ISSN No. 0974‐035X An Indexed Refereed Journal of Higher Education Towards Excellence UGC‐ACADEMIC STAFF COLLEGE, GUJARAT UNIVERSITY, AHMEDABAD, INDIA

FILM ADAPTATION OF AND THE CHANGES MADE BY THE DIRECTOR

Dr. Narendra K. Patel

Abstract

Film and television have become part and parcel of our daily life. The days are gone when people used to read literature for joy and entertainment. The study of novel and its film adaptation is an inter-medium study. A film is more like a novel, the action being presented not directly by actors but by a camera. is a famous novelist of the Eighteenth Century. There are number of film adaptation of Jane Austen’s novels. There are number of parameters to compare a novel with its film adaptation. The critics have not come to any conclusion as far the parameters are concerned. The researcher points out some of the parameters to compare any novel of Jane Austen with its any film adaptation. Changes made by the director, is one of the main parameters to compare a novel with its film adaptation. In this research paper the researcher compares Emma with its one of the film adaptations on the base of changes made by the director.

Film Adaptation of Emma and the Changes Made by the Director

Jane Austen once said of Emma, “I am going to take a heroine whom no one but myself will much like” (Le Faye, Family Record 209). These words are as familiar to her readers as the brilliant opening paragraphs of her six novels. The reader can not be sure how serious Austen’s comment about Emma was but, judging from their own reactions to that character, readers can assume the author liked her as much as they do. is;

March, 2016. VOL.8. ISSUE NO. 1 www.ascgujarat.org Page | 38

Towards Excellence: An Indexed Refereed Journal of Higher Education / Dr. Narendra Patel / Page 38‐48

despite her many grave faults, a character the readers can enjoy and delight in because of her vitality and intelligence. There is no great adventure and high romance in the novel. Its most exciting events are social gatherings in a small town sixteen miles from London, engagements and weddings that take place there, and a brief report of ‘gipsies’ camped in the neighbourhood. The issues examined in it are as complex as human relations themselves.

Emma, like Jane Austen’s other novels, deals with the subject of young ladies finding proper husbands. The novel deals with one community, several families and the two major characters- Emma Woodhouse and Mr. Knightley. The story reveals their friendship over seventeen years and the courtship that leads to their marriages. Intertwined with this simple story are the issues of marriage and freedom of choice, class consciousness and snobbery, morality, the evils of self-love and self-deception and the consciousness of women. Jane Austen deals with the complexities of social relations. She presents the reader with a view of the social life of the early nineteenth century; she focuses on the domestic lives of the characters involved. The two most important relationships concern the family and marriage. In Jane Austen’s day, both were nearly impossible to avoid. It was considered a women’s destiny to marry. How the woman goes about planning and securing her marriage is the issue at stake in Emma.

Pre-arranged marriages between families had been the custom long before Austen’s time. By the eighteenth century, freedom of choice had become more of a factor. Jane Austen’s heroines reflect this growing independence, a concept new for women of that time. In Emma, women can exercise freedom of choice by the husbands they select or decline. Harriet can turn down Robert Martin’s first proposal and Emma can reject Mr. Elton. Emma’s fiery words to Mr. Knightley (in chapter-8) illustrate that the independence of women is still a fairly new concept to men as well. “... it is always incomprehensible to a man that a woman should ever refuse an offer of marriage. A man always imagines a woman to be ready for anybody who asks her” (Austen Emma 47).

In pre-arranged marriages, it was rare that people would cross class barriers and so the balance of society was not threatened. By Austen’s day, however, the emerging middle class had virtually bridged the gulf between the poor and the aristocracy. In Emma, the heroine’s governess can marry Mr. Weston and become the mistress of the Randalls estate; Jane Fairfax, orphaned and facing the bleak prospect of earning her living as a governess, can marry Frank

March, 2016. VOL.8. ISSUE NO. 1 www.ascgujarat.org Page | 39 Towards Excellence: An Indexed Refereed Journal of Higher Education / Dr. Narendra Patel / Page 38‐48

Churchill, heir to the aristocratic Enscombe estate. As an heiress of thirty thousand pound, Emma does not need to consider the economics of marriage.

The readers would expect Emma to find it simple to meet the right man. From the beginning the readers recognize that man to be Mr. Knightley, her neighbour and friend. But Emma’s progress toward that match will not be easy. She is hindered by her immaturity, her snobbery, her wilfulness and her need to dominate other people’s lives. The novel presents Emma’s journey to increased self-awareness that will result in the happy union with Mr. Knightley. On the surface this is what the story line of Emma is about, but the total subject matter of the book concerns much more than that. Within the chosen limits of upper-middle-class society and within the even more limited strict feminine point of view for telling the story, Jane Austen is fervently preoccupied with the way people behave. And this is the broad area of the moralist.

