Emma (2020 film)

Emma.

Company type	Film production
Industry	Film
Founded	2020
Headquarters	United Kingdom
Products	Film

Emma (presented as Emma.) is a 2020 British historical period romantic comedy film directed by Autumn de Wilde, featuring a screenplay by Eleanor Catton, adapted from Jane Austen's 1815 novel. The story centers on Anya Taylor-Joy portraying Emma Woodhouse, a privileged young woman in Regency England who takes it upon herself to influence the romantic affairs of those around her. The ensemble cast includes Johnny Flynn, Josh O'Connor, Callum Turner, Mia Goth, Miranda Hart, and Bill Nighy.

The production, a collaboration between Perfect World Pictures, Working Title Films, and Blueprint Pictures, began development in October 2018 with Taylor-Joy confirmed as the lead and de Wilde attached as director. By March 2019, the supporting cast was finalized. Principal photography took place from March through June 2019 at various locations across England.

Distributed by Universal Pictures, Emma premiered in the United Kingdom on 14 February 2020 and in the United States on 21 February 2020. The film was met with generally positive critical reception, particularly applauded for its acting performances and meticulous production design. It earned $27 million globally against a production budget of $10 million. At the 93rd Academy Awards, the film secured nominations for Best Costume Design and Best Makeup and Hairstyling. Additionally, it received a Best Costume Design nod at the 74th British Academy Film Awards, garnered three Critics' Choice Awards nominations, and saw Taylor-Joy nominated for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical at the Golden Globes.

Plot

Set in Regency-era England, twenty-year-old Emma Woodhouse resides with her widower father at their estate, Hartfield, located in Surrey. Among frequent guests is George Knightley, a close family friend who owns Donwell Abbey nearby; his brother John Knightley is married to Emma's sister Isabella.

Confident in her skills as a matchmaker, Emma orchestrates the marriage between her former governess Miss Taylor and Mr Weston. She then befriends Harriet Smith, an innocent local girl, encouraging her to decline a marriage proposal from farmer Robert Martin in favor of pursuing the local vicar, Mr Elton. George Knightley disapproves of this plan, cautioning Emma that Elton would never consider Harriet suitable.

Following a dinner gathering, Mr Elton unexpectedly proposes marriage to Emma himself, revealing his true intentions. She declines his offer; he departs soon after and returns accompanied by his new wife Augusta.

Two significant visitors arrive: Jane Fairfax, an accomplished yet impoverished niece of the loquacious Miss Bates, and the charming Frank Churchill, who is often under the influence of his wealthy aunt. Emma finds herself intrigued by Frank while simultaneously envying Jane’s talents.

Frank’s presence prompts the Westons to host a ball where Mr Elton publicly snubs Harriet. George Knightley intervenes by inviting Harriet to dance and also shares a dance with Emma, igniting mutual romantic interest between them.

During a picnic at Box Hill, Emma thoughtlessly makes an insulting remark toward Miss Bates. Knightley reproaches her behavior, prompting Emma to apologize and reconsider her actions. Harriet confides that she has fallen in love again; Emma assumes this new affection is directed toward Frank Churchill.

The sudden passing of Frank’s aunt reveals that Frank and Jane Fairfax have been secretly engaged. Emma attempts to gently inform Harriet but discovers that Harriet’s affections are actually for George Knightley, who reciprocates her feelings.

Knightley visits Emma intending to declare his love; however, she mistakenly believes his feelings are for Harriet. Overwhelmed by emotion, Emma accepts Knightley’s proposal.

Emma reconciles with Mr Martin by presenting him with a portrait of Harriet. He renews his marriage proposal to Harriet, which she accepts. Subsequently, Harriet weds Robert Martin followed by the marriage of Emma and George Knightley.

Casting

In October 2018, Anya Taylor-Joy was selected to portray the lead character, marking the feature directorial debut of Autumn de Wilde. By December 2018, Johnny Flynn had joined the ensemble. Additional principal cast members were announced in March 2019, including Bill Nighy, Mia Goth, Josh O'Connor, Callum Turner, Miranda Hart, Rupert Graves, Gemma Whelan, Amber Anderson, and Tanya Reynolds. Costume design responsibilities were undertaken by Alexandra Byrne.

