All the 'Emma' adaptations I've seen, ranked.
I got this idea from Eva, who often does these kinds of posts. I always enjoy hers, and I'm excited to try my hand at some of my own. [Yep, planning on possibly making this a series of sorts. 😜]
So let's dive in! Ranking all the Emma adaptations I've seen so far, from my (current) least favorite to my (current) favorite. [Y'all ain't gonna be happy. 😆]
These are ranked solely according to personal enjoyment. I'm making no statements about historical accuracy; I'm not commenting (much) on fidelity to the book. Keep your corsets on.
[Also, I enjoy all of these adaptations for different reasons.]
So let's dive in! Ranking all the Emma adaptations I've seen so far, from my (current) least favorite to my (current) favorite. [Y'all ain't gonna be happy. 😆]
These are ranked solely according to personal enjoyment. I'm making no statements about historical accuracy; I'm not commenting (much) on fidelity to the book. Keep your corsets on.
[Also, I enjoy all of these adaptations for different reasons.]
⎼ ⎼ ⎼ ⎼ ⎼
#6. the Alicia Silverstone
(Clueless)
(Clueless)
This is fun enough. Rudd and Silverstone have a cute, flirty chemistry, and some of the lines are pretty iconic.
#5. the Gwyneth Paltrow
(1996)
#4. the Romola Garai
(2009)
I really like the chemistry between Paltrow and Northam in this one, too. [Knightley's little addendum to the "No, indeed," line at the dance after Emma goes back inside is always fun: " . . . Indeed we are not."]
I also like how this version includes a more in-depth look at Emma's charitable work around Highbury.
I also like how this version includes a more in-depth look at Emma's charitable work around Highbury.
#4. the Romola Garai
(2009)
This is The Revered™ among Emma adaptations, and I get why. It's a fabulous miniseries, and I love it, and I think it deserves all the popularity it has. It's just not one of my absolute tip-top favorites, and that's okay.
[Two things I'm not sold on:
- While she's adorable, Romola Garai doesn't 100% convince me as Emma. I love her and I enjoy her performance, but I don't think she comes across as flawed enough. For me, she's too likable, too sympathetic, too . . . excitable, I guess. (I'm not saying she objectively is; I'm saying that in my opinion, she is. 😛) So, again, I enjoy her performance; it just doesn't read as 'authentic Emma Woodhouse' to me.
- I'm really not a big fan of this Harriet? 😬 I think I'm picky about Harriet portrayals, though. *shrugs*]
[Two things I'm not sold on:
- While she's adorable, Romola Garai doesn't 100% convince me as Emma. I love her and I enjoy her performance, but I don't think she comes across as flawed enough. For me, she's too likable, too sympathetic, too . . . excitable, I guess. (I'm not saying she objectively is; I'm saying that in my opinion, she is. 😛) So, again, I enjoy her performance; it just doesn't read as 'authentic Emma Woodhouse' to me.
- I'm really not a big fan of this Harriet? 😬 I think I'm picky about Harriet portrayals, though. *shrugs*]
#3. the Anya Taylor-Joy
(2020)
(2020)
"But the weirdness!" you say.
"But the nosebleed!" you say.
"But the BUTTS!!!" you say.
I know. I hear you. And I don't care. 😛
I love this adaptation. I love the intentionality of the humor, the deliberate and loving irreverence. [Although, yes, I could certainly do without the naked derrieres.] I love the awkwardly intense stares, the impression that beneath the surface, something might be Just A Touch Off. I love the parodic use of the musical score. I love Knightley and Emma together. [Knightley's Distressed Floor Scene is a mood.]
Also: Miss Bates & Harriet & Mr. Elton are all Delights & Treasures & I want everyone to take notes.
I love this adaptation. I love the intentionality of the humor, the deliberate and loving irreverence. [Although, yes, I could certainly do without the naked derrieres.] I love the awkwardly intense stares, the impression that beneath the surface, something might be Just A Touch Off. I love the parodic use of the musical score. I love Knightley and Emma together. [Knightley's Distressed Floor Scene is a mood.]
Also: Miss Bates & Harriet & Mr. Elton are all Delights & Treasures & I want everyone to take notes.
#2. the Kate Beckinsale
(1996)
(1996)
I KNOW. You had not thought it would be this bad, did you? But 'tis true ⎼ this version has my favorite iterations of many characters: Mr. and Mrs. Weston, Frank and Jane, Mrs. Elton, possibly others.
Kate Beckinsale really nails the character, in my mind: coolly arrogant, devoted to the people she loves, playful, serious ⎼ everything that makes me think 'Emma Woodhouse'.
