ANYWAY, this weekend, I sat down to watch this long-standing favorite that I haven't seen in the better part of two decades, to see if it stood the test of time. What followed was a long, enthusiastic twitter chat, the highlights of which I'm going to share with you below. If you'd like to see the whole thing in all its somewhat snarky glory, you can find that here. Otherwise, click through, see what I had to say, and let me know your thoughts in the comments!
Heyyy, so did I ever tell you how I became OBSESSED with Jeremy Northam after this movie? Not even the ultimate creepness of The Net could deter me.#AustenInAugust— Misty (@TheBookRat) August 12, 2019
Miss Bates is the best...You know, one thing I've always loved about Emma - and one thing people don't give her enough credit for, when they talk about her meddling - is how much she cares for people, especially her father.— Misty (@TheBookRat) August 12, 2019
Love the relationship there, bothersome as he is.#AustenInAugust
As is Emma, just as a general rule.Her repeating herself, and yelling things like "Pork!" are just... chef's kiss.— Misty (@TheBookRat) August 12, 2019
Austen was so good at writing people's quirks and tics and oddities, and this movie captured that in Miss Bates.#AustenInAugust
Is Emma Austen's best comedy of manners, yes or no?#AustenInAugust— Misty (@TheBookRat) August 12, 2019
This book is SO PERFECTLY PLOTTED for everyone to constantly misunderstand each other, and I LOVE IT.— Misty (@TheBookRat) August 12, 2019
"It's not my place to intrude! I would not advise you for the world!"— Misty (@TheBookRat) August 12, 2019
- Emma, just now and always, lying through her teeth.#AustenInAugust
Mr. Elton, however, is the worst. (Mrs. 'E'? Same.)"The most incomprehensible thing to a man is a woman who refuses his offer of marriage."— Misty (@TheBookRat) August 12, 2019
Unifying threads in the JAU (Jane Austen Universe)
#AustenInAugust
— Misty (@TheBookRat) August 12, 2019
I think Emma is one of the books/movies that benefits most on a reread/watch, purely because of all of the little things Knightley says and does before anyone (maybe even he?) realizes he loves her.— Misty (@TheBookRat) August 12, 2019
You always pick up more.#AustenInAugust
Goddd, I love this story!— Misty (@TheBookRat) August 12, 2019
Who doesn't like Emma? I am ready to fight you.#AustenInAugust
Truly, they did the comedy justice in this movie.
Another excellent sight gag: Emma repeatedly reaching for her slice of cake, while Miss Bates keeps snatching it back while she prattles and gestures with the plate.#AustenInAugust— Misty (@TheBookRat) August 12, 2019
We might have to have a "Misunderstood Austen, part 2" because I'm still realizing things...This is the one thing that's always really bothered me about Emma, both book and character (even though I understand it in the context of the time)#AustenInAugust https://t.co/mgh3lGM9q9— Misty (@TheBookRat) August 12, 2019
Frank Churchill and Jane Fairfax? Also THE WORST.We recently talked abt Misunderstood Austen. This was 1 of mine: I never got why Emma would be so bothered by Harriet's status once married, but could hang out with Miss Bates, who is v. poor indeed. I didn't realize that it wasn't ~poverty~ that was the issue.#AustenInAugust— Misty (@TheBookRat) August 12, 2019
Back to the current, though: Jane Fairfax is the wooooooorst.— Misty (@TheBookRat) August 12, 2019
I'm with Emma on this one.#AustenInAugust
Frank Churchill: Oh my, WHOOooOO SENT THIS PIANOFORTE?— Misty (@TheBookRat) August 12, 2019
(i hate frank, too. he and jane deserve each other. 😬)#AustenInAugust pic.twitter.com/UUrz2tBMFx
I am v. V. serious: I want to do a "villains" rereading next year.Frank over here, toying with Emma and risking her emotional involvement to cover his own tracks. 🙃— Misty (@TheBookRat) August 12, 2019
Does Frank Churchill get dismissed too easily, when he's nearly as much of a dirtbag as Willoughby, et al., yes or no?#AustenInAugust
I have... just so many thoughts on Emma.I think I need to have a "villains" rereading of all of Austen's books, paying special attention to the scoundrels and self-important jackasses.— Misty (@TheBookRat) August 12, 2019
(This tweet brought to you by my reaction to Mrs. Elton, who is now on the scene.)#AustenInAugust
That's another reason I'm always surprised people don't like Emma (character). She's dynamic, and will likely remain so: she's kind, she wants the best for people, and she WANTS to be good, and my god, we need more of that.#AustenInAugusthttps://t.co/qPlN7BPOx7— Misty (@TheBookRat) August 12, 2019
I mean, it's horrible, it's Emma at her worst, but it's so well-executed and so pivotal. #AustenInAugust— Misty (@TheBookRat) August 12, 2019
That Jeremy Northam obsession in full swing...It also plays on the audiences own bad behavior, because it's partly satisfying for someone to basically tell Miss Bates to shut up. But then she feels bad about it, and we feel bad about it.— Misty (@TheBookRat) August 12, 2019
Badly done, Emma; well done, Jane.#AustenInAugust
BE. LIKE. EMMA.That slow look-up from Mr Knightley... swoon. SWOON, I TELL YOU.— Misty (@TheBookRat) August 12, 2019
It's "look back at me" levels of swoon.#AustenInAugust pic.twitter.com/t3p4db2TgP
Emma takes no bullshit.— Misty (@TheBookRat) August 12, 2019
Emma knows her worth.