Filming

The main photography commenced on 18 March 2019 and concluded on 6 June 2019, extending slightly beyond the planned timeline. Among the filming sites, Firle Place in Sussex was utilized for exterior shots of Emma’s residence. Additional locations included Lower Slaughter in the Cotswolds, which stood in for Highbury village, Kingston Bagpuize House in Oxfordshire, Wilton House near Salisbury in Wiltshire, and Chavenage House located in Beverston, Gloucestershire.

Title

Director de Wilde incorporated a full stop (period) into the movie's title to underscore its identity as a period piece.

Music

Within the narrative, Jane Fairfax (portrayed by Amber Anderson) performs the third movement of Mozart's Piano Sonata No. 12 on a fortepiano. As a skilled pianist, Anderson adjusted her playing style to accommodate the fortepiano’s shorter keys consistent with the era.

The opening credits feature Queen Bee, an original composition by Johnny Flynn, commissioned by Isobel Waller-Bridge to convey Knightley’s viewpoint of Emma, performed in a manner appropriate to the film’s period setting.

The soundtrack incorporates traditional a cappella folk songs by artists such as Maddy Prior and the Watersons. De Wilde envisioned the music drawing from folk roots, complemented by an orchestral score inspired by Sergei Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf, with distinct musical themes assigned to each character.

Performances onscreen include vocals by Anya Taylor-Joy, Anderson, and Flynn. Taylor-Joy’s interpretation of The Last Rose of Summer captures Emma Woodhouse’s whimsical character. Anderson and Flynn share a duet of Ben Jonson’s Drink to me Only With Thine Eyes during a ballroom scene.

Furthermore, the film features the adagio from the final movement of Haydn's Symphony No. 45 in F sharp minor, known as Farewell.

Theatrical

Emma premiered in the United Kingdom on 14 February 2020, coinciding with Valentine's Day, followed by its United States release on 21 February.

Home media

Due to cinema closures amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Emma was made available digitally through Premium VOD platforms in March 2020 across the US, Canada, and UK markets. Physical copies on DVD and Blu-ray were released on 19 May.

Box office

Globally, Emma accumulated $10.1 million from North American markets and $17.3 million internationally, reaching a total of $27.4 million.

In its North American debut, it earned $230,000 across five theaters, achieving an average of $46,000 per venue—the highest per-theater average recorded in 2020 at that point. Two weeks later, it expanded widely to 1,565 cinemas, generating $5 million and securing sixth place at the box office prior to pandemic-related theater closures. In Spain, box office receipts amounted to €228,000 ($285,000).

Critical reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, Emma boasts an 86% approval rating derived from 257 critiques, with an average rating of 7.3 out of 10. The general consensus suggests that although some adaptations may better embody the essence of the original work, enthusiasts of Jane Austen will consider this a dependable rendition. Meanwhile, Metacritic assigns it a score of 71 out of 100 based on 48 reviews, signifying "generally favorable" feedback. Audience evaluations include a "B" grade from CinemaScore and an average rating of 3 stars out of 5 from PostTrak, with 44% of viewers endorsing the film.

Andrew Barker from Variety referred to it as "a fully deserving companion" to other versions, though "not a definitive interpretation."

External links

Award	Ceremony date	Category	Nominee(s)	Outcome
Academy Awards	25 April 2021	Best Costume Design	Alexandra Byrne
		Best Makeup and Hairstyling	Marese Langan, Laura Allen & Claudia Stolze
British Academy Film Awards	11 April 2021	Best Costume Design	Alexandra Byrne
Boston Society of Film Critics Awards	13 December 2020	Best New Filmmaker	Autumn de Wilde
Chicago Film Critics Association	21 December 2020	Best Art Direction	Kave Quinn and Stella Fox
		Best Costume Design	Alexandra Byrne
Costume Designers Guild Awards	13 April 2021	Excellence in Period Film
Critics' Choice Awards	7 March 2021	Best Costume Design
		Kave Quinn and Stella Fox
		'Emma'