Emma.

this film is loveliness itself emma. (2020) is a love letter to jane austen. autumn de wilde knocks it out of the park with this adaption, it is evident how much time, research and care went into this film. dare i say emma is the best jane austen adaption. each shot is crafted so carefully and beautifully. the script is magnificent capturing the novel in its satire and intelligence while simultaneously bringing it to life. each character was casted splendidly, mia goth embodies the sweet and naive harriet, anya taylor joy is the perfect representation of the handsome and clever emma and josh o’connor brings the hysterical mr. elton to life. i adore the films demonstration of mr. knightley and mrs. weston’s (miss taylor’s) careful consideration for emma woodhouse on opposite spectrums. emma woodhouse has an incredible philosophy for young women through her mantra “if a woman doubts as to whether she should accept a man or not, she certainly ought to refuse him”. despite being a woman in the 17th century, emma carries herself highly in feminist values which is demonstrated when she argues with mr. knightley despite it not appearing “lady-like”. emma is a very sensible woman who holds herself and her loved ones in high regards. one of my favourite things about the novel and film is when emma tells knightley “i only want to keep harriet for myself”, after having harriet reject mr. martin. this film does not skirt around the queer subtext jane austen wrote emma with but indulges it. another quality in this movie i like is how it sticks closely to the source material, such as isabella knightley and mr. woodhouses hypochondria. it is easy to pass off their behaviours around illness as anal and laugh it off (and as one should the scenes are very humorous), but the real reason both get so anxious about illness is because mrs. woodhouses death was consequence of contrived illness. the next scene i will discuss is the ball held in frank churchill honour. during this scene harriet smith is sat disengaged without a partner ready to cry, when mr. knightley asks if she will dance. it may seem silly to many but that scene always brings me to tears and demonstrates both knightley and emma’s good nature. despite knightley dislike of dancing he steps in to save harriet’s night after mr. elton shuns her. as for emma she is ecstatic that knightley has stepped in and saved her friend and thanks him greatly for his kindness without any jealously. my closing thoughts have to be my appreciation for the films treatment of emma and frank churchills relationship and knightleys proposal. when reading the novel it is abundantly clear that emma’s romantic feelings for frank are really more set in her envy of him. frank and emma are two sides of the same coin; yet frank has the privilege that comes from being a man in the regency period. the film doesnt play up their romantic story but focuses on how similar they are instead. when knightley proposes to emma she gets a nose bleed on the spot. it is one of my favourite creative changes. the blood she drips from her nose is a visual display of her perfect image dwindling and breaking in midst of the chaos she faces.