Jane Austen discussion
Discuss BBC's Emma 2010
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Amanda wrote: "I have to heartily agree! The chemistry between this Knightly and Emma is wonderful. This film version makes Emma much more likable as well. I think she wins you over with her smile. Mr. Elton ..."I second that. The chemistry between Emma and Mr. Knightly was so good. You could tell they secretly had feelings for one another, yet didn't want to admit it for fear of messing up their "friendship".
Mr. Elton was still annoying, yet this actor seemed to fit the part more than Alan cummings did.
Jane Austen Today has posted a wonderful desktop photo from Emma.
http://janitesonthejames.blogspot.com/
It evens works on my big iMac screen.
http://janitesonthejames.blogspot.com/
It evens works on my big iMac screen.
Jeannette wrote: "Jane Austen Today has posted a wonderful desktop photo from Emma.http://janitesonthejames.blogspot.com/
It evens works on my big iMac screen."
Oh! Thanks for the link! ^^
I loved this adaptation of Emma. I just re-watched the Gwyneth Paltrow version and can't believe how much it pales in comparison. I thought I loved it before but the new BBC version is so much better. I read the book and watched the movie at the same time and thought it was great. I didn't mind the prequel part at all, I thought it was necessary for those who haven't read the book. I love Johnny Lee Miller, he was great as Mr. Knightley.
Now that everyone has had a chance to see all the episodes I just want to say how much I enjoyed the scene where Frank Churchill spins Jane Fairfax around and says "We're Free!" This summed up so sweetly everything they both were feeling: free from the demanding aunt, free from their secrecy, free to be together! I really liked the way this was portrayed.
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Sarah wrote: "I think overall I am tied in liking the Paltrow Emma and the Garai Emma adaptations. I feel that somewhere between the two, the original story of the novel falls. I think the one we just watched d..."I have to go with this. ^^ I feel in love with Austen after borrowing the GP version of Emma. If i have never done that then i might have never read one of the books.
Melissa wrote: "Sarah wrote: "I think overall I am tied in liking the Paltrow Emma and the Garai Emma adaptations. I feel that somewhere between the two, the original story of the novel falls. I think the one we ..."
I hadn't read any Austen until I saw Matthew McFadyen as Mr. Darcy!
I hadn't read any Austen until I saw Matthew McFadyen as Mr. Darcy!
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There you go! And I know Matthew would be honored!
Did anyone watch NorthRanger Abby last night? How do you think it compare with other JA movies?
It is the only version of Northanger Abbey that I have seen. 1-1/2 hour films give us Austen-lite, but I enjoyed it anyway. I really liked the casting -- they all had such wonderful facial expressions! Andrew Davies is getting a little more "open" about the bedroom scenes (here and in Sense & Sensibility), but it was well done and not hard to imagine that it happened, even if JA would never write such a scene.
Dhara wrote: "Did anyone watch NorthRanger Abby last night? How do you think it compare with other JA movies?"I did with my mother. I rather enjoyed this version much more than the 1987 version. It was less creepy and Henry was nice. I do admit i like the newer BBC versions of Jane Austen books than the older ones. The stories pull you in more and the characters are generally more lovable. The only exception i have is 1986/87 version of Persuasion which i loved equally as much as the new one.
Jeannette wrote: "Everyman wrote: "I only saw episode 2 today (that's all they offered in the on-line option), so haven't yet seen some of the things being commented on, but I was much happier with this episode. Se..."I never though of that but it would be truly exciting to go back and read Austen not knowing what is going to happen. I would love to have that suspense and agony of not knowing whether or not the girl and the guy would get together.
In this Emma series I was touched by how buried Emma feels by being her father's constant companion. I don't think I appreciated that before.(I know I read somewhere about father-daughter relationships in Austen's novels -- the older sister in Persuasion is in some ways in a similar role to Emma, for example.)
Mayakda wrote: "In this Emma series I was touched by how buried Emma feels by being her father's constant companion. I don't think I appreciated that before.(I know I read somewhere about father-daughter relation..."
I love that scene when Emma rushes in crying and says to Knightley, " You know that I'll love you forever but I cannot marry you". So great!