Here is an account of the film adaptation of the novel in English only.

1. Emma (1948) BBC (105 Min.) Directed by: Michael Barry, Screenplay by: Judy Campbell, Produced by: Michael Barry 2. Emma (1954) NBC (1 hrs.) Screenplay by: Martine Bartlett & Peter Donat 3. Emma (1960) BBC (3 hrs.) Directed by: Campbell Logan, Screenplay by: Vincent Tilsley 4. Emma (1960) CBS (1 hrs.) Directed by: John Desmond, Screenplay by: Clair Roskam 5. Emma (1972) BBC (4 hrs.30 mins.) Directed by: John Glenister, Screenplay by: Denis Constanduros, Produced by: Martin Lawrence

Cast: Emma Woodhouse: Doran Godwin, : John Carson, Mr. Frank Churchill: Robert East, Harriet Smith: Debbie Bowen, Mr. Woodhouse: Donald Eccles, : Constance Chapman, Frank Churchill: Robert East, Jane Fairfax: Ania Marson, Mrs. Weston: Ellen Dryden, Mr. Weston: Raymond Adamson, Mrs. Elton: Fiona Walker , Mr. Elton: Timothy Peters , Harriet Smith: Debbie Bowen, Robert Martin: John Alkin , Mrs. Bates: Mary Holder , Williams: Vivienne Moore, Patty: Amber Thomas, Mrs. Cole: Hilda Fenemore, Shop Assistant: Norman Atkyns, Isabella Knightley: Belinda Tighe, John Knightley:

March, 2016. VOL.8. ISSUE NO. 1 www.ascgujarat.org Page | 40 Towards Excellence: An Indexed Refereed Journal of Higher Education / Dr. Narendra Patel / Page 38‐48

Yves Tighe, Mrs Goddard: Mollie Sugden, Mrs Ford: Lala Lloyd, Betty Bickerton: Marian Tanner, Gypsy Boy: Sam Williams

6. Emma (1996) Miramax Films (2 hrs.) Directed by: Douglas McGrath, Screenplay by: Douglas McGrath, Produced by: Patrick Cassavetti and Steven Haft 7. Emma (1996) Meridian Broadcasting, A&E (1 hr. 47 mins.) Directed by: Diarmuid Lawrence, Screenplay by: Andrew Davies, Produced by: Sue Birtwistle 8. Emma (2009) BBC (2 hrs.20 mins.) Directed by: Jim O’Hanlon, Screenplay by: Sandy Welch, Produced by: George Ormond

From all these adaptations the researcher has selected the 1972 version directed by John Glenister, screenplay by Denis Constanduros and produced by Martin Lawrence.

Opening and Ending of the novel and the film:

The film version begins in a similarly leisurely fashion with Emma arriving home after the marriage. The maker of the film was obviously not much concerned with immediately catching the attention of the viewer. The audience see a shot of an elegant mansion surrounded by blooming hydrangeas and of a carriage pulling up to it. The scene shifts to the interior where Emma enters, pauses at the bottom of the stairs, then starts upstairs. There she finds Mr. Woodhouse and Mr. Knightley discussing about Miss Taylor and her marriage to Mr. Weston. Emma claims to have made the match and plans to make another for Mr. Elton. Mr. Knightley opposes her plan for Mr. Elton. Mr. Woodhouse laments the service of cake at the wedding.

The novel starts like this: “Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition, 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” (Austen Emma 5).

Then the audience is introduced with Mr. Woodhouse, Miss Taylor, and Mr. Weston. The widower life of Mr. Woodhouse and the married life of Mr. Weston and Mrs. Weston (Miss Taylor) are described by Jane Austen. The discussion about the married life of Mr. and Mrs.

March, 2016. VOL.8. ISSUE NO. 1 www.ascgujarat.org Page | 41 Towards Excellence: An Indexed Refereed Journal of Higher Education / Dr. Narendra Patel / Page 38‐48

Weston is going on in the dialogue form between Emma and Mr. Woodhouse, at the tea table. Mr. Knightley also joins them in their tea and discussion also.