And, yes, I even like Mark Strong as Mr. Knightley. He has more nuance than you think he does.
Kate Beckinsale really nails the character, in my mind: coolly arrogant, devoted to the people she loves, playful, serious ⎼ everything that makes me think 'Emma Woodhouse'.
And, yes, I even like Mark Strong as Mr. Knightley. He has more nuance than you think he does.
I love it.
#1. the Joanna Sotomura
I've already reviewed this elsewhere, but this one just makes me the happiest. I love the cleverness of the translation into a modern setting. The colors are so cheerful, the actors are adorable (despite their at-times contrived acting), and it's just a fun time all around.
⎼ ⎼ ⎼ ⎼ ⎼
(All right, I'm ready for the rotten vegetables.)
No, seriously, which are your favorite Emma adaptations?
*applauds and applauds*
ReplyDeleteYou know multiple adaptations of the same classic story are my jam--and subjective opinions/rankings are ALSO my jam. ;) So I Enjoy this post.
Haha!! I've never seen the Kate Beckinsale version; however, I do love Kate Beckinsale and can easily imagine her as a very cool, sharp, shrewd-on-the-surface-yet-fundamentally-deluded Emma Woodhouse.
Emma Approved ... *dreamy siiiiiiiiiiiigh* Big fan, big fan.
Okay but can I just give a shout-out to the Anya Taylor-Joy movie, the newest one, for being SO. MUCH. DARN. FUN. Brisk and bright and cheery and colorful, and yet, as you pointed out, the slightest bit frenetic and not quite sane. Good times. Mr. Knightley's floor scene is indeed a Mood (TM).
My favorite is still Romola Garai's version, just because in my mind, she is the most Emma-like in her unique combination of lovable bossiness and goofy uncertainty. Also because Johnny Lee Miller is my child. Also because I just really dig the lush softness and the faded yellow tones of Le Aesthetic. Also because it "goes" really well with the '08 S&S, so in my mind they're part of the same Austen-land extended universe?? Idk. You get what I'm trying to say. ;)
*grins and grins*
DeleteThank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed it; it was a really fun post to write and I'm excited to see how other "installments" might go if it does end up being a series.
Yes! That's exactly how Kate Beckinsale plays Emma, and it's delightful. (Have you seen Love & Friendship, by the way? Because dude. Quality cinema, right there.)
Saaaaaaaame. :D <3
YES GIRL YES. "Not quite sane" EXACTLY!! I don't know about you, but given Anya Taylor-Joy's background in horror, I found it oddly fascinating to look at the new movie's Extreme Zaniness as almost a nod to Something Being Not Quite Right. (But, like, in a Very Mellow, Lowkey way. Because I am the farthest thing from a horror enthusiast. xD)
ANYWAY. Yes. Mr. Knightley was fabulous.
Ahhh, that's so cool! I didn't know you loved the '09 version! Neat. :D The aesthetic is gorgeous, I will Most Certainly give you that. *nods* Ayyyyyy, that's a neat parallel with S&S. In MY mind they're actually Super Different, aesthetically speaking?? Like, I can't really picture them "together"?? But I like that you do 'cause it's happy. :D
Wow, so many versions of Emma! I've only seen your #6 and #5, but I've been meaning to watch the others. Especially Emma Approved.
ReplyDeleteCool! Yeah, I think you'd especially like the Romola Garai and Emma Approved, but we'll see! :D
DeleteThough my ranking would be different (Romola Garai up top, then Emma Approved, then Kate Beckinsale, then Paltrow - and I haven't seen Anya Taylor-Joy yet so I can't judge) I still wholeheartedly respect your ranking and the reasons for so doing. :D
ReplyDeleteHaha, thank you! ;D
DeleteMy "sacrilegious" opinion is that I think I prefer (at least after my last reading of a few years ago) to watch rather than read Emma.
ReplyDeleteI feel like I'd have to watch them all again to be certain (and the newest for the first time), but quite frankly, I think it would also depend on my mood at the moment. Kate Beckinsale version used to be my favorite, even after seeing Emma 2009, but that eventually switched. I *think* it would be this.
Emma 2009. My main beef was she is the worst period drama Emma. But the rest of the movie is so relaxing, hilarious, and beautiful (costuming, scenery, music) that it's just the most fun to me. Also, I think almost everyone else was the most accurate. And there is SO many funny exchanges! I just love all the little details, the looks between Emma and Mrs. Weston (their age difference is more accurate here, they had more a friend rather than mother daughter age difference), and oh, my John Knightley is hilarious. Everyone seems more human in this version. Of course it is longer, so more nuance is allowed.