Amanda wrote:"I love that scene when Emma rushes in crying and says to Knightley, " You know that I'll love you forever but I cannot marry you". So great! "Knightly's expression is priceless there! :)
Mayakda wrote: "In this Emma series I was touched by how buried Emma feels by being her father's constant companion. I don't think I appreciated that before.
(I know I read somewhere about father-daughter relation..."
I think Elizabeth and her father were perfect soul-mates: they were both vain and proud and somewhat cruel. They deserved each other's company! :)
(I know I read somewhere about father-daughter relation..."
I think Elizabeth and her father were perfect soul-mates: they were both vain and proud and somewhat cruel. They deserved each other's company! :)
Jeannette wrote: "I think Elizabeth and her father were perfect soul-mates: they were both vain and proud and somewhat cruel. They deserved each other's company! :)"
Persuasion has the best villains, doesn't it? There's the sister, and father, and that awful cousin William, and scheming Mrs. Clay.:)
Who all get what they deserved! :)
I love that about Persuasion! You see it in modern books with Queen Bees, cliques and social pressures!Oh Mrs. Claaaaaaay. Her name is absolutely charming (fitting) for the story.
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I think all of the families, excepting maybe the Morlands, have their quirks, at a minimum. Can't think of any others that are neither troubled nor dysfunctional in some way. (Sometimes played for humor, of course.)
Anne's the typical middle child with the controlling older sister and the manipulative "baby" sister. Another like about Persuasion :)
Tanja wrote: "Anne's the typical middle child with the controlling older sister and the manipulative "baby" sister. Another like about Persuasion :)"Staying with the Persuasion theme, I think one of the very few Austen fictional families that is largely free of dysfunction is the Wentworth/Croft family. Granted, there are only three members identified, but all three are well-adjusted and seemingly quite happy individuals. Yes, the Captain has some angst over his 'relationship' with Anne, but he certainly is anything but dysfunctional; and the Admiral and Sophy are just terrific human beings!
I agree with you there, Christopher! The Gardeners are another example of a happy marriage and a happy family, even if they are related to the Benetts.
Sophy at the dinner table talking about her adventures and travels with the Admiral inspires me -- always. To be brave enough to go on the ships when, at the time, women were persuaded not to go is admirable. And I thought their loving relationship was so sweet. She was only sick when they were apart. Aww!
Yes, people who think Jane Austen is cynical about marriage need to remember the Crofts. And I think she has the hope that the heroine in each of her novels will experience a relationship like this.
Well, I do think she is cynical about marriage as an institution, but she is certainly not cynical about love.To me the Crofts always rather seemed like a couple who can make it work despite being married. ;-) They just don't fulfill the usual marriage stereotypes and don't care about them either.
And I at least certainly have the hope, that our heroes and heroines can make it work just the same. :-)
The_Freddy wrote: "Well, I do think she is cynical about marriage as an institution, but she is certainly not cynical about love.
To me the Crofts always rather seemed like a couple who can make it work despite being..."
Very well put! :)
To me the Crofts always rather seemed like a couple who can make it work despite being..."
Very well put! :)
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Okay, don't hate me, but I have to admit something up front: Emma is my least favorite Austen novel, though I still love it. I hope I don't anger anyone, but I have never liked the character of Emma. Having said that, I enjoyed the 1996 Emma very much, and Jeremy Northam will always be Knightley to me, but this version impressed me in a lot of ways as well. I have always been a fan of Jonny Lee Miller's, and he didn't disappoint me here. Not being a fan of Gwyneth Paltrow's, I have to say Romola is the Emma I prefer. I enjoyed the rest of the cast as well. I ADORED the sets and costumes-- gorgeous! The bit about the ocean honeymoon just pleased me to no end, just like everyone else here! And I, too, thought that a more serious, melancholy feel was being attempted, which was fine by me.
Great comments, Rachel. No one hates you for having an honest opinion about Emma! Wasn't it Jane Austen who said that Emma was a character that she expected no one to like? (Help me out, someone, cuz I am not a real Austen scholar lol)
I think there may have been a bit too many "bleak" scenes in this production, especially Miss Bates and her mother. But, I liked it, too!
I think there may have been a bit too many "bleak" scenes in this production, especially Miss Bates and her mother. But, I liked it, too!
