Romola Garai and Anne Hathaway to Star in "One Day"

One Day, a romantic comedy based on the book of the same name by David Nicholls, is slated to be filmed this summer. Starring in the film are Anne Hathaway (Jane Austen in Becoming Jane) and Jim Sturgess (The Other Boleyn Girl) as the young couple Emma and Morley who meet in 1988 on their last day as students in Edinburgh. They meet one day a year for the next 20 years and the story follows their lives until (like Harry and Sally) they realize they are in love.


Romola Garai is in negotiations to join the group as the woman Morley marries and divorces. The film, whose screenplay was adapted by the book's author, will be directed by Lone Scherfig. Production begins in the summer in London.

• Read a review of the book in the Guardian.UK

Emma 2009 in Print

Last October, when Emma 2009 was shown on BBC in the UK, the Times Online reviewed the film, which A.A. Gill felt came up short. He sounds like a curmudgeon, for he practically wished Jane Austen's work to perdition.

Last week in this newspaper, I read that Mark Twain had said if he knew where Jane Austen was buried, he’d dig her up and beat in her skull with her own femur. My sentiments entirely. The world can be, and indeed should be, split between those for Jane and those for Twain.

However, the article did leave us with this memorable graphic. Click on this link to read the scathing review.

Radio Times, in a more flattering portrait, showcased Emma on four pages and discussed the end of the bonnet costume dramas on BBC. Click on the images to read the article.

Click on the images to read the article.

Posted by Vic, Jane Austen's World

Emma (2009) Music Video to Crystallised Beauty

This week is all about Emma (2009) the new adaptation of Jane Austen's 1815 novel of the the same name which begins on Sunday, January 24th on Masterpiece Classic/PBS. Enjoy this music video by cherrycakesbaybee featuring scenes from the mini-series set to the beautiful music Crystallised Beauty by Philip Sheppard.

"Why not seize the pleasure at once?" and join the red carpet premiere Emma Twitter Party on Sunday, January 24th 9:00-11:00 PM ET on Tweetgrid and Twitter presented by Masterpiece Classic. Use hashtag #emma_pbs to join in the fun.

Cheers, Laurel Ann, Austenprose

Emma (2009) begins next Sunday on Masterpiece Classic

The wait is almost over! Emma (2009), the new 3 part mini-series adaptation of Jane Austen's classic novel staring Romola Garai and Jonny Lee Miller will premiere on Masterpiece Classic next Sunday, January 24th, 2010 at 9:00 pm on PBS. Read a preview and see a slide show of the production stills at Austenprose.

Visit the official Emma website at Masterpiece Classic
Join the Masterpiece Classic red carpet premiere Emma Twitter Party

Cheers, Laurel Ann, Austenprose

Jane Austen Movie Throwdown

PBS Masterpiece Classic will be showing the new adaptation of Emma with Romola Garai from January 24 - February 7 . Jane Austen declared her to be her favorite heroine, yet observed: " I am going to take a heroine whom no-one but myself will much like."

Indeed, this intrusive, interfering and meddlesome woman dominates Jane's longest novel. Jane described her as "handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition...[she] 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." She is pretty, but she is not vain about her looks, for her faults lie in an entirely different direction.

This week we ask you: How much are you looking forward to watching Emma?

How much are you looking forward to watching Emma next week?
	Very much. I love the heroine.
	Somewhat. I don't like Emma, but I do like the story.
	I'm curious to compare it to the other film adaptations
	A little. She's too meddlesome for my taste. I can take it or leave it.
	Not at all. Emma and the book turn me off.
pollcode.com free polls

Verdict on Emma 2009

Donwell Abbey on Strawberry Picking day

Polls on Jane Austen's World indicate that viewers voted in favor of Emma 2009. I conducted four polls, one for each week of the series, and from 70-80% of viewers loved or liked the episodes. These numbers do not reflect the ratings, for after the first week, Emma lost over 1 million viewers and its overall performance in the UK was dismal. The first episode seemed to be the most problematic, with its many alterations from Jane Austen's plot, modern gestures, and people disliking the main actors (or getting used to them, which they eventually did). When the series comes to the U.S., I recommend that audiences remain patient, for Episodes 3 & 4 are just lovely.

On Box Hill, the picnickers are hot, bothered, and peevish

At the end of the film, 16% of viewers still had some problems with Romola Garai, who was not universally liked, especially in the first few episodes, and with Laura Pyper, who portrayed Jane Fairfax as a mouse. I was not thrilled with Rupert Evans, and have yet to see an actor who I have as Frank Churchill. Though Rupert was suitably sleazy, he just did not look like the Frank of my imagination. See the results of the polls in this link with peoples' votes for the actors who portrayed the main characters.

The interiors are shot in a way that remind one of a Vermeer painting

Speaking of lovely, I pulled a few visuals. The scenes and settings are breathtaking, and among the best of the Emmas. Viewers who recently watched the series rated it overwhelmingly as their favorite Emma adaptation. (This could be because they have not seen the other versions.)

Emma's just rewards, her own Mr. Knightley

U.S. viewers can look forward to a January 24th airing on PBS Masterpiece Classic. For other lovely images, visit Laurel Ann's slide shows, which are breathtaking.

• Poll: Episode One
• Poll: Episode Two
• Poll: Episode Three
• Poll: Episode Four

• Slideshow One
• Slideshow Two
• Slideshow Three
• Slideshow Four

In this comic scene, the viewer knows that the real donkey Mrs. Elton is riding is not the obvious one.

