So which is the BEST Jane Eyre adaptation??

They all had their strengths and weaknesses.

In order from worst to best, in my opinion:

The Susannah York/George C. Scott Jane Eyre is the worst version I know of. I like both actors, but the characters had no life to them. Mr Rochester, rather than seeming sarcastic and gloomy but dynamic as in the novel, seemed mostly bored. At key moments with Jane, he appeared to fall into a stupor. Jane actually left Thornfield after learning of the madwoman in the attic, not secretly, but by walking out of the room where Rochester was with her, because he had dozed off after briefly and drowsily asking her to stay. Somebody did not really understand Jane Eyre.

Joan Fontaine/Orson Welles version was boring, and Welles simply couldn't be convincing as Rochester.

The Zelah Clarke/Timothy Dalton 1983 version was by far the closest to the novel; that's its main virtue. It's practically a scene-by-scene re-enactment. However, this is not necessarily a positive thing at all times. Some scenes were kept that were too long or unnecessary. Worst of all, the film kept the dialogue intact even when it came out sounding melodramatic or silly when spoken. Rochester actually exclaiming out loud, apparently to himself, "Jane, my hope! My love! My life!" simply doesn't work as a piece of movie dialogue. They had him call Jane a "little niggard" when a sensible screenwriter would have altered the wording. They also kept virtually the entire reunion conversation as written, when it came out far too long and contrived on film. Being completely faithful to the original source doesn't always work in a movie.

I liked the Charlotte Gainsbourg/Wm Hurt version mostly because of the actors; but the changes to the story didn't help it, and it was too prettied-up Zeffirelli-style.

The Samantha Morton/ Ciaran Hinds 1997 TV movie was not bad. The lead actors were both very good, and the film gave enough attention to the importance of Jane's childhood. They made Jane a little more openly spirited than was consistent with the character, but it worked well. The movie did a better job with St John Rivers than most.

The Ruth Wilson/Toby Stephens version was very much revised and updated, but it got the spirit of the characters and their relationship quite well. It brought out the sexual undertones in Jane/Rochester's relationship which were implied in the novel, but which most movies tend to leave out.

My favourite is probably this one - the 2011 Wasikowska/Fassbender version. The lead actors are both wonderful, not to mention great supporting actors like Judy Dench. The movie captured the important aspects of Jane's background and personality, and the nature of her relationship with Rochester. Certain events, like the introduction of the madwoman, were made to seem as eerie and frightening as they were supposed to. It managed to get across a real Gothic tone, with the script as well as with lighting, musical score, and the overall look of the movie.


Basta, basta, basta.