Jane Austen’s classic novel is adapted yet again for this miniseries. Emma Woodhouse (Romola Garai) is young, attractive, and wealthy, and the apple of her father’s eye. Her brother-in-law, Mr. Knightly (Jonny Lee Miller), is pretty much the only person in the whole town of Highbury who takes care to point out Emma’s faults to her as she goes about matchmaking her friends and neighbors. The latest recipient of Emma’s efforts is new friend Harriet Smith (Louise Dylan), but this time Emma ends up far off the mark and she is forced to take a good look at herself and what she wants.

CRITIQUE

The British stalwart network the BBC faithfully mines the troves of their nation’s impressive literary legacy for adaptations that always end up on PBS here in the U.S., and Jane Austen is solidly among the favored sources. Since 1996, there hasn’t been a new version of one of her most loved works, Emma, but in 2009, audiences in the U.K. got one and this miniseries aired here beginning January 24, 2010. Emma is a thorough and entertaining adaptation, and the performances and production values are infinitely pleasing.

At the very least, miniseries productions of novels can boast of having the luxury of more screen time in which to dramatize the plot, and the social comedy of Jane Austen is particularly benefited by this. Though a good condensation of a plot is impressive, there is also something to recommend retaining the scope of a written work. This version of Emma is a positive example of the latter. Characters that are actually quite important in the book seem to be minor characters in shorter adaptations, for one thing. Frank Churchill and Jane Fairfax come to mind. Writer Sandy Welch wisely took advantage and allowed for them to feel more familiar and fully realized. A bit of a lengthier resolution is another pleasant side effect of longer screen time.

A more serious and introverted tone is captured by this production than may be expected. There are still plenty of opportunities to laugh at the irony Austen crafts, but viewers shouldn’t anticipate the zingy cheekyness of the 1995 Douglas McGrath theatrical adaptation. Director Jim O’Hanlon makes the tone cohesive throughout here, so I appreciate both interpretations. O’Hanlon also gathered a good cast, starting with Romola Garai as the title character. Though she has a tendency to latch onto Emma’s drama queen moments too fervently, she gets her youthfulness across. Jonny Lee Miller as Knightly is also a nice choice, giving the character (probably my second-favorite Austen hero) a slightly modern feel.

The acting, production values, and adaptation of the latest version of Emma ensure that it will stand alongside other Austen treatments for a long time.

THE VIDEO

THE AUDIO

Emma is presented in English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround, and the transfer is excellent for the memorable music of this adaptation.

THE EXTRAS

Emma’s Locations: Director O’Hanlon, along with producers and production designers, discuss the different houses used in the film, particularly Squerryes Court as Emma’s home, Hartfield. There is a lot of good information here, and the end is a bit of fun about how they make fake snow in summer!

Emma’s Costumes: Costume designer Rosalind Ebbutt takes the viewer through some of the different costumes for characters like Emma, Mr. Knightly, and Miss Bates. The insights into how certain fabrics and shapes are accomplished are fascinating, while the actors also comment intelligently on their characters and how they are dressed.

Emma’s Music: Composer Samuel Sim is the main figure in this extra, discussing his work for this version of Austen’s novel. Of course, director O’Hanlon adds a lot as well. The footage in the “spotting” session and in the actual music studio for recording is the best, and many fans will be tickled by the fact that the score was recorded in the famed Abbey Road Studios.

Emma’s Mr. Woodhouse: Interview with Michael Gambon: The venerable actor, known to American audiences most for the Harry Potter series, discusses his work over the years for the BBC, of which this production is just the latest. Early photographs and footage cover The Borderers, The Singing Detective, Ghosts, and more. Gambon’s stories are endlessly entertaining, and the best here is definitely about his audition with Sir Laurence Olivier in which he injured his hand.

FINAL THOUGHTS

 In its latest filmed incarnation, Emma feels like a unique adaptation, but still looks gorgeous and has a talented cast to top things off. Austen lovers and the romantics in all of us will be satisfied by this production. This two-disc set, with its informative extra features, would make wonderful Valentine’s Day viewing, generally a very solid viewing on any day.