If You Liked Bridgerton, Then You'll Put a Ring on Emma

If you liked Bridgerton for its wonderfully soapy romp with Shondaland's multicultural Regency cast, then you'll love the latest Emma adaptation. Jane Austen's romantic genius gets a 'glow up' complete with revamped script adapted by Eleanor Catton and the whimsical eye of debut director Autumn de Wilde.

As the film was released in mid-February 2020, it managed to go from screen to stream during the pandemic lockdown, thankfully. This Emma's screenplay petticoat is altered into a more au courant pantsuit portrayal. Though the metaphorical pantsuit may be frilly, it's all the more reason to adore this screwball comedic version. If Jane Austen is your favorite author (or you loved Clueless), then this sort of period dramedy is your cup of tea.

It begins with Anya Taylor-Joy as main heroine Emma Woodhouse, a sharp-tongued seamstress of romantic weavings who unwittingly gets tangled in her own web. Austen's classic tale of privilege and propriety among marriage-minded younglings makes frolicking fun of 18th-century courtship. It paints a lively sketch of its timeless theme: love.

You'll sigh over the idyllic settings and lush gardens and interiors in dusty pinks, cerulean blues, and seafoam greens as the convoluted plot thickens. Though we are familiar with the Jane Austen tale by this 2020 incarnation, we stay for the devilish frivolity of Taylor-Joy's caricature as Emma. Her snobbish traits and misguided intentions are as sleight as a game of whist.

If you are not familiar with any of the dozen or so Austen adaptations of this story, here's my personal summary. The young and spoiled Emma Woodhouse reigns as the queen bee among the gentry in the village of Highbury (you can't Google map the place, it's fictitious). As the youngest daughter of her dear widowed father, Mr. Woodhouse (Bill Nighy), a kindly worrywart who obsesses about cold drafts and catching chills, she feels her place will always be by his side.

The opening scene is everything. Emma floats through the dreamy morning light of her garden in a gossamer gown, selecting flowers for Miss Taylor's wedding bouquet. Though Emma is proud of the match she made for her governess, she is also sad for Miss Taylor to become Mrs. Weston and move away. Emma confides, "You have been a friend and companion such as few possess. A governess in office but little short of a mother in affection."

Mr. Woodhouse isn't happy about Miss Taylor's wedding (terrible day, he moans), for he's come to depend upon her just as his youngest daughter. He grumbles woefully like an old Eeyore during the carriage ride to the wedding, while Emma boasts about making Miss Taylor's successful match to Mr. Weston. And you will love Bill Nighy as Mr. Woodhouse, I promise.

What's lovelier than splendid English manors and verdant landscapes, but the introduction of Mr. Knightley (Johnny Flynn) as he gallops into the scene and strips out of his riding clothes to dress in more acceptable attire with the assistance of his valet. (This is, mind you, only seven minutes into the film, thank you.) It's such a daring delight to see the director's eye turn the camera lens upon men as the objectified ones. I mean, hasn't the male gaze had enough of corsetted heaving bosoms? Jane Austen herself would be utterly pleased as punch.

If the sensual nuance of male nudity wasn't enough for your eyeballs, the lush visuals with Knightley dressed in his golden overcoat simply took my breath away. What for the coat or the man, I cannot decide. If I were Emma spying Knightley outside my window strolling across lush grasses towards my manor, I'd feign to play the pianoforte too.

Johnny Flynn, singer-songwriter-actor, plays the ideal Austen romantic lead as Mr. Knightley, otherwise known as George. (Flynn even wrote and sang the film's love song Queen Bee.) His casual visit by foot rather than by carriage shows the intimacy between them --- Mr. Knightley is Emma's brother-in-law and longtime friend. He comes and goes as he pleases, observing Emma's meddling and frivolous gossip.

Soon after her governess's wedding, Emma finds a new companion in Harriet Smith, a pretty young girl with an impressionable nature. During their local haberdashery trip in search of ribbons and bows, Miss Bates (Miranda Hart) spies Emma and Harriet through the window and pops in.

"I saw you through the window," Miss Bates nods to Harriet, "I saw you through the window," Miss Bates nods to Emma. Then she chatters on about the "happy news" of her niece Jane Fairfax. Emma's snooty attitude is apparent in her side glances as Miss Bates babbles on and on. Miss Bates has become one of my favorite characters due to Miranda Hart's spirited performance. In particular, the haberdashery scene makes me even more fond of her genuine demeanor, while Emma's conceit, by contrast, is all the more glaring.

In the comical drawing room scenario, the banter and facial expressions amuse. Even Knightley's disdain is apparent within the camera's bokeh. Emma delicately arranges Harriet in a portrait pose, festooned with flowers while holding a gigantic plume. Mr. Elton's overzealous theatrics in response to Emma's drawing talents makes one wonder, as he declares her work so exquisitely done and without compare.

You have given Miss Smith all that she requires. She was a beautiful creature when she came to you, but the attractions you have added are infinitely superior to what she received from nature. - Mr. Elton

It's uncertain whether or not Mr. Elton is charmed by Harriet or Emma, or Emma's likeness of Harriet, or if he's distracted by Emma's décolletage. By Mr. Elton's campy demonstrations, Emma is convinced that Mr. Elton is smitten with Harriet. Here's where Josh O'Connor's version of Mr. Elton will charm you to confectionery bits.

