Classics Considered

5 responses to “Reaction to Emma (2020)”

1. 

   smellincoffee

   March 15, 2020 at 9:12 am

   I should really re-read Emma — I read it five years ago and didn’t take to it very well, but people change. Maybe one of these movies will prim the pump, so to speak…that’s how I finished Sense and Sensibility!

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2. 

   Mudpuddle

   March 15, 2020 at 10:06 am

   like Stephen, i’ve tried Ms. A unsuccessfully… maybe some day, tho…

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3. 

   Marian

   March 15, 2020 at 6:21 pm

   @Stephen, Mudpuddle – This is one of those rare instances, I’d say – the movie (in my opinion, the 2009 version) might actually be better than the book 🙂

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4. 

   Sharon Barrow Wilfong

   March 18, 2020 at 11:42 am

   Hi Marion. Very nice overview of the movies.

   I am a huge Austen fan and have read Emma countless times. I think it may be my favorite, or at least a close second to Pride and Prejudice.

   There is one other version that was on Masterpiece Theatre back in the seventies. I checked it out of my library some years ago, because I love seeing how all the different actors interpret the characters.

   I must say that each movie/stage version I saw had merit and there were different things I enjoyed about each. I do think Gwyneth Paltrow best embodied Emma, but I also liked Romola’s girlish version as you call it. Also, I think a series does greater justice to a book rather than trying to squeeze everything into a 2 hour movie.

   I was interested to hear what you had to say about this latest one. I was excited to see it, but there was something about the trailer that, as you say, made it a little too self-consciously orchestrated. I was still willing to see it, but my sister said there was some objectionable aspects to it (nudity) so I decided to give it a pass.

   Glad to hear your review!

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   1. 

      Marian

      March 18, 2020 at 2:10 pm

      Great points, Sharon. 🙂 This seems to be one of those stories that lends itself to interpretation. I haven’t seen the Masterpiece Theatre version, but some of their older series are very much underrated!

      I forgot to mention the nudity, so I’m glad you brought that up. It was brief and non-sexual (and all from the back) but that it said, I did think it was completely gratuitous and cringe. It happens fairly early in the movie so is pretty easy to anticipate/fast-forward if you do end up watching it on digital or DVD.

      Overall, I probably won’t be watching this one again; it hasn’t grown on me “in retrospect” like some movies do…

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