Emma stands up for herself, and expects people to do and be good.
Emma is willing to change and improve.
Be like Emma.#underrated#AustenInAugust
IN CONCLUSION:
I still love this movie. There is nothing wrong with it. Good adaptation, good acting, GREAT humor, great sets. This is aces, good choice, Me.#AustenInAugust— Misty (@TheBookRat) August 12, 2019
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Great analysis! I love Emma: this adaptation and this book. Miss Bates used to annoy me with all her Babblings but I have come to appreciate her, almost like a Shakespeare chorus, giving us the valuable clues in a not so subtle speech.
ReplyDeleteEmma is not my favorite, but that is compared to other Austen novels and it is far and above other novels. Anyway, I do love this movie and Northam was swoony. This Miss Bates is the best.
ReplyDeleteI agree about Emma taking his 'badly done' and being willing to change. Wonderful point in the story.
Fun reading your thoughts, Misty!
I enjoyed this post so much!
ReplyDeleteI think we are very lucky because adaptations of Emma are on the whole, all really good. 96,96 again and 09, all are really worth watching and enjoyable.
I have always liked Emma, even though the first time I read it I had to take a short break when she insulted poor Miss Bates because the cringe factor was so extreme! The reasons I like Emma are that firstly, she means well, even though she is often wrong. Secondly, she tries very hard to be gracious to others, even though she is surrounded by very annoying people aside from Miss Taylor and Mr Knightley, and she has no escape from them. She lives in Kent and has never even been as far as the seaside - Kent actually has a seaside, it's not like it would have been a massive journey to go there. She has never seen Mr Knightley dance before, leading me to suppose that she's never been to a dance, which is so sad for a young lady of her age.
Thirdly, although she's often wrong, she is quite a bit more intelligent than the people around her and pretty much everybody bows to her judgement. Is it any wonder that she believes that she's always right? I think a lot of readers don't extend a lot of compassion towards Emma's circumstances and background. She is a product of it.
That being said, it's easier to love her from a distance, I am glad I am not friends with her because her interfering would do my head in! :)
There are some damn EXCELLENT points here!
DeleteThis version is my favorite even though I can't stand Paltrow now but I was introduced to Northam as well and continued to see most of his films in the nineties. Glad it still holds up for you. I love that collage scene of Toni Collette "helping out." Classic. I need to go watch again!
ReplyDeleteLOL, right?! One of the tweets I didn't include here was about how I was just going to choose to remember Paltrow as she was in this movie, and forget about the Paltrow of 2019.
DeleteMy favorite Austen adaption that is not a retelling. I think Mr Knightley here is the reason I changed to him as my favorite Austen hero. Before this movie, I think it was Darcy. But I watched this when I was very young and at that time I craved someone to guide me maybe, so Mr Knightley seemed to do that even though it could potentially be problematic.
ReplyDeleteI think when we discover something -- the stage we are in life -- has a BIG impact on how we interpret it, and what becomes a favorite.
DeleteI like all Emma adoptions but this is my favorite also. It is the funniest and introduced me too to Jeremy Northam. He is soooo swoon worthy!
ReplyDeleteSO swoon-worthy! If you haven't seen Possession, he's great in that as well.
DeleteI haven't watched this since it was released on dvd. I enjoyed reading your commentary and I'm glad you included one of my favorite scenes when Harriet mentions that Elton has brown eyes comparing him with a dog, very appropriate and hilarious. I also loved the casting for this although now I find Gwyneth in the role a bit distracting as it's difficult for me to see beyond the actress to the character.
ReplyDeleteThis was all so great to read. I'm wondering what you think about why people love Emma so much? Why do we keep coming back to it as a story? Is it because she's one of Austen's only heroines who is not reliant on making a 'good match' to have a good life? She as true freedom, within the limits of the time. She has no incentive to be appealing, kind, marry-able. That affects her behaviour. It's kind of a pleasure to watch a woman be so free - kind of like in Clueless. That's just my theory. Any contributions welcome.
ReplyDelete*has true freedom. Sorry, was typing quickly.
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ReplyDelete