Emma (1996 theatrical film) Jane Austen's most endearing character, the disastrously self-assured matchmaker Emma Woodhouse. A fine cast, speedy pacing and playful direction make this a solid contender for the Austen sweepstakes." Emma (1996 theatrical film) Emma is a 1996 period film based on the 1815 novel of the same name by Jane Austen. Written and directed by Douglas McGrath, the film stars Gwyneth Paltrow, Alan Cumming, Toni Collette, Ewan McGregor, and Jeremy Northam. The film describes a year in the life of Emma Woodhouse, a congenial but naïve young woman who thinks of herself as a romantic matchmaker in her small community in
Emma (1996 TV film) the servants. "Emma" was broadcast on 24 November 1996 on ITV, garnering an estimated 12 million viewers. "Emma" was also broadcast on the American channel A&E on 16 February 1997. It was released on DVD in 1999. The adaptation re-aired in 2007, as part of ITV's "Jane Austen Season", and as part of PBS "Masterpiece's" Jane Austen marathon on 23 March 2008. It was also aired on 27 December 2008, as a series of Christmas "specials" on BBC One. Many reviewers positively compared the TV drama to the 1996 feature film starring Paltrow. "People"s Tom Gliatto found it to be