What did you think of the recent BBC production of Emma? I must admit I found it fun. In the Telegraph Charles Moore didn't approve of all the anachronisms - a pedant's dream, he called it. I thought Romola was full of sparkle, perhaps not quite young enough and too modern for the picky, but JLM wasn't my idea Mr Knightley - I prefer him to be tall, dark and distinguished. I couldn't quite believe he lived in that house - I did worry about the fields of oilseed rape and why weren't there any maids? But the energy of the production made me smile, and Romola is the first actress to make the normally rather tiresome Emma so likeable. The Romantic Novelists are faintly hurt that yet again the Crime Writers Assoc in the shape of Ian Rankin have jokily accused us being much more likely to stab each other in the back than they are. It may be that some of the early romantics like Barbara Cartland were tough cookies, but nowadays the RNA is one of the friendliest and most supportive organisations I've ever joined, but life is too short to be offended by crusty old jokes by blokes.
On a different tack, I dare say that Jordan doesn't give a hoot that Linda La Plante has, most robustly, accused her and other celebs of nabbing too much of the publishing purse.
5 comments:
I only watched the last episode (no problem as I studied this for A level...until I could hardly bear it any longer)and agree with most of your comments.
At least they hadn't meddled too much. Maybe the budget restraints meant staff cut-backs in the big house!?
For me, Gambon as doddery Pa was a bit of a stretch of the imagination. Far too much of a twinkle in his eye.
I'll wait for this to come on french TV. I'll understand it better translated.
My daughter and I enjoyed Emma despite the anachronisms. It may not have reflected 'the original' but I found it refreshing. After all, adaptations rarely follow the book to the letter so a bit of modernised dialogue didn't spoil the story. I'm afraid I didn't even notice the seasonal 'gaffes' though!
I shall look forward to viewing this on BBC Prime in maybe a couple of years if we are lucky!
I thoroughly enjoyed this Emma despite all the criticism that has been made about it and though Romola Gari was excellent. I had my doubts about JLM playing Knightley, but in the end thought he was very good and the quarrel over Mr martin in the first episode really leapt off the screen, they were so angry with each other and felt much more convincing that in other adaptations.
I could watch Sir Michael Gambon play anuthing and agree that perhaps he was a bit miscast as Mr Woodhouse, but his portrayal had the advantage of letting us see the devotion between him and Emma, in others I have seen he is such a fussy old man you want to scream!
Post a Comment