"Emily" and the mastery of Michael O'Connor

by Cláudio Alves

Frances O'Connor's directorial debut is available on PVOD starting today. Emily is a modern twist on the biography of Emily Brontë, regarding the Wuthering Heights author through a fictionalized prism. There are many reasons to watch the film, from Emma Mackey's performance in the titular role to Abel Korzeniowski's bewitching score. For costume aficionados, however, it's all about the Michael O'Connor-designed fits. As ever, the Oscar-winner blesses the project with a commitment to period veracity, capturing the detail and idiosyncrasy of the past even when it looks silly, fussy, or unattractive to contemporary eyes. He even pays the same attention to main actors and background players, upper-class characters and the poorer circles of society. The result is dramatic immersion, a sort of realism supported by on-screen materiality that's rare even in the most lavish of period pieces...

If you want to read a more in-depth analysis of O'Connor's career, I previously wrote about it when exploring Ammonite. Furthermore, in 2014, Nathaniel interviewed the designer right as he was nabbing a third Academy Award nomination. However, if you're yearning for recommendations, where to watch them, or want to gaze at pictures of superlative costumes, here you go.

MISS PETTIGREW LIVES FOR A DAY (2008) Bharat Nalluri
Available to rent or purchase on most of the major platforms.

THE DUCHESS (2008) Saul Dibb
Currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video, Paramount Plus, MGM+, and FuboTV. It's also available for rent or purchase, on most major platforms.

JANE EYRE (2011) Cary Joji Fukunaga
Currently streaming on DirecTV and Freevee. You can also find it to rent or buy on most major platforms.

THE INVISIBLE WOMAN (2013) Ralph Fiennes
Available to rent or purchase on most of the major platforms.

TULIP FEVER (2017) Justin Chadwick
Currently streaming on Hoopla, Tubi, Kanopy, Freevee, Redbox, and Pluto TV. It's also available for rent or purchase on most big platforms.

ALL IS TRUE (2018) Kenneth Branagh
Currently streaming on all Starz platforms. You can further rent or buy it on most of the major services.

FANNY LYE DELIVER'D (2019) Thomas Clay
Currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video, Tubi, Vudu, Redbox, PleX, and Freevee. It's also available to rent or purchase on most major platforms.

AMMONITE (2020) Francis Lee
It's currently streaming on Hulu and Kanopy. You can also find the film on most major services available to rent or purchase.

THE ELECTRICAL LIFE OF LOUIS WAIN (2021) Will Sharpe
Streaming exclusively on Amazon Prime Video.

EMILY (2022) Frances O'Connor
The movie's now available for rent or purchase on most major platforms.

What's your favorite Michael O'Connor-costumed flick? Do you think he deserves more Oscar acclaim than his one win and two addition nominations?