The Mr. Knightley Pageant

Who is your favorite Mr. Knightley? That’s a question I posed to the readers of my own modest blog (shannonwinslow.com) a year and a half ago, when I was trying to decide who to feature on my then-upcoming novel Mr. Knightley in His Own Words, presenting the question in the form of a pageant to compare the various actors’ portrayals. My book has since published and is doing very well. (In fact, it was recently named a Best Read of 2024 at Austenesque Reviews!) The surprising thing is that the pageant post is ALSO doing very well. In fact, it consistently receives more views than any other on my blog! Since people apparently find it quite entertaining, I thought I’d share it to a wider audience here. I hope you enjoy it!

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… In the meantime, though, I need to start thinking about the cover.  As you probably know, the previous two […in His Own Words] books featured an artist’s rendition of the title character as depicted in one of the film adaptations. Since I had a clear favorite for both Darcy (Colin Firth) and Colonel Brandon (Alan Rickman), there was no dilemma. But it’s different for Mr. Knightley. Just as I like all 4 movie versions of Emma, for different reasons, I like things about all 4 leading men. So, who do I put on the cover? Let the contest begin!

I don’t know about you, but I grew up watching the Miss America Pageant. Let’s not debate what’s right or wrong with that “scholarship program.” I simply want to borrow the format for evaluating our contestants in the Mr. Knightley Pageant: Mark Strong, Jeremy Northam, Jonny Lee Miller, and Johnny Flynn.

Although the rules changed over the years, for the most part, the Miss America contestants were evaluated based on the evening gown competition, swimsuit competition, a show of talent, and an interview segment. Unfortunately, we’re going to have to modify things somewhat. For example, sorry, ladies, no swimsuit pictures available (although there was that “birthday suit” shot of Johnny Flynn, hmm). Plus, I threw in a few of my own criteria. You can do the same when it’s your turn.

Let’s start with Mark Strong, Mr. Knightley in A&E’s Emma 1996, starring opposite Kate Beckinsale. I think Mark Strong is a good looking guy, and he gets extra points from me for being tall (6’2”), which gives him a potential advantage in the eveningwear competition – something the costumers didn’t take full advantage of, imo. I also enjoy his speaking voice, so he scores well in the interview too. As for talent, I’m sure he has some that the film didn’t give him the opportunity to showcase.

Strong loses a couple of beauty points for his prematurely receding hairline (he was only 33, the youngest of the four when he played the role!), and he’ll never win Miss… I mean Mr. Congeniality, for he seems always to be angry and yelling, especially at Emma. Maybe that’s why he’s best known for his bad-guy roles, where yelling is more appropriate. (I have a villain role in the book he’d be perfect for!). Also, sadly, no detectable chemistry with his leading lady.

Next up is Jeremy Northam, Mr. Knightley in Miramax’s Emma 1996, playing opposite Gwyneth Paltrow. I might just as well come straight out and say it. In a contest of pure beauty, Jeremy Northam wins hands down. He’s the most handsome of the four, imo, and just as tall as Mark Strong too (6’2″), although you may not have hardly noticed when he’s standing next to his 5’9″ leading lady. His wardrobe is top notch, and he looks smashing in it, too. But I know we should be judging on more than just outward beauty, right? For talent, I have him down for graceful dancing plus archery. And he has a nice voice, too.

But it’s not all good news for Mr. Northam. He loses a point or two for poor posture, because he tends to slouch instead of always sitting correctly upright. And I had no choice but to penalize him for the way he manhandles Emma during his reproof of her at Box Hill. A true gentleman would never grab a lady’s arm and jerk her around like that! Tsk tsk.

That brings us to the next candidate, chronologically, Jonny Lee Miller, who starred as Knightley in the BBC’s 2009 Emma mini-series opposite Ramola Garai. Even though his production is considerably longer than the others, I’ve been having the most trouble evaluating his performance. He is easy enough on the eyes, but not tall (5’10”). I watched closely for anything I could call a display of talent but found nothing, only dancing that looked tentative at best. His voice is pleasant but unremarkable.

Although I couldn’t name any category in which he particularly excelled the others, neither did I find any particular faults (except for that not-tall thing). He has kind of an X-factor going for him, I think. And he’s the one I most believe as Emma’s close, life-long friend – friends that can say whatever they want to each other. And yet I don’t have any trouble seeing why Emma falls in love with him.

Finally, we have Johnny Flynn, Mr. Knightley of the off-beat Focus 2020 production of Emma, co-starring Anya Taylor-Joy (read my review of the film here). Not particularly handsome and, sadly, not tall either (just shy of 5’10”). He seems to be athletic – runs, vaults a stone wall. But musical talent is where he really shows off. He sings and plays the violin during the film, and he wrote and sings the song that plays over the closing credits: My Queen Bee. (Take a minute to check out a much younger Flynn singing another of his original songs on YouTube.) Flynn has great on-screen chemistry with his Emma too – during their dance and that one other scene at the end. *sigh* Does that qualify as talent, too?

Although Flynn gives a surprisingly endearing portrayal of Knightley, I had to subtract some points for undignified behavior – frequently disheveled, running in public. In a pageant – a contest for the most gentlemanly gentleman – posture and decorum must be maintained at all times!

So where does that leave us? Do we have a winner? According to my score card, Johnny Flynn easily takes the Talent trophy. Jeremy Northam wins the Eveningwear Competition for his handsomeness and wardrobe. I’m going to give the nod to Mark Strong for the Interview, because I’d be happy to listen to his voice for a long time (provided he’s not yelling). But what about Jonny Lee Miller? He’s got to be my Mr. Congeniality, because he’s the guy we all want as our friend if we can’t have him as our lover. Other than winning the crown itself, that’s the most coveted title of all, at least I think that’s what they used to claim on Miss America.

That’s just my opinion, though, and I still don’t have a clear winner to feature on the book cover. To decide, I need to hear from the rest of the distinguished panel of judges. That’s you! Leave me a comment below for who you think should get the cover and why. Who is your Mr. Knightley?

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Well, there you have it. The original votes came back split 50/50 between Jeremy Northam and Jonny Lee Miller, with Mark Strong solidly in third. So my quest for the winner of the cover continued on (read more here and here, if you’re interested in the lengths I went to!). As you can see, Jeremy Northam ultimately won.  Do you think I made the right decision? How would you have judged The Mr. Knightley Pageant? Who is your favorite Mr. Knightley?

Mr. Knightley in His Own Words was recently named the Austenesque Reviews Favorite “Alternate POV” novel of 2024! (that post and a link to Meredith’s full review), Here’s the blurb:

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Mr. George Knightley. According to Emma Woodhouse, you won’t see one in a hundred who is so clearly the gentleman. Respected by all, he’s kind, unpretentious, and scrupulously honest, with an air so remarkably good that it’s unfair to compare other men to him. We also know he’s been his “own master” from a young age. But Jane Austen tells us little more.

What were his early years like, and how did he lose his parents? A man in his mid-thirties, he must have had at least one romance along the way. Did it end badly? Is that why he’s never married? When and how did his relationship with Emma shift from friendship to love? And what can explain his incredible forbearance towards the eccentric Mr. Woodhouse? Now, Mr. Knightley reveals these answers and more in His Own Words.

This is not a variation from but a supplement to the original story of Emma, chronicled in the hero’s point of view. Two-thirds completely new material, it features key events in Mr. Knightley’s past – events that still haunt him and yet have shaped who he’s become, the superior man Emma can’t help falling in love with.