Adapting any Austen classic must surely be a daunting task for directors, screenwriters and playwrights alike. Yet, Autumn de Wilde has proven herself unfazed in the face of such a challenge, with her recent screen adaptation of Emma.

De Wilde’s interpretation of Austen is hyper-stylised and aesthetically pleasing, reminiscent in several aspects of Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette (2006). With its strictly pastel colour scheme, pristine costumes and dreamlike quality, de Wilde’s directorial choices convey to the audience the world through Emma’s privileged eyes – that is to say, very much a rose-tinted view. The light-hearted melodrama of the film is accentuated by its soundtrack; Isobel Waller-Bridge and David Schweitzer’s whimsical compositions perfectly enhance the setting de Wilde has created. Yet the more earnest moments are marked by folk music, notably in the duet between Mr Knightley (Johnny Flynn) and Jane Fairfax (Amber Anderson). Flynn, himself a singer/songwriter, also contributes a track, aptly named ‘Queen Bee’, which plays over the ending credits.

Alongside the legendary Bill Nighy, the production boasts a stellar cast of young British talent: Callum Turner (The Capture) and Josh O’Connor (God’s Own Country) play Frank Churchill and Mr Elton respectively, with Anya Taylor-Joy (The Miniaturist) at the helm as the novel’s eponymous anti-heroine. This adaptation’s screenwriters offer an altogether more damning portrayal of the flawed protagonist than previous versions have shown. It cannot be easy to make a character simultaneously likeable and disagreeable, but the role is played to perfection by Taylor-Joy. Her spoilt, immature nature is further contrasted with Mia Goth’s representation of Harriet Smith: naïve, kind-hearted and endearing, if slightly ditsy. It is here, with this interpretation of Emma’s character, that the film really succeeds, setting itself apart from an illustrious company of Austen renditions. De Wilde hits the mark of overarching light-hearted optimism, without detracting from the fiercely satirical nature of the author’s work – a cinematic cocktail the great Jane herself would be proud of (once given a little time to adjust her 18^th century sensibilities to the concept of motion picture …)

Austen devotees might be disappointed in the relative underdevelopment of Frank Churchill and Jane Fairfax as characters, but this does not detract from the success of the film. As with any adaptation, certain elements of the plot are prioritised, dependent upon the interpretation of the director. The ending also differs slightly from both the novel and previous screen versions, but the changes are in keeping with the nature of the film which, overall, is generally pleasing. Indeed, Mr Knightley’s infamous exclamation of ‘badly done’, is certainly not applicable in this case!