbly? I think that’s the word. I’m happy it is in the film because that is such an important relationship in the book and offers closure (or a new beginning!); it just wasn’t my favourite. 

R: It’s so interesting how we each reacted to some of the characters and scenes in completely opposite ways. 

S: Indeed!

Over all, I am really pleased with this interpretation and I’m glad we picked it to compare and contrast with the book. 

R: I didn’t find this to be a bad movie, but it isn’t one that I’m likely to go back to over and over as I do my favourite adaptations of Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility. 

Next, we are starting our discussion over Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey, so if you want, grab a copy and read along with us!