I recently re-read Jane Eyre after some years and, once again, found myself totally engrossed with it. I first read it when I was about eleven and enjoyed the first part, and cried at the death of Helen Burns, but could not really grasp the rest. I then tackled it again as a teenager and got further with it, but it was not until I read it in my twenties that I understood the wonderful moment when Jane claims equality with Rochester. Never fails to make my hair stand on end and, at the time it was published, ground breaking.
There have been many films and tv productions of the novel and, out of interest I decided to check out Amazon and see just how many there are.
First of all, there were three BBC versions. One I have never seen is the first with Sinead Cusack as Jane and her Rochester a very young Michael Jayston. I may get hold of this out of sheer curiousity. I rather liked the Timothy Dalton, Zelah Clarke one which I remember very well and, of course, the latest one which I thought was wonderful, even if they did muck about with Charlotte's words, as I found Toby Stephens just right as Rochester and Ruth Wilson quite heartbreaking and vulnerable as Jane (I just watched this again this week and still think it is terrific though rather spoiled by the chocolate box ending).
Then various film versions (love the blonde one on the left!) The Wells/Fontaine one had the impossibly beautiful young Elizabeth Taylor playing Helen Burns which is pretty mind boggling. The John Hurt, Charlotte Gainsbourgh version was of monumental dullness with Hurt totally charisma free as Rochester.
Next up, George C Scott, totally over the top and a gormless Susannah York portrayal. On the right, Samantha Morton looked the part but did not shine and her Rochester, Ciaran HInds, who I thought would have been excellent, seemed curiously lacking somehow. This version, from ITV, also had Elle McPherson as Blanche Ingram. Enough said I think.
Much though I love the Toby Stephens one I have to say that I think my favourite out of all of them is the one with Fassbender as Rochester and Mia Wasikowska as Jane. I think it is absolutely perfect and the final scene, though it ends very quickly, is wonderful. The wordless joy of their reunion is spot on. And it has the bonus of Judi Dench as Mrs Fairfax.
Has anybody else got any favourites or comments on the above?
It is odd that as winter gets nearer I find I always want to sit down with a good Victorian novel. I can never work out why...
