Jane Austens Emma (1996)

Jane Austens Emma: Directed by Douglas McGrath. With Gwyneth Paltrow, James Cosmo, Greta Scacchi, Alan Cumming. While matchmaking for friends and neighbours, a young 19th Century Englishwoman nearly misses her own chance at love.

“Jane Austenu0026#39;s novel, possibly her best, comes to the screen in yet another version, putting American Gwyneth Paltrow in the lead alongside Jeremy Northam as Mr Knightley. This is an adaptation which stays true to the original premise as well as giving it a certain cinematic class. Sophie Thompson gives a good and touching performance as the chattering Miss Bates, and Paltrow manages to keep a convincing English accent throughout.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eOne curious thing is that in the scene where Emma and Knightley dance together has the same music as the dance in the 1990s BBC Pride and Prejudice between Elizabeth and Darcy. This seems to jar somehow, as though they couldnu0026#39;t find another piece of music! Perhaps the two adaptations just overlapped. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThis u0026#39;Emmau0026#39; compares well with others, but even so there isnu0026#39;t much between this and the TV one done at much the same time with Kate Beckinsale as Emma and Mark Strong as Knightley.”