Mr. Knightley, a sensible man about seven or eight-and thirty, was not only a very old and intimate friend of the family, but particularly connected with it as the elder brother of Isabella’s husband. He lived about a mile from Highbury, was a frequent visitor and always welcome, and at this time more welcome than usual, as coming directly from their mutual connections in London. (8)

The conclusion of the cinematic version differs from the novel. In the novel, Emma writes to Harriet telling her of her engagement to Mr. Knightley, and Harriet’s letter to her shows some resentment. However, Emma gets her sister to invite Harriet to London. Mr, Knightley reports to Emma that Robert Martin had gone to London on business, had seen Harriet at the John Knightley’s house, and when he had proposed to her again, she had accepted. When Emma tells her father of her intention to marry Mr. Knightley, he is distressed, but after the Westons are robbed of their turkeys, he decided that he would like to have Mr. Knightley in the house. The wedding is summarized in the last paragraph.

The wedding was very much like other weddings, where the parties have no taste for finery or parade; and Mrs. Elton, from the particulars detailed by her husband, though it all extremely shabby and very inferior to her. –‘Very little white satin, very few lace veils; a most pitiful business!- Selina would stare when she heard of it.’- But, in spite of these deficiencies, the wishes, the hopes, the confidence, the predictions of the small band of true friends who witnessed the ceremony, were fully answered in the perfect happiness of the union. (367)

The BBC film rendering of these final pages is faithful except that Emma writes to Harriet for a meeting, not telling her about the engagement. Thus, Emma is spared Harriet’s ill will, since Harriet accepts Mr. Martin’s proposal before she knows about Emma’s engagement. The film ends with a gathering at Hartfield of Jane and Frank, the Westons and Mr. Knightley, during which the couples congratulate each other and admire the Westons’ baby.

Various incidents of the novel and changes or editions in them by the director:

a. Introduction of Harriet

March, 2016. VOL.8. ISSUE NO. 1 www.ascgujarat.org Page | 42 Towards Excellence: An Indexed Refereed Journal of Higher Education / Dr. Narendra Patel / Page 38‐48

The scenes of Harriet’s introduction in the novel and film are very different. In the novel, Mrs. Goddard, the schoolmistress, has asked for permission to bring Harriet Smith to an evening card party at Hartfield. Although Emma knows Harriet only by sight, she welcomes the prospect of a young person to talk to. In the BBC version, Mrs. Goddard brings Harriet to call on Emma in the afternoon. At this time Emma invites both of them to an evening party at Hartfield. Harriet is much concerned about her appearance, checking her bonnet while looking in a mirror.

b. The attack of the gypsies

The way in which the cinematic version handles the attack of the gypsies exhibits the significant difference between film and novel. In the novel Emma is told that half a dozen children, including a ‘great boy’ and a ‘stout woman’ assailed Harriet and Betsy Bickertone. Harriet gave them a shilling but they pursued her clamouring for more money. Frank Churchill arrives on foot just in time to rescue her. The BBC version is closer to the incident reported in the novel. As Harriet and her friend Betsy walk along a country road, some gypsy women see them and send children to beg from and harry the pair. Betsy runs away, but Harriet runs and falls over a log. Then Frank Churchill appears on horseback and frightens away the gypsies.

c. Strawberry picking

Two more important scenes in the novel are the strawberry picking and trip to Box Hill. In the novel the Strawberry picking occurs at Donwell Abbey, followed the next day by a day trip to Box Hill. During the strawberry picking Mrs. Elton informs Jane that she has found her a governess position and urges her to write an acceptance letter immediately. Jane, overwhelmed by Mrs. Elton’s urges, politely excuses herself and walks home. Later the reader finds out that Frank crossed paths with Jane as she was walking home and they argued. In the novel, the trip to Box Hill occurs the following day. This is a crucial scene because this is when the reader witnesses Emma at her worst. It showcases her tendency to be heartless and arrogant toward people who are in an inferior position to her. She offends Miss Bates through a thoughtless joke and Mr. Knightly scolds her for her behaviour. The film compresses the strawberry picking and the trip to Box Hill into the same day. A large group of people gathers at Donwell for the strawberry picking. Although it is Mr. Knightley’s residence, Mrs. Elton appears to be taking over the position of the host and attempts to organize the gathering.

