Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated) Binding: VHS Tape EAN: 9786304346105 Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC ISBN: 6304346107 Label: A&E Home Video Manufacturer: A&E Home Video Number Of Items: 1 Publisher: A&E Home Video Release Date: December 26, 1996 Running Time: 107 minutes Studio: A&E Home Video Theatrical Release Date: February 16, 1997 Sales Rank: 8905
Description: From the award-winning creative team behind A&E’s PRIDE AND PREJUDICE comes another Jane Austen classic, the beloved EMMA. Kate Beckinsale (Last Days of Disco) stars in this wickedly delightful tale of love and matchmaking.
Amazon.com: Similar to the equally excellent Valmont, this version of Jane Austen's classic novel had the misfortune of following a sumptuous big-star version with Gwyneth Paltrow, which was released the summer before. And, just as 1989's Valmont suffered comparisons with Dangerous Liaisons, inevitably these Emmas were held up next to one another.
This delicious Emma concerns a young woman of financial substance (Kate Beckinsale), who fancies herself a matchmaker, especially with shy Miss Harriet Smith (Samantha Morton, who also appears in A&E's Jane Eyre). In Emma's swirling world of social activity and social consciousness, one's position and stature is a constant preoccupation. But to her credit, Emma, albeit a busybody, has compassion for all classes, and for her kindly but hypochondriacal father (Bernard Hepton).
This miniseries is more subtle than the grand theatrical release, is truer to the novel, and gives a richer explanation of the relationship between Emma associates Jane Fairfax (beautiful Olivia Williams of Rushmore) and the duplicitous Frank Churchill (Raymond Coulthard). Of course, at the center, as in all Austen stories, is the romance between the unsuspecting leading lady and an unlikely, but wholly suitable gentleman. In this case, it's Emma and her brother-in-law, the righteous (as played here) Mr. Knightley (Mark Strong). Strong's Mr. Knightley is more reserved, less coy than Jeremy Northam's; he plays Knightley more like Mr. Darcy (the leading man in Austen's Pride and Prejudice, which A&E also offers in a wonderful miniseries). Beckinsale proves to be utterly delightful and in no way should this excellent adaptation be ignored. --N.F. Mendoza
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - Not The Everyman's Emma
I think, to a certain degree, comparison with Douglas McGrath's 1996 movie featuring Gwyneth Paltrow is inevitable. However, I must alert my reader to the fact that - when I praise this alternate version ... Read More
Rating: - Truly the Best Emma
This Emma is the best production. The others don't compare with this one. Kate Beckinsdale is very good as the lead character and the production is much more realistic than the others out there. Emma is ... Read More
Rating: - Pleasant. Relaxed-pace, ok once.
Visually appealing. Pretty dresses, houses, and scenery. Better than television. Only 3-stars, because the script could be better. 3-stars compared to "Pride and Prejudice". This is the best version ... Read More
Rating: - 3 maybe 3 1/2
Not quite what I was expecting, but it's a cute movie. Pride and Prejudice, and Sense and Sensibility get 5 stars in my book. But this is a good movie too.
Rating: - 4.5
I did watch this AFTER watching the 1996 Gwyneth Paltrow version and do prefer this one.
I'm not a Kate Beckinsale fan, she does Emma well. She's more proper and more restrained than Paltrow. ... Read More
- Not The Everyman's Emma
- Pleasant. Relaxed-pace, ok once.