Product Details

• Format: Import, Subtitled, NTSC
• Region: All Regions
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00081QWVW
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #233,318 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

SUMMARY: South Korean Edition DVD/Sound in English / Optional Korean Subtitles can be turned off. Jane Eyre secures a job as governess to the child of the troubled Edward Rochester, sire of Thornfield, a mysterious English manor. When she hears strange cries and noises from a distant wing, her inquiries are rebuffed. As time goes on, Jane and her master fall in love and decide to marry. But their halted when a visitor suddenly reveals the shocking secret that Rochester has kept for years.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Film Version of Jane Eyre, July 24, 2006

By 

J. Kara Russell "Actress/Artist/Musician/Writer" (Hollywood - the cinderblock Industrial cubicle) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Jane Eyre (1944) [Import] (DVD)

I've been having a "Jane Eyre-athon." There are many good versions of this gothic story of the fight between worldliness and virtue. Many have one really outstanding element, but this version, with Orson Welles and Joan Fontaine remains overall the best. Like most, it eliminates much of the second half of the book, which is the really important part for Bronte, who is one of the finest religious thinkers of her age. There are so many bests in this version, it will always be hard to top for getting Bronte right.

This version was shot when black and white filmmaking was at it's best, and Fox was known as the best at noir/gothic, with velvety blacks, and really crisp lighting and shading. One thing that helps this film be better is that it has the best script (by Huxley, Stevenson and Houseman). The script transitions well, and really captures the major emotional elements of the story. This version also has the best child Jane (Peggy Ann Gardner). I agree with many that Zelah Clarke (Jane in the 1983 miniseries) is probably the definitive adult Jane, but Joan Fontaine is equally fine, and many people will simply not sit through the slow miniseries. Joan Fontaine has a real sense of refined restraint that seems very natural, and her strength is not so much in knowing she is strong, but overcoming her weakness. That is a very important mental/emotional component for getting Jane right.

Orson Welles is beefy and sexy, and plays every note of Rochester perfectly. If he is a bit too young for the role, that is the only flaw. While I feel that Cairin Hinds (the 1997 film version) is the best Rochester, Welles performance equals him. Once again, the striking dark haired beauty Blanche was cast with a platinum blonde, she is undeniably and great and striking beauty, and is the best of the Blanche - easy to see why men like her, and why women don't. Little Margaret O'Brien, who I usually find cloying and hammy is, of course, the perfect Adele, so we have the best Adele, too! She is absolutely convincingly the daughter of a diva, a dancer and coquette, and her "look at me" peskiness is just right for Adele.

The supporting roles, just simply nail the characters as described in the book, Broklehurst, Agnes Morehead as the Aunt, Mrs. Fairfax, and young Elizabeth Taylor as young Jane's friend all add up to make this a masterpiece. Having Bernard Herrmann do the score doesn't hurt a bit, either. (Film buffs will find it of interest that some of the exact themes and sound cues used in this film were also used again in Hitchcock's NORTH BY NORTHWEST.)

See the 1934 version for a laugh and film history. See the 1983 miniseries to see the truest rhendition of the book. See the 1997 version for breathtaking color, scenery and Cirian Hinds' Rochester. See this to be fully satisfied. This is simply an exquisite film - filmmaking at its best in every respect; and while not as letter-perfectly definitive as the 1983 miniseries, I feel it is overall the best, truest version of JANE EYRE.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars This is an Import DVD from Korea With Korean Sub-Titles That Can't Be Turned off!, January 21, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Jane Eyre (1944) [Import] (DVD)

I agree with the previous reviewer that the classic 1944 film version of Jane Eyre staring Orson Welles and Joan Fontaine is obviously a great movie but this DVD is an import from Korea and has Korean subtitles (captions) that can't be turned off. I have nothing against the Korean language but I just don't like having sub-titles that can't be turned off and I also wouldn't like it if it was English sub-titles that couldn't be turned off! Someone needs to get this movie out on DVD in English with the other language sub-titles that can be turned off!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best version of Jane Eyre!, August 20, 2006

By 

A. Wellings "Anna" (West Midlands) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Jane Eyre (1944) [Import] (DVD)

This in my mind is the definitive version of which i noe tend to mark all other version by and they don't come close.With an exellent Joan Fontanine and as a previous reviewer said a Beefy and sexy Orson Welles,with a fine supporting cast.