The release of lignocaine from emulsion films, made from gelatin and a homologous series of alkanols, is studied. The release profiles are modelled. Using the standard Higuchi square root of time diffusion equation, it is shown that the solution matrix model holds to different extents with the different alkanols, in line with the changes in the drug partition coefficient between the continuous and dispersed phases. Although suspension matrix models have been used for modelling drug release from emulsions, it is shown that this approach is also limited by the fact that as release proceeds, drug activity within the film decreases. The Bruggeman equation which takes account of the permeability coefficient of the drug in both continuous and dispersed phases was useful in predicting drug release at high partition coefficients but its value deteriorates badly as the partition coefficient decreased. Effective diffusion coefficients of lignocaine in the four alkanols are calculated and these show that no single model adequately predicts the observed values.