Jane Eyre

It was again very difficult, but thanks to Zeffirelli I have done a better job of surviving such tests of patience as Romeo and Juliet (1968), so I am slowly getting into the immortal fate of Jane Eyre. The more classical narrative and unusually charming casting helped me a lot. I definitely give this version more credence to the actual Victorian realities, the mindset of the main characters, and their actions in all the situations they go through. Little Jane is fascinating thanks to the performance by the then freshly Oscar-winning Anna Paquin, while the adult Jane is played by today's von Trier favorite Charlotte Gainsbourg with complete certainty, naturalness, and without any affectation. Fiona Shaw as Jane's aunt or Geraldine Chaplin as the governess of Lowood are also ideal. I'm not quite sure about William Hurt yet, but that will come. The whole story of Rochester's first wife is also not a totally disconnected fiasco as in the last filmed version, but just a logical catharsis. And if Jane travels, it is not done completely illogically on the basis of hysterical escapes from nowhere to nowhere, which I also find to be a purely positive detail. (01/08/2012)

The first adaptation of this classic that I saw was the one made in 2011, which pleasantly surprised me. I watched the 1996 film shortly after, and I must say it didn’t leave the same impression. The adaptations don't differ much from each other, so it really depends on the order in which you see them. Had I seen the older adaptation first, I might have fallen in love with it more. However, Fassbender wins this round. On the other hand, I preferred Charlotte Gainsbourg as Jane Eyre, as I simply have a soft spot for her. She is one of those actresses who aren’t the sexy symbols of commercial Hollywood, but present themselves mainly through their great acting abilities, and their beauty takes a bit longer to discover. I would gladly choose her over many actresses who merely play at acting and get roles primarily because of their looks. Franco Zeffirelli is a great director who has shown that he doesn’t struggle with English-speaking films. He successfully captured the mood and atmosphere of the English countryside in the mid-19th century; the heather literally speaks, and the walls of the estate whisper. William Hurt demonstrates that he should be getting more character roles. Everything is complemented by a wonderful sense of the period, reflected in the costumes and the dialogue. It's an excellent film, but as I mentioned, I first saw the equally great adaptation from 2011, which is quite similar apart from some minor details, including the excellent performances. This timeless classic will always resonate. (24/02/2013)