It is no secret that the film, Clueless, by Amy Heckerling is an updated retelling of the classic novel, Emma, written by Jane Austen. There are numerous similarities throughout the film to the novel and the overall plotline is quite similar as well. The ball scene in the novel, Emma, however, has some marked differences from the frat party scene in the film, Clueless. There are multiple events from the ball scene in the novel that wind up in other scenes of the film. The frat scene in the film ends up distorting some of the key events of the ball scene from the novel.
In the film, Clueless, the characters from the novel, Emma, are comparable. The main character, Emma, is mirrored in the main character of the film, Cher. Both young women are single and not concerned about finding their own suitor, but believe themselves to be competent matchmakers for those around them. In the novel, Emma simply believes she will never marry. In the film, Cher claims to be very picky and is thus waiting on someone special. In fact, she claims that attempting to find a boyfriend in her high school is “useless.” Both characters are somewhat mature for their age. Neither character has a mother around, which could be the reason they are somewhat more independent and adept at problem-solving. However, Cher’s life is largely comfortable; she lives in a posh home in L.A. She is very popular and has more clothes than most grown women do. Emma was a similar creature in her time. ‘Emma Woodhouse had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her’ (Austen 27).
In the book, Mr. Elton is the character Emma chooses to focus Harriet’s affections upon. In the film, Elton is the comparable character and the recipient of most of Cher’s matchmaking throughout the film is Tai. In fact, Elton is the “only overt reference to [the film’s] source” which is the novel, Emma (Dole 72). Cher becomes convinced of Elton’s affections for Tai, deluding herself and Tai into ignoring his blatant interest in Cher and his disdain for Tai. In the novel, Mr. Knightley is Emma’s brother-in-law and they appear quite ill-suited for one another. They argue frequently and seem to be continually in conflict. In the film, Josh Lucas is Cher’s former stepbrother, who still comes around the house and even stays there often, as he has formed a bond with Cher’s father. Like the main characters in the novel, Cher and Josh have frequent disagreements and seem to tease one another frequently. In the novel, Harriet actually has feelings for Mr. Martin, whom Emma finds unsuitable for Harriet due to his social station. In the film, Tai has feelings for Travis, whom Cher finds an unsuitable match due to his low social status.
There is some debate among experts and critics as to whether Clueless aptly modernizes Emma. It is worth noting that there have been many attempts to bring Emma to the screen. However, Clueless does have something on the other films. In fact, “of the eight adaptations, only Clueless was directed by a woman” (Paolo 144). Amy Heckerling wrote and directed the script for the film. In fact, some critics give this film praise for “faithfully evok[ing] the core thematic concerns of the novel—including education, female friendship, civic responsibility” (Paolo 143).
Although there are numerous similarities throughout the film and the novel, the ball scene, and the corresponding frat party scene has some obvious discrepancies. In the novel, the ball scene shows Mr. Knightley, who later wins the heart of Emma, dancing with the spurned Harriet, saving her from humiliation. In the novel, this act on the part of Mr. Knightley gains the approval of Emma. But it also later leads her to believe that he is in fact in love with Harriet. At this point in the novel, Mr. Elton, the person Emma has tried to get Harriet to pursue, has already taken a new wife. The day following the ball, Frank, an ill-suited, deceitful suitor saves Emma from beggars.
In the film, however, the frat party scene shows Tai (Harriet) sustaining a minor injury due to some careless (and nameless) guest flinging her shoe across the dance floor. Cher (Emma) calls Elton (Mr. Elton) for help. Travis (Mr. Martin) attempts to help, but Cher quickly dismisses him—going so far as to act as though he is making things worse. At Cher’s prodding, Elton takes Tai onto the dance floor to make sure she has fully recovered from her injury and help her recover from her social humiliation. Later, Elton makes a play for Cher—rather than Tai—by crassly trying to get physical with her. When she refuses to play along and admits she had Elton in mind for Tai, Elton is insulted and repulsed by the idea that Cher sees the two of them on the same rung of the social ladder. He puts Cher out of his car and drives off. Cher is trapped in a seedy section of L.A. She is mugged and stranded. However, it is Josh (Mr. Knightley) who comes to retrieve Cher from her predicament.
The elements of the ball scene in Emma do make it into the film. However, they are placed in other scenes. Josh (Mr. Knightley) does dance with Tai (Harriet) to help ease her social awkwardness and humiliation, but it is at a club scene in the film. Tai (Harriet) has endured numerous incidents of embarrassment that same evening, including falling down the stairs as she entered, being inappropriately dressed, and playing the role of the wallflower. Cher is touched when she looks over to find Josh (Mr. Knightley) dancing with Tai (Harriet) and points out to her date that he is doing it solely to make her feel better.
In the novel, shortly after the ball scene, Emma grows concerned that Mr. Knightley is in love with Harriet. Harriet has announced her interest in Mr. Knightley to Emma as well. Much after this club scene, there is a moment where Cher questions whether Josh (Mr. Knightley) could be interested in Tai (Harriet). This occurs after she has harshly informed Tai that a match between Josh and herself would be wholly ridiculous. This is yet another example of the class distinctions in Clueless, which remain true to the class distinctions in the novel. In both the novel and the film, the suitability of a potential love interest rests upon his social standing in relationship to one’s own standing. This is what makes Travis (Mr. Martin) a poor match in Cher’s eyes. His social standing is quite low. Early in the film, Tai (Harriet) expresses interest in Travis (Mr. Martin) and Cher quickly informs her that he is part of the loser crowd. Had Cher not interfered, it is conceivable that Tai would have migrated to the “loser crowd” all by herself, met up with Travis, and been quite satisfied with her lot in life. Due to Cher’s interference, Tai (Harriet) endures a multitude of social humiliation and chases a suitor, who has absolutely no interest whatsoever in her.
Another big difference between the ball scene and the frat party scene lies with Emma’s concern during the scene. During the ball scene, Emma is concerned with getting some one-on-one time with Frank, her potential love interest (who is only pretending to be interested to mask his interest in Jane.) During the frat party scene in the film, Cher is not worried about her own date. She doesn’t have a date at this point. However, this corresponding event takes place in the club scene when Josh (Mr. Knightley) earns the approval of Cher (Emma) by dancing with Tai (Harriet) to help ease her social discomfort. Cher’s date, Christian, is the counterpart to the novel’s character, Frank. In Emma, Frank feigns interest in Emma to mask his actual love for Jane. In Clueless, Christian feigns interest in Cher to mask his homosexuality. This shows a necessary change in this adaptation. In order to appeal to a modern, teenage audience, this character needed a viable reason to “date” Cher while not truly interested in her. It is far more credible in today’s climate that someone would feign interest to cover their homosexuality.
Although the film and the novel share many similarities, the frat scene does break from the novel’s ball scene. However, the elements of the scene do appear in other scenes of the film. The result is that the integrity of events—and more importantly, the spirit of the events—remains intact in the film. Although some critics may find flaws with the adaptation in Clueless, it does have strengths and positives in terms of carrying forward the overall tone, spirit, and themes of the novel.
References
Austen, Jane. Emma. New York: Bantam Classics, 1984.
Dole, Carol M. “Austen, Class, and the American Market.” Jane Austen in Hollywood.
Ed. Linda Troost and Sayre N. Greenfield. Lexington, Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky, 2001. 58-78. Print.
Paolo, Marc Di. Emma Adapted: Jane Austen’s Heroine from Book to Film. New York: Peter Lang Publishing, 2007.