But Wait!! …Which Miss Bates is the Best?

Ok, I haven’t forgotten dear Emma, but it’s been a busy time! Nonetheless, let’s jump back into this question of the Bates’ – no, not the murderous son/cross-dressing mother impersonator. But the very best Miss Bates there could ever be.

In truth, the competition with this one is a close one, and while I’ve named a favorite, it’s certainly something that can change depending on which adaptation I’ve watched most recently! So let’s dig in.

First, we have Sophie Thompson as Miss Bates in the 1996 Gwyneth Paltrow version. She is flighty and whisper-breathy. She is excitable and energetic. She interrupts with her innane observations and leaps from one thought to another with barely a breath! Thompson’s particular genius in portraying this character, though, has to be her indefatigable good humor. She is constantly cheerful and lively, and even in the scene where she endures Emma’s most painful jibe – “only three!” – the viewer is left uncertain as to whether she has really felt the full sting of the barb, and even in that moment, we see her attempting to good-humoredly give Emma far more credit than she is due. One has to admire the pluck and vivacity of a woman who can remain so distinctly optimistic in the face of all she has faced – the death of a sibling, the loss of a niece she’d promised to care for, the loss of her father’s income, and finally, her expectation of a long, lonely life in penury. But frankly, I’m not sure this Miss Bates sees it like that at all. I sense she is not deluded about her situation, but chooses to focus on the positive. That’s certainly worth admiration.

Next, we have Tamsin Grieg in the Romola Garai version from the BBC.

Grieg is not only one of my very favorite British actors (Check out Green Wing and Friday Night Dinner for her comedy, or Belgravia for her performance in a fabulous period piece), but she is my favorite Miss Bates. The answer is simple: Grieg brought a level of emotional depth to Miss Bates that is missing from the others. Whereas Sophie Thompson and Miranda Hart (also a brilliant comedian) definitely match the flighty, breathy, constantly agitated and speaking of her agitation-qualities of Miss Bates, Grieg brings a layer unknown in any other adaptation. Here, I refer to a few distinct moments: when Jane Fairfax is first sent away, her face crumples with a level of grief she then glosses over in later scenes. Later, we once again see the true depth of Miss Bates near the close of the series when Jane has been writing to Mrs. Smallridge about her governess position, and Emma tells Miss Bates that the whole community will care for her and Miss Fairfax. That moment is incomparable. What I admire about Grieg’s portrayal is that she not only displays the same level of positivity and optimism, but we frequently see these momentary blips on her features that tell us a deeper emotional reaction is at work. WIth Grieg’s version, we see a Miss Bates who is making a larger and more concerted effort to choose optimism in the face of some very un-optimistic circumstances.

Additionally, Mrs. Bates is also a more emotionally-evolved character in this adaptation. In the others, Mrs. Bates is portrayed as senile, standing on the edge of dementia and complete confinement. However, in this adaptation, we see Mrs. Bates as a younger, elderly woman (more in line, realistically, in terms of when she would have given birth to Miss Bates and her sibling, etc.). And in addition to that, she gives us a more nuanced response to Jane’s departure. As Miss Bates attempts to convince her this is the best choice for her, we see her give a look. In future scenes, the camera lingers on Mrs. Bates’ face, revealing the depth of her depression, which is finally lifted in a wonderful scene at the end when they visit Mrs. Weston and she tells Miss Bates to hush up and let her see the baby. These are clearly the first words she has spoken in a very long time. (Also, there’s a great scene in the first episode of the BBC adaptation which portrays Isabella Knightley, holding the newborn Emma, and looking very much afflicted by post-partum depression). All around, both Miss and Mrs. Bates, as well as other female characters, are given more emotional nuance, and Tamsin Grieg’s particular portrayal of this depth makes her the winner of the Battle of the Bateses!

But let’s not ignore Miranda Hart’s comedic prowess as Miss Bates in the most recent Emma adaptation. The humor derives in part from mere physicality. When Miss Bates and Mrs. Bates stand together, the result is nothing less than a hilarious juxtaposition of a terribly tiny old lady next to a wonderfully Amazonian spinster. In fact, if you watch closely, in the scene where Mr. Elton’s wife first attends Sunday services, Mr. Elton yells, “enter not into judgement with thy servant, oh Lord, for IN THY SIGHT!…” and Mrs. Bates stands up as though compelled. She is not even as tall as a sitting Hart when she is standing up! And in addition to that, Hart’s penchant for repetition – “it was with the gloves. It was with the gloves. It was with the gloves.” – add a great deal of humor to the piece. Hart is definitely an actor worth watching in all her venues – Call the Midwife, and Miranda to name a few.