Emma (1996 TV film)

Emma is a television film based on the 1815 novel of the same name by Jane Austen, directed by Diarmuid Lawrence and dramatised by Andrew Davies, the same year as Miramax's film adaptation of Emma starring Gwyneth Paltrow was released. This production stars Kate Beckinsale as the title character, and also features Samantha Morton as Harriet Smith and Mark Strong as Mr. Knightley.

Davies had recently made the successful 1995 television serial Pride and Prejudice for the BBC when he proposed to adapt Emma for the corporation. The BBC, however, had already made such an agreement with another screenwriter, leading Davies to approach ITV.

Emma received generally positive reviews from critics, many of whom believed it to be superior to the 1996 Miramax film. Most focused on Beckinsale's performance as a positive highlight. It aired on ITV on 24 November 1996 and garnered an estimated 12 million viewers. It was broadcast on the American channel A&E on 16 February 1997.