To celebrate the release of Emma, let's revisit the novel's previous iterations in film history. First up, the case of Amy Heckerling's Clueless (1995)
From 1940 to 1995, no motion picture was made with a screenplay based on any Jane Austen novel. There were some negligible low-budget miniseries along the way, but nothing major. Then came the 90s and everything changed. In 1995 alone, the world got to enjoy the pleasures of Roger Michell's Persuasion and the lavish TV adaptation of Pride & Prejudice with Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth. Most importantly, Clueless happened, effectively showing that Jane Austen was cool and igniting the Hollywood trend of filming great tomes of classic literature reimagined as modern teen movies…
While 1995's Persuasion and Pride & Prejudice are wonderful achievements they also set a precedent for seeing Jane Austen through the lenses of romantic dramas, inherently prestigious and a bit serious-minded too. Clueless, on the other hand, understood that Austen's work is essentially social satire by means of comedic folly. Those books are full of biting wit and ridiculous people, razor-sharp reflections of social mores, and endearingly record the games of casual tête-à-tête and its curated idioms. When those things are covered by the patina of prestige-focused historical reproduction, their essence can get lost amongst frills and neoclassic buildings.
Stripping away the razzle-dazzle of Regency-era finery, writer/director Amy Heckerling allows the novel's more abrasive and funny qualities to shine through. The stilted cadences of 19th-century conversations are no more artificial than the MTV-era slang of the American teenager, for instance. Similarly, the self-centeredness of Emma Woodhouse is only made more obvious when played by Alicia Silverstone's Cher Horowitz. The themes of class and money are also inescapable when the story is set among the teenage children of Beverly Hills' wealthy elite, their lack of self-awareness as grating as it is hilarious.
If not for the candy-colored costumes and constant stream of jokes, Clueless could be too nasty for its own good. Still, the genius of both Heckerling and Austen lies in the precious balance between mockery and affection. Clueless is never afraid to make its characters seem absurd but it does this while also celebrating them. The movie positively vibrates with love for the silly teens, helped in no small part by across-the-board charm from an unimprovable cast (where was their SAG Cast nomination?). Thus, the bitter aroma of cynicism never features in the literary recipe or the cinematic one, resulting in a fanciful narrative dessert that's sweet but also filled with intelligent observations, wit and colorful characters we'll never forget.
What's your favorite quote from Clueless's pitch-perfect screenplay?