Jane Austen season
Early into quarantine, I saw several Twitter posts commentating that life was beginning to feel like a Jane Austen novel, as there isn't much to do during long days except go for walks, take a turn about the room, sew, play an instrument or write letters. Amy Collier took it a step further by writing a listicle for The New Yorker about how dating in the pandemic is like dating in an Austen novel, including these gems: "It’s a long, drawn-out affair, composed of public meetings." And "You and your prospective future husband barely touch." She popped up into conversation again with all of the Bridgerton discourse of the last few weeks, so it's safe to say there's something Austenian the air. As we head into the winter months, there seemed no better time to go full Austen.
I finally watched the 2020 adaptation of Emma and it's brilliant: The minute the first line from Jane Austen's novel Emma appeared on screen, I knew I was in for a treat. "Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence and had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her." It's a perfect line and the perfect way to set up a movie adaptation of the story, as Emma finds many things are beginning to distress and vex her throughout the film. Autumn de Wilde makes her feature film directorial debut in this visually stunning adaptation (with a screenplay by Eleanor Catton), which feels like a truly fresh and modern take on a classic novel without straying far from the bones of the original. And that's saying something given that Emma has been adapted many times. But this time feels different. It's Wes Anderson vibes, but it's also something new entirely. The colors. The landscape shots. The way music is used to transition between scenes (h/t to composer Isobel Waller-Bridge, yes she's related to who you think she is and also did the music for Fleabag). Autumn de Wilde leans into moments of comedy, which is truly delightful because Jane Austen novels are FUNNY and many adaptations opt for romance without the humor. Why can't we have both? This version does just that, with scenes that made me laugh out loud (anything involving Emma's father, Josh O'Connor's intentionally ridiculous take on Elton and Mia Goth's beaming and naive Harriet) and scenes fueled with chemistry and tension (the DANCE, running after carriages, basically anything with Johnny Flynn's George Knightley). Our leading lady is inherently difficult to play, as she's quite unlikeable, but Anya Taylor-Joy leans into those undesirable bits, while also showing Emma's vulnerability. She and Johnny Flynn have delightful chemistry that builds to a remarkably directed almost final scene that again strikes the perfect balance between romance and humor. The movie is available on HBO Max and clearly I could gush about it forever. I've also pulled together a rundown of articles that dive deeper into the behind-the-scenes making of the movie, which you can explore below.
Satisfy your Pride and Prejudice fix: If you're looking to visit or revisit Pride and Prejudice, there is plenty of material to keep you busy. I'm currently on my fourth or fifth read of the novel and in order to change things up, I purchased an annotated version of the book, which is now double the length and filled with interesting notes and explainers about the time period. The 2005 Keira Knightley version of Pride and Prejudice just left Netflix and currently resides on NBC's Peacock. I rewatched it last month and it's just as delighted as ever. One of my favorite parts of the movie is the score composed by Dario Marianelli, and I frequently listen to it as I'm going on an Austen-inspired walk. If you're looking for a more by-the-book adaptation, I'm partial to the 1980 BBC version (not the Colin Firth one, sorry), which is five hours long and a true rendering of the book. And of course, you can find many Austen-inspired takes on the Pride and Prejudice story, with the book and subsequent PBS adaptation of Death Comes to Pemberley, the comedy/horror Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, the YouTube series The Lizzie Bennet Diaries and much more.
For fans of Bridgerton, I'm hearing Sanditon will thrill you: Full disclosure, I haven't watched the PBS adaptation of Jane Austen's unfinished final novel just yet. But as I was reading article after article dissecting Bridgerton last week, many of them put in a plug for this 2019 series that was sadly not given a second season. Starring Rose Williams and Theo James (yes, the guy from Divergent, if that means anything to you) as our sparring enemies to lovers leads, the eight-episode saga is set during the Regency era in a seaside town. Given that Austen's work is unfinished, Andrew Davies (who famously adapted the Colin Firth Pride and Prejudice), takes the bones of the story and runs with it.
If you're looking to read more about the 2020 version of Emma:
Emma Director Autumn De Wilde Knows There Is a Cry for Every Occasion: Learn more about her initial pitch and why she wanted her characters to talk fast.
Isobel Waller-Bridge on sister Phoebe’s Fleabag, composing for Emma and the visibility of female composers: She talks about carefully crafting music for each character and weaving it throughout the entire movie.
Emma Star Josh O’Connor Suggested That ‘Inn-oh-cence’ Line Reading: Read more about the ridiculous acting choices that made Elton a true riot.
Johnny Flynn on Playing Emma’s ‘Mansplainy’ Romantic Lead and His David Bowie Movie: Johnny Flynn talks about writing a song for the movie and the inspiration behind Knightley's, um, revealing first scene.
Harold and Maude, Beck, and 7 Other Things That Influenced Emma: Autumn de Wilde talks about how Pollyanna and Peter & the Wolf influenced her take on Emma.
Emma Is Worth Seeing for the Hats: Let's talk fashion, collars and hats.
Emma Director Autumn de Wilde: “We Need Romantic Adventures”: We really do. Autumn de Wilde discusses that and shares the three different approaches she used while directing any scene with Emma.
What Anya Taylor-Joy Learned About Life by Playing Jane Austen's Emma: Yes, that nosebleed was REAL.