And speaking of confectionery, the pastel-colored palette reminds one of the macarons they nibble on with tea. It's fair to say that the whole cast looks like they've stepped out of a glossy Gainsborough oil painting.

While Emma's matchmaking antics go haywire, all Mr. Knightley can do is huff and give an eye roll, thinking Emma too meddlesome. He frowns upon her careless tutelage of Harriet and approves of the girl's love interest, Mr. Robert Martin (Connor Swindells).

All seems to be going along quite swimmingly until Harriet shares the handwritten letter of Mr. Martin's marriage proposal with Emma. The lack of returned enthusiasm by Emma sinks Harriet's glee. To please her Pygmalion queen bee Emma, she glumly decides to refuse Mr. Martin.

Knightley is not impressed by Emma's overbearing persuasion of Harriet, as he deems Mr. Martin a good match for the girl. There are other reasons. As Harriet's unknown parentage remains in question-- she's an illegitimate daughter without a dowry who lives as a boarder at Mrs. Goddard's. But because her father may possibly be a gentleman, she ought not to marry beneath her. Or so Emma thinks best.

To distract matters, Emma attempts to set up her protégé Harriet with a proper suitor (rather than the lowly farmer Mr. Martin). Still, trouble brews when the suitor becomes more interested in Emma, not Harriet. As in most of Austen's narratives, misunderstanding has an urgency that propels the story.

Other actresses such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Beckinsale played more or less saccharine versions of Emma compared to Anya Taylor-Joy. Taylor-Joy embodies Emma's flighty spirit with flawless skill. Author Jane Austen described her character (Emma) as having "a disposition to think a little too well of herself."

Emma ignores her single status by arranging her friend Harriet's hopeful outcome. The swoony Mr. Frank Churchill (Callum Turner) and the quirky Mr. Elton (Josh O'Connor, who also played Prince Charles in The Crown) both get tangled in the misguided arrangements.

The intimacy avoidant Emma has a favorable interest in the dashing Mr. Churchill from the very start. He's everything Emma thinks she should like in a husband, that is, if she were to marry. Mr. Knightley believes Frank Churchill is nothing but "a trifling, silly fop."

As Emma's interest in Frank becomes apparent, Knightley is tormented with jealousy. As you may recall, a similar scenario in Bridgerton when The Duke (Simon) agrees to pretend to court Daphne to make her seem more eligible, only to realize such emotions upon her engagement to someone else.

When Emma's older sister, Isabella, visits with her husband and children during Christmas, more is tossed into the wassail bowl. Isabella (Chloe Pirrie) and her husband, John Knightley (Oliver Chris), have a short visit (young children and a crying baby in tow), much to Mr. Woodhouse's dismay.

It's worth mentioning the newlywed couple, Mr. Weston (Rupert Graves) and Mrs. Weston, née Miss Taylor (Gemma Whelan). Though they may be supporting characters, it doesn't diminish their importance in the story. In fact, without them, Emma wouldn't feel so smug about her matchmaking efforts.

I give you encouragement? You are entirely mistaken, sir. I have no thoughts of matrimony at present. - Emma

After Christmas dinner at the Weston's, there's much ado about the falling snow. Emma is left behind and unexpectedly forced to ride home in Mr. Elton's carriage. His lurching (quite literally) and awkward declaration of his supposed undying love for her becomes more of a dreadful dilemma than she bargained for. Emma, aghast by his outburst, vehemently rejects him.

"Such news!" exclaims Miss Bates, "Jane Fairfax is here! Oh, do come and have tea, too thrilling!"

Miss Bates' demure yet sophisticated niece arrives on the scene with all the airs of a Georgian femme fatale, and suddenly the tea tables take a turn. Emma's cheeks flush with envy as she discovers Frank Churchill was with Jane Fairfax (Amber Anderson) at Weymouth during the month of his father's wedding. Jane is also an accomplished pianist the same age as Emma. Yes, Jane Fairfax is Emma's rival in every way.

As the enigmatic Mr. Frank Churchill finally sweeps into the picture after so much foreshadowing, Emma seems captivated, but you get the feeling something is amiss. There's a reason why Jane Austen is compared to Shakespeare when it comes to love triangles, quadrilles, and tangles.

Jilted oddball Mr. Elton reappears with his new wife, Mrs. Elton (Tanya Reynolds), whose googly-eyed stares and complex curlicue hairstyles make quite an entrance to the whole bizarre affair. Mr. Elton's starchy collars (and weirdness) get wackier, yet it seems he's found the right sweetheart with her bows and frilly baubles.

Just as in Bridgerton, when Daphne and Simon can no longer continue the charade of publicly faking their courtship, Emma and Knightley cannot resist each other's affections. Even though all Cupid's arrows point to their love match, the refreshingly unpredictable love scene adds a human touch to its climax. The smoldering emotions between Emma and Knightley have that burn for you vibe (like Daphne and Simon). As they admit their misconstrued feelings, well, love knows best.

About EMMA.

Autumn de Wilde, photographer/director of music videos, debuts Emma as her first feature film, along with cinematographer Christopher Blauvelt, costume designer Alexandra Byrne, production designer Kave Quinn, and writer Eleanor Catton.