I think perhaps a tie here? They are so different. Kate Beckinsale (she is the most accurate period drama version, and I was besotted with Mark Strong, although everyone else said he was angry also has the most accurate-*talkative* Miss Bates) and Emma Approved (I loved this one because of Harriet and Martin and the hilarious Caroline Lee tyeover, genius. And Frank, Frank is NOT a JA villain people)
Clueless, overhyped but cute I guess.
Gweneth Paltrow version (everybody was in love with Jeremy Northam and next to Mark Strong to me he seemed like a whiny wuss, I was just offended this one existed)
I'm guessing the newest. But I *could* be surprised.
Well, then, it is a sacrilegious opinion I share: I'd much rather watch it than read it, too.
DeleteHonestly, same. I wouldn't be at all surprised if my rankings changed the next time I watch all of them.
I do love a lot of things about the 2009 version! Especially Mrs. Weston and Emma's relationship. Yes, that's true, miniseries have a lot more potential for fleshing out the characters and themes.
Completely agree with everything you said about the Kate Beckinsale and Emma Approved! Love them both so much. (I don't think Frank is a villain, either.)
Yeah, I didn't fall in love with Clueless, but I did enjoy it.
Huh, interesting. I honestly didn't know the Gwyneth Paltrow version was so unpopular before doing this post. I think it's pretty good, but I just like the others more.
Awwwwww, I LOVE this kind of post!!! It makes me happy that you did it. (I so want to do something similar for all the versions of Little Women I've seen but IT'S. SO. HARD. aghhh)
ReplyDeleteHmm. So, I grew up with Gwyneth Paltrow. I think she feels the most *accurate Emma* to me. I also think it's fun that Ewan McGregor is Frank (who is a favorite, pet character of mine, oops). But then I saw the Romola Garai version.... AND LOVED IT. Soooooooooo, yeah. The Gwyneth Paltrow remains "Iconic" but I don't actually have as many feels for it as Romola Garai's. I do agree, however, that Romola Garai is almost too good and fun and likable to be Emma. The sad truth is that Emma is rather... rather petty and shallow, I think, and an *accurate* Emma will never be one I *like* if that makes sense. I like Garai's version because it is *not Emma-ish.*
Alas and alas, I have not seen Clueless, but want to. I haven't seen the newest version (which sounds rather amusing, overall, and I look forward to a time when I do get to see it). Aaaaaaand I've never even *heard of* the Kate Beckinsdale version somehow??? I have seen Emma Approved though... it's fun but not my favorite. I kind of hate Emma (again, I think it's because the portrayal was very accurate...) but I did like their Knightley a lot. He had the right quiet passion/intensity.
(OH. I also looooooove Frank in the Romola Garai version. Just had to declare that. Done now.)
Thanks! Yeah, it was fun. :D YOU SHOULD! But yes, they can be really hard to organize. xD
DeleteThat makes sense! I think the thing with Emma as a character is . . . *sigh* I think there IS depth, but there are also considerable flaws, and those flaws are only exacerbated by the unethical class distinctions of the time. So it can be difficult to find an adaptation that successfully portrays both her strengths and her weaknesses, AND manages to address how even the social structures and family/friends around her are enabling the weaknesses.
Clueless was fun! I'm looking forward to watching it again. :D
I like Frank as a character, too! Or, at least, I don't actively DISlike him. ;) ;)
okay but Emma Approved is 100% the best and I haven't even read the book yet xD It's so good *all the heart eyes* I still need to watch Clueless sometime, lol
ReplyDeleteYESSSSSSSS. :D <3 Emma Approved is so cute and happy and good.
DeleteGwyneth is my favorite, and I liked Garai and Taylor-Joy and Silverstone about equally, tbh. I haven't seen the Beckinsale yet, but I recently picked up a copy, so... soonish.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I nominated you for the Sunshine Blogger Award. Play if you want to!
Gotcha. I knew the Gwyneth was your favorite but I wasn't sure where all the others stood. I'll be interested to hear what you think of the Beckinsale!
DeleteThanks for the nomination! I'm looking forward to answering the questions. :D
The Romola Garai one is definitely my favourite but I have seen and appreciated the Kate Beckinsale one and the Gwyneth Paltrow one also!
ReplyDeleteAnd I totally forgot about Emma Approved - I have yet to watch that, and it is now down as a note on my phone, haha.
They're all so good!
DeleteAhhh, yes, Emma Approved is darling. :D