"Emma", Kate Beckinsale edition

[Val]

On Sunday night, Mar 23, Masterpiece Theater will be showing the Kate Beckinsale edition of "Emma", so set your recorders now so you don't miss it.
I'm getting tired of the fund raiser they've been having for the past dozen weeks, so even tho I have this dvd, I'm still willing to watch it again. Who wouldn't?
And I'm off today to have my birthday tea celebration with friends at Truffles & Lace, wearing my pretty hat. To be different, I may just wear a Regency bonnet.

[Mme de Beaufort]

I liked it. I found Knightly to be the way I imagined him; more fatherly a figure than brotherly and much better when rebuking Emma, and I thought the actress with the funny teeth and frizzy hair to be the perfect choice for Harriett.

The dynamic between Jane Fairfax and Churchhill was infinitely better done than the Paltrow version, giving the proper signs that Emma was missing again and again. It wasn't so well defined in the Paltrow version.

I liked Kate Beckinsdale's take on Emma. She didn't act so... air-headed and ditsy as Paltrow; she seemed more stubborn and clueless, so insulated in her world she's unable to see the rest of the world's subtleties. I found her much more believable than paltrow. Paltrows was sort of stumbling along, and Beckinsdale was more willfull.

All in all, I enjoyed this adaptation very much. It was the perfect remedy for a sickly Sunday. I shall have to own it now.

[tess]

I watched it twice today (ahh...the joys of TIVO), as I was home with a cold. I thought Beckinsale did a wonderful job. She was likable, but she also had that quality of youthfulness that drives me crazy in my teenager. I think Knightly said, "She thinks she has nothing left to learn." That about sums up late adolescence!

I was wondering about the costumes. It seems that most young ladies wore cloth or lace collars outside of the dress collar rather than a chemisette tucked in. Also almost everyone has long sleeves on their day dresses. Would those choices be period correct?

Also, I loved the hat that Harriet wore frequently (a little green straw scoop bonnet). Does anyone know where I might find a colored straw hat or one similar?

[Mme de Beaufort]

Yes, the "Spoon Bonnet" -- Kate Winslet wears a similar one too in S&S and I'd like to get my paws on them, they are lovely.

[cosmoblue]

tess said:

I was wondering about the costumes. It seems that most young ladies wore cloth or lace collars outside of the dress collar rather than a chemisette tucked in. Also almost everyone has long sleeves on their day dresses. Would those choices be period correct?

I'm not sure about the collars, but as far as sleeve length I believe either short or long are acceptable for day. The only thing I think is time specific is the half length sleeve which was an early 1800-1805 type of thing.

tess said:

Also, I loved the hat that Harriet wore frequently (a little green straw scoop bonnet). Does anyone know where I might find a colored straw hat or one similar?

Do you mean this bonnet?
tinyurl.com/yrtn87

[cosmoblue]

I enjoyed this for the first time yesterday. I thought it was wonderful. So much better than the GP version. Though I thought Mr. Knightly so unattractive. I did think the film was bonnet-alicious! Such fun to watch all of the hats going across the screen.

[Mme de Beaufort]

That link didn't work for me. Here it is linked to my flickr account

[Mme de Beaufort]

cosmoblue said:

I enjoyed this for the first time yesterday. I thought it was wonderful. So much better than the GP version. Though I thought Mr. Knightly so unattractive. I did think the film was bonnet-alicious! Such fun to watch all of the hats going across the screen.

Totally. I was particularly intrigued with some of the tapered and flared-top pokes, as well as a couple of really simple straw bonnets.

[Lady Serendipity]

I love (LOVE!!!!) this version!

I enjoyed the Paltrow movie more than I thought I would, however, the characterizations in this one seem "truer to the book" too me.

Mark Strong has an unfortunate hairline ;D....not quite as cute as Jeremy N....but he is SO Mr. Knightley to me!

For some reason, a little scene that jumped out at me this time around, and keeps making me smile:

When he is grumbling and aggravated about Frank C. going off to get a haircut....really rather rudely, right in front of Mr. and Mrs. Weston....and they just share a secret smile behind his back. A "hee hee, he's so self-righteous, but we love him anyway!" smile. ;D

From beginning to end, Mark Strong just brings an intensity to the role makes it all more romantic (and dare I say....sexier?!) to me.

And while the "Harriet" in the GP version was eeeeendlessly annoying to me....and she and GP just LOOKED weird up next to one another....this Harriet is perfection! PERFECTION! This Harriet makes me SEE what Emma saw in her, and why Emma wanted to help her! The GP Harriet just seemed like a total airhead.

