My fellow Janeites, please accept my most profuse apologies for neglecting to comment on the latest PBS celebration of all things Jane Austen: Emma. I will be honest that I was on the fence for the first installment. But yesterday's edition began to win me over. In this version, Mr. Knightley's growing interest in Emma is far more evident than in some of the previous editions I've watched. He also comes across less of a father figure. I also think Frank Churchill is more nuanced, as is Jane Fairfax. As for Emma herself, I am not yet completely won over but Romola Garai is making a good show of it.
UPDATE: After the final installment, I have just three words: Best. Knightley. Ever.
If you haven't been able to see any of these new films, you can watch them for a limited time online at PBS. Pour yourself a cup of tea, enjoy the show, and then leave your comment!
I didn't even know this was going on! Thanks for letting me know!
Posted by: April | February 01, 2010 at 09:01 PM
Agreed, agreed. (Especially regarding Romola Garai as Emma) I didn't see the character development in Garai playing Emma as I saw in the other characters and that's an element of Austen's writing that I thoroughly enjoy. Maybe the final installment will fully win me over. (Even my husband is watching, asking questions, and commenting politely. This I appreciate!)
Posted by: Kimberly S. | February 01, 2010 at 09:03 PM
Sob. I just tried to watch, and streaming rights are only available to those in the US.......South America doesn't count!
Jo Charles
Posted by: Jo Charles | February 01, 2010 at 09:04 PM
Jo, I'm sorry to tease you like this! But you may be able to order the DVD from the same site. I hope that works for you!
Posted by: Carolyn McCulley | February 01, 2010 at 11:02 PM
We've been watching football, so I haven't been able to see this...but I promptly added it to my Netflix queue!
Posted by: Melissa @ Breath of Life | February 02, 2010 at 09:41 AM
Thanks for posting! I agree with you. They have spent more time on Mr. Knightley's perspective than previous versions, but then again Austen's books are almost entirely from the female point of view. However, if one really analyzed it, Gwynneth Paltrow's version probably wouldn't have any more actual book material in it than this newest rendition. It was rather teasing of them to do 2 hours in the first round and then break the next 2 hours up over 2 weeks. :)
Posted by: Joy in RI | February 02, 2010 at 09:42 AM
Unfortunately, I think I've watched the 1996 movie version with Gwyneth Paltrow, Toni Collette,Jeremy Northam and Alan Cumming so often, that it has become my "knowledge" for Jane A's "Emma".
Saying this, I delight in any of the PBS adaptations of Austen, and hope to revisit the book again before the third installment is to air this Sunday.
Posted by: Sharon | February 02, 2010 at 12:09 PM
Okay - for those of us who aren't in the US, go to http://www.youtube.com/user/cat4fab#p/u/21/05oyCcPgpV4 well more specifically to cat4fab's youtube channel, where you'll find the PBS version of Emma all neatly ordered up in to segments that can be watched in non-US countries.
Gotta love a workaround!
Posted by: Misty | February 03, 2010 at 05:54 AM
I would love to see this version! I like the version of Emma with Kate Beckinsale (this was the first version I saw) but I've also seen the BBC and Gwyneth Paltrow ones.
Posted by: Ruth | February 03, 2010 at 08:29 AM
I agree. Definitely the best Knightley. Ever.
Posted by: Misty | February 08, 2010 at 07:16 PM
I assume this is the one we saw in the UK some months ago by the BBC. I didn't think it up to older BBC Austen adaptations, though Knightley is good, and Emma is as irritating and self-centred as she should be. The dialogue is bad though: they use modern turns of phrase and vocabularly, and even act in a rather modern way towards each other on occasion. But then, they were trying to make it rather short, so something had to go. Still, entertaining enough, if you hold tight to the book and Austen's humour.
Posted by: étrangère | February 09, 2010 at 05:53 PM
I loved this! Thanks for sharing! I sat down yesterday and watched all 4 hours! Amazing. I like it better than the G. Paltrow version because I think she never quite got the character of Emma right. She was a little too refined and composed. I think Romola Garai did a much better performance of the silliness and emotional side of Jane Austen's Emma. And I loved this Mr. Knightley...although I couldn't quite get past that he was also Edmund in Mansfield Park... but overall: loved it! :)
Posted by: Lesli | February 10, 2010 at 04:57 PM
We thoroughly enjoyed this film, watching online when we had time, and re-watching some parts over and over! Thank you so much for pointing it out! I'm going to recommend it to friends as well.
Posted by: Kate | February 12, 2010 at 04:23 PM
I have seen at least three versions of Emma (starting with the 1972 BBC version) and I agree that this is the best Knightely ever! Yet another actor I need to explore :)
Posted by: kathy | February 13, 2010 at 08:16 PM
This was my first exposure to Emma and I absolutely loved it. As this was my first Mr. Knightly I obviously can't make any comparisions, but I believe an actor would have to "get up an go" to outshine Miller's Knightly.
Posted by: Nickie | February 16, 2010 at 08:29 AM
Best. Knightley. Ever. Yes, indeed. Couldn't get used to Dumbledore as Mr. Woodhouse, however!
Posted by: Lisa writes... | February 20, 2010 at 09:17 PM