Emma (BBC, 1972) | 
| Actors: Doran Godwin, John Carson, Donald Eccles, Constance Chapman, Ellen Dryden
Studio: BBC Warner
Category: DVD
List Price: $14.98
Buy New: $1.93
You Save: $13.05 (87%)
New (49) Used (24) from $1.32
Rating:  30 reviews
Sales Rank: 12528
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dvd, Original Recording Remastered, Ntsc
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 270 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: WARDE1684D
ISBN: 0790770245
UPC: 794051168429
EAN: 9780790770246
ASIN: B000244F64
Theatrical Release Date: 1972
Release Date: August 24, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
This bbc production set in the small town of highbury depicts the often hilarious attempts of miss emma woodhouse to make proper marital matches for all of her friends. Studio: Warner Home Video Release Date: 02/22/2005 Starring: Doran Godwin Ellen Dryden Run time: 240 minutes Rating: Nr Director: John Glenister
Amazon.com
The key to any Jane Austen adaptation is finding the perfect balance of romantic yearning and savage, satirical wit. Austen's Emma has these two qualities at their most exquisite and tantalizing, and this BBC adaptation from 1972 serves the novel with complete satisfaction. Delightful Doran Godwin captures not only the title character's good nature and resilient will, but also her exasperating self-satisfaction and ungovernable manipulative impulses. Believing herself to be acting in everyone's best interests, Emma takes the lower-class Harriet Smith (Debbie Bowen) under her wing and sets out to find the girl a suitable husband, disregarding what havoc she wreaks along the way. Her foolish father (Donald Eccles) cannot temper Emma's fancies; only the stern Mr. Knightly (John Carson) offers any reason or restraint. This sprightly adaptation is far superior to the mediocre 1996 film (starring Gwyneth Paltrow) and on par with the ingenious Clueless, which cunningly translates the story to a Beverly Hills high school. The luxurious span of a six-part miniseries gives this version the opportunity to revel in Emma's every deliciously misguided moment. --Bret Fetzer
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| Customer Reviews: Read 25 more reviews...
 Worthwhile but flawed May 27, 2009
Tracy Marks (Arlington, MA USA)
I enjoyed watching this early production of Emma because it was quite true to the book (though where was the BLUNDER scene at Box Hill?) and more "fleshed out" than the 2 hour films. But I was not happy with most of the actors.
I never found the character of Emma very likeable, but she fails to gain my sympathy in this version because a) she lacks warmth and vitality - is quite flat; b) she is quite unattractive.
However, she didn't bother me as much as Mr. Knightley - who was FAR too old - he looks at least 55 - and more than 30 years old than Emma, old enough almost to be her grandfather! And there is just so little chemistry between him and Emma - nothing like Paltrow and Northam. Plus Harriet is just too insipid - I think she says "yes, Miss Woodhouse" several hundred times throughout the film. Enough to make you want to scream.
The actress who played Mrs. Elton was perfect, but she went on and on more than we needed to see and hear for us to get a sense of her character. In fact, some of the scenes focusing on the "small things" of daily life and character (as Mr. Woodhouse's quirks) were drawn out more than was necessary.
Finally, I was annoyed by some of the continuity problems - e.g. The clock behind Mr. Woodhouse says 11:30 at the beginning of a scene and then at the end of the scene, less than 2 minutes later, it quite clearly says something like 3:30.
Nonetheless, it was a more accurate portrayal of the book than any of the other films....and likely to be of interest to those who particularly appreciated Austen's book.
 Emma (BBC, 1972) January 23, 2009
Cookie
I love to see Jane Austen movies. It takes you back to a time where live was not so easy.
Surprisingly Great Movie October 8, 2008
Plain Jane (USA)
I purchased this movie because of my favorite British actor, John Carson. I was actually pretty pleased with this movie. It is a "video" movie, shot on a sound stage using video rather than film and rather bland and washed out with minimal sets and furniture -- no shadows, no "realism," but still a great movie. I didn't think I would outlast it, but I found I couldn't shut it off -- I found it rather good. It's a bit long, drawn out and at times tedious, you really have to pay attention to who's who and who's doing what, but, again, it's pretty good. Makes me think about what living in that period of time would have been like and how classified people were.
Poor casting ruins a decent screenplay February 28, 2008
Tina Hart (Erial, NJ USA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This Emma follows the book faithfully, which means that there is plenty that could be cut. The main problem is the lead actors. They are much too old to be 21 year old Emma and 36 year old Mr. Knightley. If you want to see an Emma that is light and funny and sweet, like the spirit of the novel, get the 1996 A&E/BBC production starring Kate Beckinsale.
Emma January 28, 2008
Mr. R. D. ODELL
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
One of Jane Austen's really enjoyable classics. Great for a cozy evenilng in front of fire.
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