Date: Fri 23-Aug-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: CHRISL

Illustration: C

Quick Words:

Playing-Emma-Paltrow

Full Text:

(Now Playing on "Emma," 8/23/96)

Suburban Gardener-

"Emma" Could Be One Of The Year's Best

By Trey Paul Alexander III

It is absolutely astounding how unaware some people can be. I admit I'm not

the final word in all things cultural, but I would hope I at least have a

clue. The same may not be true of a certain writer who mockingly described the

new film, Emma , as: " Clueless set in the 19th Century. Asith if." Well, boys

and girls, I've got news for you. Clueless was based on Jane Austen's novel,

Emma , and long before Alicia Silverstone's Cher was meddling in high school

affairs of the heart, Austen's Emma Woodhouse was busy matchmaking for

middle-class British society of the past.

Emma is playing at the Bethel Cinema and moviegoing folks everywhere should

welcome its arrival. Reminiscent of Sense and Sensibility in its ability to

stay true to its source yet ring familiar to contemporary audiences, this

enjoyable adaptation boasts rich production and a sparkling center with a

luminous Gwenyth Paltrow in the title role.

Emma is a 21-year old who loves to stand behind the proverbial curtains and

work her magic on unsuspecting couples. The film opens on the wedding of her

beloved governess, mentor and friend (Greta Scacchi), and Emma glories in the

knowledge that she was the principal mover behind the union. Before long she

refocuses her sights on Harriet Smith (Toni Collette), a young woman whose

lineage is unknown (gasp!), and intends to couple her with the very eligible

rector, a clergyman named Mr Elton (Alan Cumming).

As directed and written by first-timer Douglas McGrath (he co-wrote Bullets

Over Broadway ), Emma is the equivalent of a chemist's dream, mixing a number

of stable materials into an impressive, heady brew. The film not only captures

Austen's delightful novel and renders it faithfully intact - plot twists,

ruptured relationships and all - but all of the book's major characters are

well represented.

It has been argued that Austen's creations were intentionally one dimensional,

giving the author opportunity to contrast varying aspects of the human psyche

as she contrasted the various characters. But when the motor-mouthed old maid,

Miss Bates, is put into the hands of Sophie Thompson (Oscar-winner Emma

Thompson's gifted sister), the annoyingly vain and pompous Augusta Hawkins is

splendidly realized by Juliet Stevenson, and the upright Mr Knightly (with a

wonderfully determined name) is brought to charming life by Jeremy Northam,

these Austen sketches take on full-blooded life.

This rich palate of colorful characters does not run away with the film,

however, because of the glorious emergence of Paltrow as a true leading lady

of the big screen. Though often on the cusp of stardom without ever breaking

through, Paltrow must surely find her career soaring after her work here is

witnessed. Though Emma constantly intervenes (and many times quite

deceptively) in the lives of her friends, imposing her own wishes and desires

upon others, Paltrow makes it easy for viewers to embrace Emma. Why? because

Paltrow's portrayal conveys that Emma, though often using questionable

methods, has the right motives - the happiness of others - in mind.

One particular sequence that bears this out is a heart-breaking exchange

between Knightly and Emma in which he chastises her for some rude behavior

towards Miss Bates. The scene is perfectly played by both Paltrow and Northam,

with the pain of that reproof achingly apparent in Paltrow's response. Emma is

not only ashamed of having disappointed her friend, but is hurt by the thought

of causing agony to another.

Emma , rated PG for very mild language, is a very well done film that, once

1996 is through, might find itself among the year's best.