New Emma production and Pride and Prejudice Question 5

Yesterday's question was a tough one, but some of you had some very perceptive answers. Well done!

Recognize the village from my previous blog?

I watched Emma last night, as I said I'd do in my last blog. I'll give you a quick summary of how it went, and my general impressions.

The mini series starts with a review of Emma's childhood. We see Miss Bates as a fixture in Emma's childhood, constantly reading out letters detailing Jane Fairfax's accomplishments. We see her as she grows up, with Mr Knightly another fixture. Knightly seems inclined to reprimand both Emma and Miss Taylor. We catch a glimpse of John Knightly and Emma's sister, whose marriage Emma believes she engineered. And then Miss Taylor's marriage with Mr Weston.

The action starts after Miss Taylor's wedding, where Emma is left quite lonely in a big house with her father. Consequently she seeks out a companion, and she chooses Harriet, who is very pretty but quite empty-headed. Knightly warns that no good will come of it. Emma meanwhile, starts her machinations.

The first episode concludes with a big fight between Knightly and Emma, after Knightly learns she has twisted Harriet's arm to reject Mr Martin's proposal.

First I should say that this production deliberately sets out to be a modern interpretation. Consequently, Emma intentionally appears very contemporary. Even her hair and shots of her clothing from certain angles make her seem like someone dressed in current fashions (not all the time, but there is a deliberate attempt to do this, despite the fact that the period costumes are very accurate). One of the ways Sandy Welch brings it up to date in our post-psychoanalytic world, is to deliberately introduce a psychological approach to the characters. We understand Mr Woodhouse as a hypochondriac better, for example, when we know that he fears illness because of his wife's death.

We are also treated to beautiful views and lush landscapes. Mr Knightly is shown to be a very rich landowner, and his house is magnificent.

Romola Garai plays a perky, cheerful Emma, wide-eyed and full of well-meaning innocence. She is resolutely bustling and active, and generally sunny except when she fights with Knightly. She brings a new perspective to the character, emphasizing Emma's youth and her isolation, which goes a long way to explaining her errors in judgement. Sir Michael Gambon as Emma's father is wonderfully expressive. Jonny Lee Miller is so busy being Emma's older brother, the chemistry hasn't kicked in yet. I'll have to wait and see.

I need to defer judgement on the mini-series so far, though. I found it unexpected, but the plus side of it is that the approach is original and very different from any other productions before. There's a lot of new dialogue added. This is in keeping with the characters, but it is a bit disorienting if you know the novel. So far my sense is that it would be more enjoyable if I didn't know the novel (isn't that true of a lot of adaptations?), but there as still three episodes to go.

I'll keep you posted over the next three weeks.

For more images of the production, please visit Robert Morris via The Republic of Pemberley.

Meanwhile, the question you've been waiting for

Pride and Prejudice Question 5

What is the role of Georgiana in the novel? Would the novel have been different if Georgiana wasn't there?