Love this. LOVE.

[tess]

That picture is the bonnet I was referring to.

I thought Emma's hats were much more beautiful and sophisticated, but I liked Harriet's sweet, simple little green bonnet.

[dawnluckham]

I had to decide which of the two "Emma" titles to choose. This is my 'comparison' for you.

I had a lot of hand sewing to do yesterday. (I’ve been working on a hand-sewn version of the Connecticut Historical Society stays, which I will share, anon. ) So to help me with it all I decided to indulge myself and watch two versions of Emma.

I’ve had these in my cupboard for years and I pull them out every once in a while to watch, but I don’t think I’ve ever watched both the Kate Beckinsale and the Gwyneth Paltrow version together before.

You know, I don’t think there is yet a “perfect” version of this story yet for me. Ideally, I’d like to blend elements of both of these films together.

In all fairness, Emma is not my favourite Austen heroine. In fact, when reading the book I really have a hard time liking her (just as the author intended "I am going to take a heroine whom no-one but myself will much like.") And as for Mr. Knightly, I know there are many who will argue he is the best Austen hero…but I won’t be one of them. I’m rather more charmed by Captain Wentworth and Col. Brandon.

However, I thought that I’d like to share some of my comparison thoughts. I love Kate Beckinsale in the role. She’s far, far more convincing to me as Emma. Somehow Gwyneth Paltrow seems like a modern actress tossed into a pseudo-Regency era gown and told to pretend. It’s very awkward. Where as, Kate seemed to me, to be very convincing.

The costumes in the A&E (Beckinsale) version were scrumptious! I LOVE Emma’s clothes! Sadly, for me the costumes in the Paltrow version are almost an embarrassment. Not only that, but the style should suit her figure, but let’s face it. She looks awful in most of her gowns. Men’s clothing in both versions was basically good.

I found I much, MUCH preferred Samantha Morton as Harriet. She’s positively sweet. The Paltrow version had Harriet played as a “ninny” for lack of another word. What a SILLY young woman. Where Samantha Morton played Harriet as a shy young woman easily led because of her circumstances in life and her position in the world, but not stupid.

Most of the other supporting actors were equally well done in both versions and equally enjoyable in their own ways. The location filming in both versions were lovely and I found I even preferred some of the pretty pathways shown in the Gwyneth Paltrow version.

And now onto Mr. Knightly: Frankly, I’m disturbed and frightened by Mark Strong’s portrayal of Mr. Knightly. I don’t see anything romantic about it or him at all! I see domestic violence in Emma’s future if this is Emma’s Mr. Knightly. I see a constant barrage of verbal abuse! I think the intent was to show that he was a passionate man and that their marriage would be equally as passionate. I’m not convinced. I really, REALLY don’t like this Mister Knightly!

Jeremy Northam’s version is much more to my liking. I like how when they disagree, he sort of smiles to himself as if he understands her train of thought. She argues with him about Harriet’s refusal to Mr. Martin; although the dialog for this scene is very similar in both films, Jeremy Northam’s handling of it – more like a ‘gentleman’ – disagreeing very much with Emma, but still respecting her is much better done.

So, I’ve read the reviews that discuss the “darker” (A&E) version of Emma as compared to the “light” (Paltrow) version. For, me; get rid of Mark Strong in the A&E version and insert a kinder Mr. Knightly and I’d be close to my “perfect” version of Emma.

[Lady Serendipity]

Ahhhh, I so enjoyed this thorough review-n-comparison, that I'm going to exalt you for taking the time to write it!

However.....*gasp!*.....I could not disagree more about Mark Strong's Mr. Knightley!! I looooove him. And if you want to talk "domestic violence"....I'm always really bothered by the yanking that Jeremy N. gives Emma in the "badly done" scene!

Totally agree with you about SM's "Harriet".

One thing I will say for the Paltrow version....I did enjoy the creative settings (eye candy!) that they put a lot of the conversations in.

[Vic]

I'm a little late to the party, but I must agree with Lady Serendipity in that I love Mark Strong's Mr. Knightley slightly more than Jeremy Northam's Mr. Knightley. Having said that, next to Edward Bertram, Mr. Knightley is my least favorite Jane Austen hero.

I particularly enjoyed Dawn Luckham's take on the fashions in both Emma's. I agree with the folks who find Kate Beckinsale's Emma more appealing than Gwynneth's, whose look and portrayal are too modern. Her gowns, while lovely, do not seem nearly as authentic as Kate's, but that is just my humble opinion.

Vic