|  | The Best Adaptation of Emma... |  |
This movie, although not my favorite of Jane Austin's work, was still a wonderful movie! Compared to the other Emma adaptation, this one was more historically correct. In the one with Paltrow, some of the costumes looked very ridiculous and some of them you wouldn't wear in the regency era.
True to some posts I did feel as if Mr. Knightly was a little hard to get to know, but besides that, I thought all the actors did very well. All in all, this is the best adaptation of Emma so far!
Katie McCurdy
(Author of 'Journey of Faith')
December 22, 2008I loved the movie and the story in it. It was very well written and directed. I watched it over and over. And I will recommend it to all those who love drama and romance. Great story!
December 12, 2008THIS MOVIE IS ABOUT A LITTLE BUSY BODY...WE ALL KNOW THEM AND JANE AUSTIN'S TALES ARE HAPPENING STILL TODAY WE JUST DON'T TAKE NOTICE UNTIL WE SIT AND WATCH A MOVIE SUCH AS EMMA..THEN WE REALIZE WE KNOW SOME ONE JUST LIKE HER..GREAT MOVIE
December 1, 2008I think, to a certain degree, comparison with Douglas McGrath's 1996 movie featuring Gwyneth Paltrow is inevitable. However, I must alert my reader to the fact that - when I praise this alternate version from Diarmuid Lawrence - I do so with the original novel in mind. This mini-series has not a movie's glamour, nor does Kate Beckinsale match Paltrow in beauty. However, with regards to Jane Austen's beloved work, this is undoubtedly the more faithful adaptation. Beckinsale's portrayal is less flighty and silly then Paltrow's... she carries the character's grace perfectly in every scene. The superb Samantha Morton, despite her slimness, is a perfect Harriet Smith; it is hard to make so stupid a girl endearing, but Morton does it with such apparent ease even her must enthusiastic fans must believe what they see. Lucy Robinson (better known by most as Mrs. Hurst from Simon Langton's 1995 "Pride and Prejudice") is so wonderfully obnoxious she almost undoes Mrs. Elton, who should be unbearable, but is instead wonderfully entertaining in both vanity and snobbery. Olivia Williams (The Jane Austen of Jeremy Lovering's "Miss Austen Regrets") is truly beautiful... more beautiful perhaps then the title character. What is more, she sings like a nightingale! Together with Raymond Coulthard as Frank Churchill (who is almost too charming to garner dislike as he should), the two make an astonishingly handsome couple. Mark Strong is not a very polished Mr. Knightley, but he plays the part admirably, with feeling, and with forethought which is apparent in his actions as well as his expressions. Even Prunella Scales, who must compete with Sophie Thompson for the title of "Best Miss Bates" withstands all independent criticism. Despite being somewhat rough, the production values grow better upon review... those subtleties in the use of music, camera-shot etc will become more evident and thereby easier to appreciate. Truly rewarding, for those who will properly attend to it.
November 13, 2008This Emma is the best production. The others don't compare with this one. Kate Beckinsdale is very good as the lead character and the production is much more realistic than the others out there. Emma is a difficult book to produce it is a bit thin and shallow. This is the first show I've seen that has made Emma as realistic as possible. It really works! I found myself engaged in the story and feeling for the characters. It works.
October 28, 2008More reviews at Amazon.com ...