Movie Cosmos - Jane Eyre

Description:

After a bleak childhood, Jane Eyre goes out into the world to become a governess. As she lives happily in her new position at Thornfield Hall, she meet the dark, cold, and abrupt master of the house, Mr. Rochester. Jane and her employer grow close in friendship and she soon finds herself falling in love with him. Happiness seems to have found Jane at last, but could Mr. Rochester's terrible secret be about to destroy it forever?

Top Cast >

Susannah York

As Jane Eyre

George C. Scott

As Edward Rochester

Ian Bannen

As St. John Rivers

Jack Hawkins

As Mr. Brocklehurst

Nyree Dawn Porter

As Blanche Ingram

Rachel Kempson

As Mrs. Fairfax

Kenneth Griffith

As Mason

Peter Copley

As John

Clive Morton

As Mr. Eshton

Angharad Rees

As Louise

Jean Marsh

As Mrs. Rochester

Jeremy Child

As Harry Lynn

Peter Blythe

As Frederick Lynn

Helen Goss

As Lady Lynn

Louise Pajo

As Mary Lugram

Michele Dotrice

As Mary Rivers

Rosalyn Landor

As Helen Burns

Ken Barrie

As Edward Rochester (Singing Voice)

Top Crew >

Delbert Mann

Director

Reviews:

Wuchak (8/10)

Escaping the manacles of warped religiosity & society in a fallen pre-Victorian world

RELEASED IN 1970-1971 and directed by Delbert Mann, "Jane Eyre" adapts Charlotte Brontë’s 1847 novel about the eponymous character (Susannah York) who becomes a governess of a French girl at a huge estate in northern England circa 1800 after an upbringing at a harsh religious orphanage. She slowly gets to know the surly, world-wise master of the estate, Edward Rochester (George C. Scott), and his curious situation. Eventually she meets a devout clergyman, St. John Rivers (Ian Bannen), and his two sisters. Can Jane escape the shackles of a pre-Victorian world ruled by men and legalism to find love?

While this version of the oft-filmed book was released to TV, it has the vibe of a theatrical release with great northern England locations, a superb score by John Williams and quality actors. The book was criticized as “anti-Christian” when it was published, but it’s actually anti-legalism. Mr. Brocklehurst (Jack Hawkins) represents a poisonous form of dead religiosity at the orphanage while the seemingly unbalanced St. John Rivers represents a much more subtle and less extreme form.

The story’s about Jane navigating the pitfalls of society and religion in a fallen world and, maybe, hopefully, finding freedom and genuine love. The locations/tone/themes are akin to “Sense and Sensibility” (1995), but with an anti-legalism subtext. Jane Austen’s 1811 novel no doubt influenced Brontë’s book. Both movies are worth checking out, but I slightly prefer “Jane Eyre.” It’s the perfect antidote to CGI-laden “blockbuster” drivel.

THE MOVIE RUNS 1 hour 48 minutes and was shot in North Yorkshire in northern England (Ripley Castle, Ripley; Pateley Bridge; Brimham Rocks; and Grinton). WRITERS: Jack Pulman wrote the screenplay based on Brontë’s novel.

GRADE: B+/A-

2018-03-30