Emma 2009: Episode 3 Slideshow

Emma 2009 continues on BBC One in the UK with episode 3 which aired on Sunday, October 18th. This very different interpretation of Jane Austen's masterpiece has more than a few tongue's wagging. And shockingly, the ratings have plummeted! I feel for the BBC and its co-producers PBS, as I never like to see any Austen adaptation take a beating in the ratings, but it may be an indication that modern audiences do not like their Jane Austen adaptations tampered with. For all you non-UK viewers, you can check out a slideshow of episode 3 at Austenprose. The serial concludes next Sunday in the UK and I am hoping that the last installment will pull everything together and redeem all the blunders!

Cheers, Laurel Ann, Austenprose

Emma 2009: Episode 2 Slideshow

Episode 2 of BBC One's new adaptation of Emma aired on Sunday, October 11th in the UK. Here is a slideshow teaser for non UK viewers and a recap for others. Do not dispair. This four hour serial will air in the US this January on Masterpiece Classic.

Cheers, Laurel Ann, Austenprose

Emma 2009

Romola Garai: The perfect Emma?

pollcode.com free polls

Romola Garai: The Perfect Emma?

Yes Perhaps No Way!

BBC One's Emma: Behind the scenes preview

Emma: Scheduled for October 4th

Our lucky British friends will be seeing this series in four parts starting this weekend. For more details go to the BBC press office or to Austenblog.

Emma 2009: A Stuffy Period Drama Rejuvenated?

The new BBC1 miniseries of Emma will shortly become reality when it begins airing in the UK on October 4. This four-part costume drama is being adapted from Jane Austen’s novel by Sandy Welch (Our Mutual Friend) and stars Romola Garai (Atonement) as the "handsome, clever and rich" but misguided Miss Emma Woodhouse and Jonny Lee Miller (Edmund Bertram in Mansfield Park 1999) as her reproachful neighbor Mr. Knightley.

Two weeks away from air date, and very little press so far. Since the BBC announced that it was “moving away from traditional 19th century-set "bonnet" dramas in favor of a grittier look at the period and a new focus on other historical eras,” I am not surprised at the revamping of Emma toward more emotion and drama. A recent headline of an article in the Telegraph proclaimed “BBC banishes stuffy period characters from new Emma drama” and that the new story has been updated to give it a modern romance. Kate Harwood, controller of BBC serials explains their reasons for the changes.

We didn't want stuffy period characters. This is not a high Austen comedy, it's modern. Maybe we are in a period where we are a little bit more relaxed with Austen. We are taking her off the literary shelf and making her seem part of our lives again.

This approach is quite bold and may surprise and irritate Jane Austen’s fans. Honestly, it appears quite condescending to me, implying that our Jane needs a make-over to be accessible to a new generation of viewers. Well fine. But do they have to be so superior about it calling her characters snooty and all? In Austen’s defense Judith Hawley, a professor of English at Royal Holloway University responded that this modern take on Austen’s Emma sounded like as a "strange kind of hybrid Austen".

This business of changing the sensibility seems like a mistake…If you modernise it too far and modernise the social relations that pertained to Austen's day, then some of the behaviour and the plot will not make sense.

My point exactly. This Byronization of the relationships may change the subtle and delicate balance that Austen is known and appreciate for. The producers may be attempting to forestall reproof to soften the shock – but the changes may still be a disappointment to many. We shall see what the miniseries bears. The jury is still out on this one.

Further reading

'Values of Jane Austen novels are as important as the characters'
Jane Austen’s recent adaptations
Watch a preview of Emma 2009

Cheers, Laurel Ann

Filming Emma 2009

Click here to watch a video about Chilham, the village in Kent where BBC One's new adaptation of Emma is being filmed. Old Fashioned Girl pointed us to a series of images from the set at this Republic of Pemberley link.

BBC Press Office Announcement about Emma

BBC Information about Romola Garai

Romola Garai, Telegraph article

Emma casting news for BBC One’s new four hour miniseries of Jane Austen’s masterpiece

British actress Romola Garai (Atonement, Daniel Deronda) will star as the "handsome, clever and rich" Emma Woodhouse in BBC One’s new production of Jane Austen’s comedic masterpiece Emma. The four hour miniseries adapted by Sandy Welch will be filmed on location in Kent and Surry and will air in the UK next autumn. There is a good chance that it will be picked up by PBS for its Masterpiece Classic season next winter, so keep your fingers crossed.

Also staring will be Jonny Lee Miller (Byron, Eli Stone, Trainspotting) as Emma’s reproachful neighbor Mr. Knightley, Michael Gambon (Cranford, Gosford Park) as our favorite valetudinarian Mr. Woodhouse, Tamsin Greig (The Diary Of Anne Frank, Green Wing) as the ever chatty Miss Bates, Jodhi May (The Amazing Mrs. Pritchard, Aristocrats) as Emma’s former governess Miss Taylor who marries Mr. Weston played by Robert Bathurst (Cold Feet, White Teeth, My Dad's The Prime Minister).

No word yet on their choice of a Jane Fairfax or Frank Churchill, two key characters in the novel. Personally, their choice of casting of Harriet Smith will make or break this production for me, so I am all anticipation.

This new adaptation will be the first full length miniseries since the 1972 BBC production staring Doran Godwin as Emma Woodhouse and John Carson as her Mr. Knightley. Interestingly, it is the last of Jane Austen’s six major novels to be filmed since the turn of the century, and appears from its production values, that the last one is certainly not the least.

Emma will be directed by Jim O'Hanlon, produced by George Ormond and executive produced by Phillippa Giles.

Cheers, Laurel Ann, Austenprose