March, 2016. VOL.8. ISSUE NO. 1 www.ascgujarat.org Page | 43 Towards Excellence: An Indexed Refereed Journal of Higher Education / Dr. Narendra Patel / Page 38‐48

The group to Box Hill consists of Emma, Mr. Weston, Miss Bates, Mrs. Elton, Mr. Knightley, and Frank Churchill. In the novel, Jane Fairfax and Mr. Elton are also in attendance. Since the party ate lunch at Donwell earlier in the day, there is no picnic in the film. The dialogue in the film closely resembles the prose in the novel. Frank complains about the dullness of the party and, as in the novel, commands that they tell Miss Woodhouse what they are thinking. He says that Miss. Woodhouse commons from each of them “one thing very clever” or “two things moderately clever; or three things very dull indeed…” Miss Bates exclaims, “‘three things very dull indeed.’ That will just do for me, you know. I shall be sure to say three dull things as soon as ever I opened my mouth, shan’t I”. Emma says, “Ah, ma’am, but there may be difficulty. Pardon me – but you will be limited as to number - only three at once” (Austen Emma 353). Following the insult, Mr. Knightley looks grim as he recognizes that Miss Bates is hurt by Emma’s jab. Mr. Weston laughs and poses a conundrum in praise of Emma, apparently oblivious as to what has just passed. Emma appears unaware that her joke has been inappropriate until Mr. Knightley tells her after the others have gone to the carriages, “It was badly done!”She is shown silently crying as she rides back in the carriage. The strawberry picking is handled a little differently in the film version. In the novel the strawberry picking occurs at Donwell Abbey followed the next day by a carriage trip to Box Hill. Mr. Knightley has invited the whole party, including Mr. Woodhouse, to come to Donwell Abbey. The Westons, Emma, her father, Miss Bates, Mrs. Elton, Harriet and Jane attend. Mr. Woodhouse is ensconced in a comfortable room in front of a fire with Mrs. Weston for company. Two significant things occur. Mrs. Elton informs Jane that she has found her a situation and urged her to write an acceptance immediately. Jane excuses herself and sets out to walk home. Frank writes later that he met Jane as she was walking home and they quarrelled. When he arrives at Donwell, he is in a bad humour. The film version has compressed the strawberry picking and the trip to Box Hill into the same day. A large group of men and women gather at Donwell for the strawberry picking. Mrs. Elton tries to organize the group and takes it upon herself to announce that a cold collation is set up in the dining room. Later a small group, consisting of Emma, Mr. Weston, Miss. Bates, Mrs. Elton, Mr. Knightley and Frank Churchill, set out in two carriages for Box Hill. Mrs. Weston and Mr. Elton are not in attendance. Jane has been at Donwell but she left to walk home after Mrs. Elton pressured her to accept the governess position Mrs. Elton had found for her. Frank Churchill arrives shortly after Jane has left.

d. Staging of the Box Hill March, 2016. VOL.8. ISSUE NO. 1 www.ascgujarat.org Page | 44 Towards Excellence: An Indexed Refereed Journal of Higher Education / Dr. Narendra Patel / Page 38‐48

In the novel the party consists of the Eltons, Mr. Weston, Mr. Knightley, Miss. Bates, Jane, Harriet, Emma and Frank.“Emma and Harriet went together; Miss Bates and her niece with, with the Eltons; the gentlemen on horseback. Mrs. Weston remained with Mr. Woodhouse” (277). The BBC film version shows the group on its way in two open carriages. Once on the hill, the party spreads out- Mr. Weston snores, Miss bates reads, Mrs. Elton complains to Mr. Knightley about a bug on her neck, Harriet sits alone and Frank is chatting with Emma. Since the party have eaten earlier that day at Donwell, there is no picnic lunch. Frank complains about the dullness of the party, and as in the novel, commands that they tell Miss Woodhouse what they are thinking. Mrs. Elton is indignant at the thought of Miss Woodhouse commanding her.

What shall we do to rouse them? Any nonsense will serve. They shall talk. Ladies and gentlemen, I am ordered by Miss. Woodhouse (who, wherever she is, presides,) to say, she desires to know what you are all thinking of?

Some laughed, and answered good-humouredly. Miss bates said a great deal; Mrs. Elton swelled at the idea of Miss Woodhouse’s presiding; Mr. Knightley’s answer was the most distinct. (279)

e. Ending of the novel and the film:

March, 2016. VOL.8. ISSUE NO. 1 www.ascgujarat.org Page | 45 Towards Excellence: An Indexed Refereed Journal of Higher Education / Dr. Narendra Patel / Page 38‐48

