Film Series: Jane Eyre

Posted by Mary Murray on May 15th 2011 | 0 Comments

Tags: Film Series

At this week’s Film Series: Jane Eyre, which is described in tweet-speak as “A mousy governess who softens the heart of her employer soon discovers that he’s hiding a terrible secret.” Terrible indeed! It’s of course based on Charlotte Brontë’s 1847 story that is the quintessential Gothic novel.

Jane Eyre at the MWPAI Film Series, May 18 and 20

It’s a natural for Hollywood treatment. There is a 1971 version with George C. Scott and Susannah York; another from 1985 with William Hurt and Charlotte Gainsbourg; and a BBC production with Timothy Dalton.

Still from I Walked with a Zombie

One of my favorites is I Walked with a Zombie, Jacques Tourneur’s voodoo interpretation from 1943.

Orson Welles and Joan Fontaine in Jane Eyre, 1944

The following year Joan Fontaine played the title role opposite Orson Welles. Speaking of Joan Fontaine, this novel surely was the inspiration for Daphne DuMaurier’s Rebecca, the film version in which Miss Fontaine appeared. Probably there are English Literature dissertations galore on the topic.

Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender

Anyhow, this 2011 Jane Eyre has received great reviews.  The Minneapolis Star-Tribute praises it: “There is not a drab image or a middling performance in the piece” and A.O. Scott of the New York Times writes that it is a “smart and vigorous adaptation—the latest and one of the best.” It stars Mia Wasikowska (The Kids Are All Right, Alice in Wonderland) as Jane and Michael Fassender (Inglorious Basterds, Hunger and one-time altar boy) as Mr. Rochester. You can see the lovely young couple wearing not too many clothes in the April 2011 W magazine (a rag I only read to keep in touch, with stuff. You know).

AND let’s not forget that the wonderful production includes the inestimable Judi Dench as Mrs. Fairfax.