Customer Reviews

Jane Eyre [PAL/REGION 4 DVD. Import-Australia]

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I adore Jane Eyre, and have been watching every adaptation I can get my hands on; the 2006 Masterpiece Theatre miniseries with Ruth Wilson is the best I've found so far, though the 1983 BBC version is more faithful to the book (almost slavishly so).

This one is at the bottom of the heap. There are a few problems, but the most glaring is that William Hurt is profoundly miscast as Rochester. Hurt is a great actor, but his cerebral, detached style is inappropriate for the role of a virile, passionate, angry Byronic hero. Add this to the facts that a) Charlotte Gainsbourg, although she looks the part of Jane perfectly (you can see both "plain" and "unearthly" in her face), plays all of her character's outward demureness but none of her emotional restlessness or wit, and b) almost all of the couple's lighter, playful moments have been excluded in favor of inexplicable bickering that is not original to the book, and you have a complete lack of chemistry between the two leads. This would be fatal to the film even if it got everything else right. And it doesn't: it exaggerates some aspects of the story, like Jane's childhood rebelliousness, so that the viewer feels beaten over the head with the director's themes; severely curtails major plot points, e.g. St. John Rivers, such that it's unclear why the screenwriter bothered to include them at all; and wrongheadedly eliminates some of the best scenes in the book (I can forgive the exclusion of the "gypsy woman" scene, as I think that it's unfilmable as written -- who wants to see Jane Eyre as Lois Lane? -- but leaving out Rochester's explanation to Jane after the the existence of his wife is revealed is hugely detrimental to the emotional resonance of the movie. And lightning tree! I ask you, why would you leave lightning tree out of a Gothic romance? Why?). In general, it seems as though Zeffirelli was trying to focus on the quieter, more psychological aspects of the novel. Unfortunately, in doing so he cut out all of the humor, sharpness, fury, and ardor that not only characterize Brontė's book, but are indispensable to its success.

I rented this because I had just watched the first part of the Masterpiece Theatre miniseries mentioned above, and I knew that I would have to wait a couple of days for Netflix to send me the second part. I was jonesing for a dramatization of the second half, but having seen this, I wish I'd resisted the temptation. This version is ill-conceived, clumsy, and unforgivably boring.

I have seen 4 versions of Jane Eyre and am looking forward to see the 5th. This is the worst version I have ever seen. William Hurt as Mister Rochester? PUULEEASSSE, he sucks!!! Don't waste your time on this version...there are much better versions out there!

I loved the book! Passionate, Spiritual, Composure, and a gruff sort of real love. This movie was a very poor adaptation of the book! First of all, the girl who played Jane was timid and too young looking. My husband called her fragile and feared for her throughout the movie. Nothing like the book, where she is strong hearted and willed. She also looks about 14 and sticks her lips out like she wears braces... very distracting. The guy who plays Mr. Roschester only did slightly better. His acting was more spot on, but he obviously felt very little for his opposite and there were no sparks whatsoever. In fact the way they played off of each other it was just as much a surprise to my husband (who hasn't read the book) as it was to Miss Fairfax that they fell in love. Which brings me to Miss Fairfax, who was the only character worth watching. She fully became Mrs. Fairfax with her kindness and discretion. In fact her portrayal made me realize new things about her in the book that I hadn't noticed before. I don't want to blame it all on the actors... The screen writing/ directing was heartless and quick too. It sped through things with little emotion. I hope to find a better version.

To me, the 2006/2007 masterpiece Theatre adaption of Jane Eyre is the best I've seen. I love the chemistry between the actors in that one and Toby Stephens is the Rochester i've seen. And I also loved the 1983 version with Timothy Dalton although I think Timothy was way too Good lookig for that role, I think he did a great job. That version is as close to the book as i have seen. you don't see that very often, I was very surprised.

This version with William Hurt left out alot of good and important scenes. The acting was very good. I actually liked it better than the original with Orson Wells. But It's pretty good.

I am surprised that other reviewers gave this movie such a poor rating. I thought it was very well made and the actors spot on for the parts. The costumes and setting looked authentic to me. Now, I am not a fan of the book, Jane Eyre. I read half of the book and couldn't finish it - the book dialogue was too "over the top" for me and Jane was simply too long suffering. This movie used much of the exact wording from the book, but a two hour movie was much easier for me to deal with. There is a new Jane Eyre movie coming out soon, but after looking a the trailer for it, I think this movie is a much better choice.

I have seen every version of Jane Eyre out there several times and have read the book numerous times. William Hurt (Rochester) does a decent job but appears a little stiff at times, as though he is struggling with the accent. He also appears stiff and cold because he is not supposed to love the governess nor any woman for that matter. Rochester is deeply in love with a woman he can't have but loves her anyway and so he tortures her in his own way to push her to love him as well. Jane is slim and young because she is slim and young in the book. She has eaten very little in years and was always unloved and unwanted. Jane Eyre is truly a wonderful story, I definitely would recommend this movie. It would be great if Amazon would carry some of the newer versions as well.

I have always enjoyed the different version of Jane Eyre. This was excellent movie. Even to my surprise my teenage Grandson liked it.