Emma; Emma; Emma

So many Emma's, so little time.... Three video versions of Jane Austen's classic tale of the delightfully meddling matchmaker Emma Woodhouse (who considers herself something of a sage in matters matrimonial at the ripe old age of 21) offer somewhat different takes on the 19th-century English high (countryside) society novel of manners. For character, Miramax's theatrical release starring Gwyneth Paltrow is the one to beat--her Emma is occasionally bratty but always dignified, and writer/director Douglas McGrath's adaptation best captures Austen's broad sense of humor. Kate Beckinsale, star of A&E's Emma is, by contrast, a bit too girlish to compete with Paltrow's accomplished performance, but A&E scripter Andrew Davies's screenplay is more subtle than the big screen version and the ending is, mercifully, much less drawn out. The CBS/Fox effort, on the other hand, is all drawn out. But I was only able to suffer through the first 15 minutes of this 5-hour plus stiff-as-a-proverbial-board 1972 production. The opening scenes between Emma, Mr. Knightley, and her father--all played with exaggerated expressions and delivery as if the actors were thinking of the back row of the theatre rather than the living room--were all I could bear. Miramax's Emma is highly recommended; A&E's Emma is recommended in its own right, especially given the sell-through price; the CBS/Fox Emma could only truly be enjoyed by sadomasochists--and unless you're planning to shelf it alongside the works of Sade--may be safely ignored. (R. Pitman)