Doran Godwin as Emma Woodhouse and John Carson as George Knightly The final important scene is when Mr. Knightley proposes to Emma. The events in the film are similar to those described in the novel, except for there being less dialogue, up to the point where Emma is called upon to respond to his proposal. In the novel, Emma goes out for a walk in the garden. She sees Mr. Knightley and he joins her; He sympathizes with her over Frank’s supposed betrayal of her. He is so overjoyed by her confession that she has never had feelings for Frank that he is inspired to go further. Because Emma thinks that he is going to speak of his feelings for Harriet, Emma silences him. Emma notices how dejected he looks and she says that as a friend she will hear anything he wants to say. He says that he does not wish for her friendship and declares his love. By the time they reach the house they are engaged to marry. In the film, the proposal itself occurs in a gazebo. The lovers are sitting as Mr. Knightley confesses that he cares for her. Emma is silent. The film then cuts away to Mr. Woodhouse, who is in the house worrying about his daughter’s health in the damp weather. When the film cuts back to the couple they appear to have come to an agreement. They decide to keep their engagement secret until a favourable opportunity presents itself. The treatment of this scene is similar to the novel in so far as that the reader does not witness Emma’s acceptance of Mr. Knightley’s proposal. In the novel, when it is time for Emma’s response the narrator states, “What did she say? Just what she ought, of course. A lady always does” (Austen Emma 411). The reader doesn’t have the opportunity to witness exactly how Emma accepts the proposal. In the film, the camera cuts away from Emma and Mr. Knightley when it is time for her to accept his proposal. When the camera returns to the couple it is clear that she has already accepted his proposal. The scene, of Emma and Mr. Knightley’s talking in the sheltered place, runs for 8 minutes and the audience do not find any movement of the camera. Between their conversations the audience find 20 second’s shot taken at home where the audience find Mr. Woodhouse very March, 2016. VOL.8. ISSUE NO. 1 www.ascgujarat.org Page | 46 Towards Excellence: An Indexed Refereed Journal of Higher Education / Dr. Narendra Patel / Page 38‐48

angry with the housekeeper because Emma has gone out in the rainy atmosphere. The BBC version is very similar to the description in the novel, except there being less dialogue, up to the point where Emma is called upon to respond to his proposal. In the novel it has been raining, but when the rain ceases, Emma goes out for a walk. After a few terns in the shrubberies she sees Mr. Knightley, apparently just returned from London. He walks with her, commiserating with her over Frank’s supposed betrayal of her. He is so delighted at her confession that she does not care for Frank that he is inspired to go further. He says that he envies Frank Churchill, but when she declines to ask him the cause of this envy, he persists. Because he thinks that he is about to speak of his feelings for Harriet, she asks him not to commit himself now. Then he looks so dejected that she relents and says that as his friend she will hear anything he wants to say.

The researcher is of the opinion that the film maker can take a liberty in the sense that he can condense, add and remove characters as well as events. S/he can make some temporal changes in the characters and events. The audience should understand that all these changes are due to the change in the medium and it is for the sake of the art only. Jane Austen’s novels can be seen as a situational utterance produced in one medium in the Romantic Age. The film adaptation of Jane Austen’s novels is transformed into another equally situational utterance that is produced in the context of the twentieth century and in the different medium.

March, 2016. VOL.8. ISSUE NO. 1 www.ascgujarat.org Page | 47 Towards Excellence: An Indexed Refereed Journal of Higher Education / Dr. Narendra Patel / Page 38‐48

Works Cited

Austen, Jane. Emma, Middlesex: Penguin Popular Classics, 1994. Print.

Emma. Dir. John Glenister and Starring: Doran Godwin and John Carson. BBC Video, 1972.

Laserdisc.

Joshi, Jagdish. “A Bibliographic Study of Doctoral Dissertations in English Subject Awarded by

the Universities of Western Region of India.” Towards Excellence: An Indexed Refereed

Journal of Higher Education 5.1 (2013): 18‐27. Web. www.ascgujarat.org.

‐‐‐. “Fiction and Film Adaptation: A Comparative Study.” Spark International E Journal 4.8

(2012):56‐69. Print.

‐‐‐. “Film Adaptation of Novels and Fidelity.” Sahityasetu : A Literary E Journal 2.1 (2013). Web.

Macdonald, Gina and Macdonald, Andrew F. ed. Jane Austen on Screen. Cambridge: Cambridge

University Press, 2003. Print.

Parrill, Sue. Jane Austen on Film and Television: A Critical Study of the Adaptation. North

Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, 2002. Print.

Troost, Linda & Greenfield, Sayre. ed. Jane Austen in Hollywood. Kentucky: The University

Press of Kentucky, 2001. Print.

Dr. Narendra K. Patel Assistant Professor Shri P. K. Chaudhari Mahila Arts College, Sector-7, Gandhinagar M- 9427989810 E-mail: [email protected]

March, 2016. VOL.8. ISSUE NO. 1 www.ascgujarat.org Page | 48