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)

As the first, I saw an adaptation of this classic, which was filmed in 2011. This adaptation pleasantly surprised me. I saw the 1996 film shortly after, and I must say that it did not make such an impression. The adaptations do not differ much from each other, so it actually depends on the order in which they are seen. If I saw the older adaptation first, I would probably love it more. But this time, Fassbender wins. On the other hand, as Jane Eyre, Charlotte Gainsbourg suited me more, as I simply have a weakness for her. She is one of those actresses who are not a sexy symbol of commercial Hollywood, but mainly present themselves with great acting skills, and their beauty must be sought a little longer. I would easily prefer her over many actresses who only pretend to be artists and get roles mainly because of their good looks. Franco Zeffirelli is a great director who has proven that he has no problems with English-language films. He perfectly managed to convey the mood and atmosphere of the British countryside in the mid-19th century, the moor literally speaks and the walls of the manor whisper. William Hurt shows that he should be given more character roles. Everything is complemented by a great sense of time, which is reflected in the costumes and also in the language. An excellent film, but as I said, I first saw an equally great adaptation from 2011, which is very similar down to the small details, even in terms of excellent performances. However, this timeless classic will always prevail. More: http://www.filmovy-denik.cz/2012/08/jane-eyre-ekologicka-afrika-cislo.html (24/02/2013)