Emma BBC Review
Sunday, June 13, 2010
, Posted by Should I See It at 6:08 AM
Show: Emma (BBC miniseries)
Director: Jim O’Hanlon
Starring: Romola Garai, Johnny Lee Miller, Michael Gambon.
Plot: Based on the Jane Austen novel of the same name, this four part miniseries follows Emma Woodhouse, a lively and very rich young woman in 19th Century England.
Jane Austen adaptations always fascinate me. I always wonder who it was that thought yet another Jane Austen adaptation was absolutely necessary, let alone who thought THIS version of Emma was indispensable to the Austen canon.
The Jane Austen Renaissance of the mid nineties produced three version of Emma alone: the darker made for TV version starring Kate Beckinsdale, the light and sparkling film version directed by Douglas McGrath and starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Amy Heckerling’s teen comedy Clueless.
While each of those brought something different to the story (particularly Clueless, which, incidentally, is my favourite adaptation) this latest offering from the BBC seems to be nothing more than a rehash of what's already been done. It doesn't add anything new. Indeed, it does pretty much what the McGrath version does, but takes TWICE as long.
This version of Emma suffers from poor pacing, particularly in the first two episodes. There feel like there is a lot of filler as opposed to story. This is perhaps most obvious in the ill-advised opening sequence which focuses on the childhood of Emma, Frank Churchill and Jane Fairfax. Apart from shouting to the audience 'look at all the ways we are different to all the other adaptations!' the sequence itself is rather pointless.
Director Jim O'Hanlon and screenwriter Sandy Welch also utilise an odd variety of narrative techniques. The audience is privy to Emma's private thoughts, her fantasies and imaginings and (most bizarrely) Emma delivers full fledged monologues. They occur sporadically (*Clueless shout out!*) and inconsistently and seem out of kilter with the rest of the other wise naturalistic production values.
However, this version does allow Frank Churchill to come across as the blackguard he is (I always felt he got off a little to easy in the McGrath version). I also enjoyed seeing a little more of John and Isabella Knightley.
But perhaps the biggest obstacle Emma faces is not poor pacing, but Romola Garai. I am still trying to decide whether she was miscast or misdirected. Emma is not unintelligent, rather her intelligence, as Mr Knightley puts it, is misapplied. Unfortunately in the hands of Garai, Emma Woodhouse is almost insipid. Most of the time Garai is wide eyed and overacting. Emma is a character you love because of her flaws, however, Garai is just irritating without being endearing. It is difficult to believe that Mr Knightley would be attracted to such a silly girl.
Johnny Lee Miller is quite nice to look at as Mr Knightley (but once you remember that he was married to Angelina Jolie he loses some of his appeal). He is a gentler Knightley than other adaptations, oh heck, even the book suggests, but it works for Miller, even though you get the feeling that he knows that he is in love with Emma all along.
There is nothing particularly outstanding about the rest of the supporting cast: Jodhi May is watery eyed as Mrs Weston, and Michael Gambon just does the Michael Gambon thing.
All in all, this adaptation of Emma does not offer anything new. It is over long, a little too over indulged and severely lacking in focus. It even manages to lose the Austen wit and charm that is central to the enjoyment of the story.
Emma Official Site here.
All pictures courtesy of the BBC.
Should I See It?
Most likely it will disappoint even the most die hard Austen fans.
Emma Official Site here.
All pictures courtesy of the BBC.
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