Posted by Kathy F. on June 01, 1997 at 19:47:19:
In reply to Re: BTW -- Welcome, Kathy F posted by kathleen (elder) on June 01, 1997 at 19:08:30
] Where are my manners! Welcome and please keep posting. What are some of the things you like about Emma3 -- cast, scenes, script, or . . . ? Have you seen the book, The Making of Emma ? It has the screenplay, some marvelous pictures, and some other interesting notes on the production.
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Thanks, I will. I don't have the book about the making of this version, but if I can find it at a reasonable rate, I might buy it, along with the A&E P&P version's book.
About what I like about the movie...I prefer a saucy Emma to a sedate Emma, and I think KB delivers a more true-to-the-book Emma than GP's performance. The dialogue was, imho, lacking in Emma2. They should have taken more from the book. I like what they portrayed in Emma3--the time given to Frank and Jane, especially. By the time I saw Emma2, I knew the plot, but if I hadn't, I think I would've been totally surprised that there was any affection--or even knowledge--of each other, based on the script.
As to Mr. Knightley, I infinitely prefer MS to JB. (Given the script--which I think is perfectly OK), perhaps MS portrayed Mr. Knightley a bit too strident, but he is, as JA tells us, the *only* person to tell Emma her faults, so maybe he is just trying to do that, and does it too well. I agree with one of the other people who defend MS (I forget the name) that he might not be as good-looking as JB, but makes up for it with his eyes, etc. I actually think he is better looking than JB mostly because of his performance--his character, etc., are closer to what I think JA would have liked. Other contributing factors are JB's smooth-talking bad guy in "The Net"; and the fact that I know someone who reminds me of MS, whom I think is good-looking.
As to Emma2, I *really* don't like the fact that she drove herself around in TWO scenes--as if one weren't bad enough. Surely someone with 30,000 pounds can afford a servant to drive her around. Also, did they ever say in Emma2 who gave Jane Fairfax the piano? I've only ever seen it once, and can't remember. If they left it unsaid, it kind of makes one think that perhaps it *was* Mr. Dixon; and that makes Jane appear to less advantage.
I like Harriet from Emma3--she could've been a little sillier, but I thought her too silly in Emma2. Btw, the actress who portrayed her in Emma3 is starring as Jane Eyre on A&E this fall, and I think Ciaran Hinds (Capt. Wentworth, Persuasion) plays opposite her. I'm looking forward to seeing it.
Forgive the length of this post, but I have so few people to share my JA love with. My brother adores Emma3 (especially Mr. Knightley--I think it's the receding hairline [which my brother shares] that does it); but other than him, very few people I know likes the movies as well as I do.