Everyone has to have an "unfavorite." No one could like all 6 novels equally well. Mansfield Park is my least favorite, but Jane Austen's worst novel is better than almost anyone else's best novel. It would be interesting to see how members of the group would rank the novels from most favorite to least favorite.
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Okay, don't hate me, but I have to admit something up front: Emma is my least favorite Au..."
Rachel, thank you for your comment! I think it is great that you warned us that you didn't score Emma as your highest Austen, but you still gave a really fair review of the film. Thanks, Rachel.
My wife and I watched all four hours, non-stop, last night, and loved it immensely. Personally, I think this is the best film adaptation of Emma to date! The screenplay was truly a wonderful and fresh interpretation of Jane Austen's most complex plot, and really emphasized the 'mysterious' and 'puzzling' elements of the novel superbly. As I have said before, I am NOT looking for a faithful word-for-word, or scene-by-scene, rendition of Austen's novel; but more the director's and screenwriter's interpretation of the novel for the audience in our time.We also thought the casting could not have been better, and the cinematography was simply magnificent. 'Five stars' from both of us, and this is an adaptation that I plan to purchase and store right next to my 1995 BBC Pride and Prejudice. Just wonderful! Cheers! Chris
Glad you and your wife like it so much, Chris!
I thought the (was it 96) version of Mansfield Park (updating Fanny to a feminist) was awful. The later version with Billie ? wasn't much better. Fanny is just not a likable character anyway you twist her in film. I really started liking the Crawfords a lot.Therefore, I ordered and just recieved Maria of Birkthwaite. The story of the disgraced woman.
Should be interesting.
Patg
Patricia wrote: "I thought the (was it 96) version of Mansfield Park (updating Fanny to a feminist) was awful. The later version with Billie ? wasn't much better. Fanny is just not a likable character anyway you tw..."I very much liked Rozema's interpretation, but that's me. I think it very important that a screenwriter and director give us their interpretation of the novel for our time. In the main, Mansfield Park is a difficult and complex novel for most of us, compared to the rest of her novels. If one looks at her correspondence I think Austen thought, and expected, that this novel would be a tough one for readers to digest too. Patricia Rozema has endeavored to highlight several issues in her interpretation and I thought she pulled it off quite nicely. Like I have said before, I am pretty open minded, and tend to give a screenwriter and director a lot of latitude in their interpretation.
Personally, I do like Fanny Price; she is steadfast and resolute; just as Austen intended her to be seen. I also think that Fanny Price is Austen's deepest character of all of her novels. There's a lot going on in this novel.
I do not, however, find anything to like in the Crawford siblings. They are amoral and completely heartless. They are ego-centric, self-centered young people; and probably quite reflective of some of the young people that Jane Austen encountered. They are pure scoundrels, plain and simple; with all of their "rears and vices." Now bear in mind, Patricia, these are just my opinions; and you are entitled to yours.
Cheers! Chris
Christopher wrote: "Patricia wrote: "I thought the (was it 96) version of Mansfield Park (updating Fanny to a feminist) was awful. The later version with Billie ? wasn't much better. Fanny is just not a likable charac..."I couldn't agree more. :o)
Christopher said: I am pretty open minded, and tend to give a screenwriter and director a lot of latitude in their interpretation.>>>>Film makers have this notion that they know better than anyone. The great unwashed out here constantly need them to tell usm how, when, where and why they know best about everything. Their ugliest habits are reinterpretation of novels. Do any of us need to be told anything about Austen's novels? I don't think so, we know them all--some by heart. Movies versions are just supposed to be fun, easy experiences.
Yes, Christopher, it is all POV, and the film industry will do as they please, but I often wonder why they bother buying a book when they intend to slash it to ribbons and totally reinterpret it.
Sue Grafton swore Hollywood will never get their hands on Kinsey Milhone in her lifetime. And it will be interesting what they do with Stephanie Plum. For all of us who love that Jersey girl, will we grab our heart and tell Martha we're coming when we see her reinterpreted into a surfer babe?
Patg
Jeannette wrote: "I enjoyed this version of Emma. The Gwyneth Paltrow version was played as a romantic comedy. This version has a much more serious side. It was even sad at times.
I like the chemistry between Em..."