Jane was meant to be plain and they cast this gorgeous elf-like actress??
God, if the people in charge of the movie saw her as plain, they have what I'd call impossibly high standards. Even without any makeup it's obvious she's beautiful.
I've heard people describe Mia Wasikowska in this role, and others, as plain looking, even ugly - maybe they associate beauty with makeup and a certain packaged generic model-type look. I agree with you that she is beautiful in Jane Eyre, despite the severe look - I also think there's the case for inner beauty that captures some and is possibly invisible to others. Many have also said that Michael Fassbender is too handsome. In both cases, I'll accept their physical attractiveness because they're both really wonderful, talented actors. Were Joan Fontaine and Orson Welles unattractive? NO. Is Timothy Dalton difficult to look at? Me thinks not. But I appreciate your point of view - beauty, as they say, is in the eye of the beholder, apparently you have 20/20 vision.
shareI'm glad to see serious answers in this thread :)
I would say even if I understand that fact from the point of view of the audience, it's a shame we never have ugly or just plain heroines. I consider myself ugly to plain and would have liked to physically identify with an heroine, if you see what I mean.
Moreover, if a film is truly good and the actors are talented, is beauty required to keep the audience's attention?
Anyway the subject of beauty in cinema is quite an interesting one.
By the way do you ever wonder how much the beauty of an actor/actress is influencing your opinion on his/her ability to act?
(I'm sorry if I don't elaborate my answer, sleep is catching up on me.)
Anyway the subject of beauty in cinema is quite an interesting one
I hate to be superficial but its unlikely that any film would be received as well if the main cast were truly plain and ugly. Especially in a movie like this, you have to be emotionally attached to the characters and the first step to achieving that is physical attraction.
shareWell, no one want to see ugly people in the TV.
I can only assume that they cast someone that we as audience are supposed to feel for and perceive as beautiful, just like they all realize that she is/always was.
X ~We are the people our parents warned us about
I don't think we're ever likely to see an ugly actress play Jane. Ain't gonna happen! They've all been attractive in their way.
I remember an old thread discussing this subject (long since gone, I fear). The thought was that perhaps Bronte's use of the word "plain" just meant unadorned and "Quakerish". However, I found this passage in Elizabeth Gaskell's biography of Charlotte Bronte:
She once told her sisters that they were wrong - even morally wrong - in making their heroines beautiful as a matter of course. They replied that it was impossible to make a heroine interesting on any other terms. Her answer was, 'I will prove to you that you are wrong; I will show you a heroine as plain and as small as myself, who shall be as interesting as any of yours.' Hence Jane Eyre, said she in telling the anecdote....
So plain here is the antithesis of physical beauty.
Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain.
Of the pictures and paintings I've seen of Charlotte Bronte, I personally haven't seen any that I found all that unattractive. There are different standards of beauty during different periods, and I'm sure she saw herself that way and her mental attitude was one of not attempting to pretty herself up in order to gain societal approval - she felt strongly about that. Bronte was intelligent and defiant - especially for her era. Even today women are criticized if they don't fix themselves up to match the current concept of beauty. There definitely was an early feminist attitude in Jane Eyre.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WDirs9ETuNY/USB-X7wsiBI/AAAAAAAAATg/Vb7ruBXO I9k/s1600/CB+photo.jpg
An additional note:
If anyone would like to at least dress the part of Jane (any lady, I assume) get out your credit card now and check this out. Remember to pull back your hair and wash off your makeup.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mia-Wasikowska-Screen-Worn-Dress-from-Jane-Eyr e-hero-Period-Gown-Judi-Dench-/201273925979?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0& hash=item2edcdc615b&rmvSB=true
Mia Wasikowska at recent Madame Bovary red carpet appearance, looking at herself in the very same dress.
http://explore.bfi.org.uk/sites/explore.bfi.org.uk/files/image/2014101 2-lff-madame-bovary-red-carpet-1920X1080.jpg
If anyone would like to at least dress the part of Jane (any lady, I assume) get out your credit card now and check this out. Remember to pull back your hair and wash off your makeup.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mia-Wasikowska-Screen-Worn-Dress-from-Jane-Eyr e-hero-Period-Gown-Judi-Dench-/201273925979?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0& hash=item2edcdc615b&rmvSB=true
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Yeah, the last two "Jane Eyre's" I saw were Ruth Wilson and Charlotte Gainsbourg, who many find either beautiful or interesting-looking, but certain aren't ugly or plain-looking. Just be glad they didn't give the role to some talentless American "hottie" like Blake Lively.
Your complaint here is perfectly valid, but hardly one limited to THIS particular movie.
"Let be be finale of seem/ The only emperor is the Emperor of Ice Cream"
Your complaint here is perfectly valid, but hardly one limited to THIS particular movie.
To each his own. It's hard looking attractive with that hideous hairstyle, but I think the actress is average looking.
shareI watched both the 1943 version and this one today. I have not read the book but saw a similar thread on that board about Joan Fontaine being too pretty to the role and not looking as plain as it is described in the novel. I totally agreed with that and was one of the things I looked out for in this one It worked much better in the scenes where she was called ugly.
// gergely-szabo.com
I watched a version of Jane Eyre starring two actresses. Anna Pacquin played the role as a cute as a button child. The adult role was with Charlotte Gainsbourg.
I thought to myself this is the first actress who wasn't classically pretty pretending to be plain by leaving makeup off. I like to see Charlotte act and think she is attractive in her own way though.
I don't know everything. Neither does anyone else
After replying to a totally different comment of mine just a few minutes ago I checked your profile and noticed how similar our messageboard history is:D
// gergely-szabo.com
Maybe I should make my ratings public. I am usually behind the curve on new movies since I catch them online or from Netflix, HBO, etc. I am also finding a lot of great watching from You Tube. Its not all cat videos anymore. I even completed a 24 hour lecture on US Foreign policy from before WWI to post WII. It was free from Harvard University. I have also been watching many foreign TV series on You Tube never shown here.
I am looking forward to Café Society and Transpecos. I go through the weekend guide in the newspaper which rates movies, and check IMDB to see if it has close to a 7 rating. Many times I add them to my queue at Netflix. Months later they pop up when released on dvd.
I don't know everything. Neither does anyone else
Wow, we have many interests in common. Yes, youtube has so much high quality educational content and random interesting documentaries lately.
If you are interested in current foreign policy matters/national security and information security I recommend checking out this twitter account: https://twitter.com/pwnallthethings
They have some fascinating analysis on recent hacks of the DNC, etc.
// gergely-szabo.com
Mia is as plain as plain gets, if she was any plainer she'd take off
so many movies, so little time
The Eye of the beholder.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CtYS3S9VUAE8q-l.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cx9htV5UUAEtpLx.jpg
https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/55c3a5752acae7a6098bdaf6-960-720/mia-wasikowska-26-starred-in-2010s-alice-in-wonderland-and-2016s-alice-through-the-looking-glass-she-played-the-lead-role-in-guillermo-del-toros-2015-gothic-thriller-crimson-peak-and-will-star-in-the-upcoming-wwii-film-hhhh.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CzFso2SVEAAqXid.jpg