Jane Austen's early nineteenth century novel, Emma spawned two well-known films from the mid-nineties. These are of course Emma, directed by Douglas McGrath and Clueless, written and directed by Amy Heckerling. While Emma is a direct adaptation of the novel, Clueless was merely inspired by its themes and messages. Furthermore, Emma aspires to successfully present the novel in celluloid and entertain a female, adult audience whilst introducing Jane Austen to a new generation. Conversely, Clueless aims to transport the themes and morals presented within the novel into a modern context that is relatable to the youth of today. Despite these differing objectives the films are similar in terms of storyline, theme and characterisation
Superficially, Emma and Clueless are tales of love told from the perspective of 'the match-maker,' however beneath this veneer lie stories about young women learning humility in the face of their own willful ignorance. …
