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@jbrewitttaylor Ok! Jane Eyre adaptation research complete after 6 versions (there are many more, but I have to take my life back). Some thoughts:
2011 Mia & Michael. Beautiful cinematography. The psychological slickness we expect of contemporary film making. Best job of the feature length ones to incorporate the 3 phases of her life: Gateshead/Lowood, Thornfield, The Rivers& #39; house. Dench is a scene-stealing Mrs Fairfax.
2006 Ruth & Toby. Oh my days, the chemistry is off the charts! And finally some "plain" casting! Rochester& #39;s reform is the loveliest. St. John storyline is executed brilliantly. Miniseries, so has the advantage of including everything.
1997 Samantha & Ciaran. He was woeful - too shouty, no charm (It wounds me to criticise the perfect Wentworth). Best captured the shocking nature of Adele& #39;s backstory and Rochester& #39;s wild European romp. Best creepy Bertha visitation to Jane& #39;s room.
1996 Charlotte & William. Room temperature performances, fine but interpretations of their characters were a bit "meh". Loads on Lowood, but sacrifices the Rivers family completely, which I can& #39;t abide. Bizarre casting of Elle "I can& #39;t do accents" McPherson as Blanche Ingram.
1983 Zelah and Timothy. T& #39;s performance is positively volcanic! So good!!! But he& #39;s playing against a wooden board so engagement and final reunion fall completely flat. As regards comment below: Don& #39;t worry Zelah, this Jane will be forever remembered as the most dreadful one.
1943 Joan & Orson. Just all wrong, but so wrong I came to love all the stuff I would normally hate. Rochester& #39;s baby face. Hilarious "Victorian" gothic set. A Golden Age Hollywood style beauty calling herself "plain".... Yes, Jane. Hideous.
Additonal info: I have been to Haddon Hall which is the Thornfield location in three of them, so it biases me toward them.
Final ranking:
1) 2006
2) 2011
3) 1983
4) 1996
5) 1943
6) 1997
1) 2006
2) 2011
3) 1983
4) 1996
5) 1943
6) 1997
Last comment: the scenes where he asks her stay in both 2006 & 2011 are exquisite. Beautiful in their own ways, but both kind of theologically interesting, I think. Wonderful, wonderful!!
