Emma (1996)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Douglas McGrath

Writers (WGA):

Jane Austen (novel)
Douglas McGrath (screenplay)

Release Date:

2 August 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

Cupid is armed and dangerous!

Plot:

In rural 1800s England things go bad for a young matchmaker after she finds a man for another woman.

Plot Keywords:

Love | England | Austen | Matchmaker | Jane

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 2 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Gwyneth Paltrow	...	Emma Woodhouse
James Cosmo	...	Mr. Weston
Greta Scacchi	...	Mrs. Weston
Alan Cumming	...	Mr. Elton
Denys Hawthorne	...	Mr. Woodhouse
Sophie Thompson	...	Miss Bates
Jeremy Northam	...	Mr. Knightley
Toni Collette	...	Harriet Smith
Kathleen Byron	...	Mrs. Goddard
Phyllida Law	...	Mrs. Bates
Edward Woodall	...	Mr. Robert Martin
Brett Miley	...	Little Boy
Brian Capron	...	John Knightley
Karen Westwood	...	Isabella Knightley
Paul Williamson	...	Footman

MPAA:

Rated PG for brief mild language.

Runtime:

121 min | Canada:94 min (Ontario)

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Canada:PG (Ontario) | South Korea:15 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Belgium:KT | Brazil:12 | Chile:TE | Finland:S | Germany:6 (w) | Netherlands:AL | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:T | Sweden:Btl | UK:U | USA:PG | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Came House, Dorchester, Dorset, England, UK

Company:

Miramax Films

Trivia:

The fuzzy cloak Gwyneth Paltrow (Emma Woodhouse) wears to the Christmas gathering at the Weston's is the same costume Julie Cox (Annabella Milbanke) wears after her wedding in Byron (2003) (TV).

Goofs:

Continuity: As Emma and Knightly are leaving the church, Jane Fairfax takes Frank Churchill's arm twice.

Quotes:

Mr. Knightley: I can think of nothing less appealing than an evening of watching other people dance. Go on!
[throwing stick for dog to fetch]
Emma Woodhouse: Then you shall have to dance yourself.
Mr. Knightley: I have no taste for it. I'd rather fetch that stick.
Emma Woodhouse: I'll try to remember to bring it to the ball.
Mr. Knightley: [pause] I just want to stay here where it's cozy.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Simpsons: All Singing, All Dancing (#9.11)" (1998)

Soundtrack:

Jacob Hall's Jig

Good, but not brilliant

This is a good adaptation of Austen's novel. Good, but not brilliant.

The cinematography is inventive, crossing at times the border to gimmickry, but it certainly avoids the trap of making this look like a boring TV soap in costumes, given that the entire story is dialogue-driven.

The acting is competent. Ms Paltrow is aloof, as her character requires, but the required distance from the other characters is accompanied by a much less appropriate detachment from her own actions. In other words, she does not seem to care enough of the results of her match-making endeavours. Some of the supporting cast is guilty of over-acting - very much in the style that is appreciated on stage but out of place in motion pictures. Personally, I had problems accepting Alan Cumming as Mr Elton - to no fault of his own, except for having left such an impression as a gay trolley-dolly in "The High Life" that it is now difficult to accept him playing any serious part. Acting honours go to Toni Collette who manages to radiate warmth, and Jeremy Northam who pitches his character at just the right level.