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Screen Spotlight Featured Reviews

Jane Eyre

Written by Jonathan Jacobs

I will not deign to argue whether or not the fifth film adaptation of Jane Eyre matches the 19th century novel with its namesake. It is sufficient in this instance (both because I am a movie pundit and not a book reviewer and because I am not well-versed in Charlotte Bronte’s masterpieces) to evaluate the movie alone without muddying the waters or grumbling about the dissimilarities between the novel and the picture. Director Cary Fukunaga’s Jane Eyre takes the period’s moods and temperaments into consideration so as to remain as true to the author’s original intent as possible. Best of all, the pairing of Judi Dench, Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender has created an atmosphere ripe for success.

The northern English landscapes are sufficiently bleak and remorseless for the emotionality of this dreary story. The film begins with Jane Eyre living with her deceased Uncle’s remaining family, the Reeds. The Reeds are bitterly cruel to the young Ms. Eyre. Jane is treated little better than a common housemaid and is scoffed at constantly. It is clear that Mrs. Reed (Sally Hawkins) has dishonored her brother by her unfailing cruelty to Jane. After a family squabble, Jane is sent to the Lowood School where she is beaten for any mistakes and brought up to be both brilliant and obedient to a fault. The school’s masters do not tolerate horseplay or disobedience of any kind. In this environment Jane learned the brutal facts of life and how to make her way irrespective of any harsh obstacles she would face forthwith. After her rigorous education, Jane remains unwelcome in her aunt’s household. Consequently she turns to a kindly missionary St. John Rivers (Jamie Bell) who helps her secure a position as a governess. Mr. Rivers will play a colossal role in her future both for good and for ill.

This begins the adulthood trials and tribulations of the life of Jane Eyre, tragic figure and formidable mid century woman. She has great fortitude and a powerful constitution for somehow so waifish and so pretty. Jane is the governess (household instructor and modern day Dean of Students) for Edward Rochester, inheritor of a considerable fortune. His compound is a castle in which peculiar voices and noises are often heard in the night. Although Jane’s introduction to Mr. Rochester is inauspicious at best (she caused his horse to pummel him and topple over), she soon finds herself in the employ of a kindly equal. Edward’s kindness is the only Jane has ever known.

While Jane finds her way as governess, aided by her polylingual abilities, she and Mr. Rochester grow fond of one another. They share a love for art, poetry and for romantic notions. Despite Mr. Rochester’s advances, Jane demurs because he is betrothed to another woman. Jane’s ally and elderly friend at the Rochester manor is the kindly Mrs. Fairfax (Judi Dench). Mrs. Fairfax is both encouraging of Jane and motherly in her cautiousness for the young woman who had already faced much hardship. One night, hearing a peculiar noise, Jane rescues Edward from a massive room fire that almost engulfed him in his sleep. Reasoning the strange noises along with the random fire, Jane is nonplussed as to the strange happenings around the castle.

After a great deal of time has passed, Mr. Rochester makes his affections for Jane plain as day. Despite her lowly position (this will change as the story goes on), he retracts the invitation to his betrothed and asks for Jane’s hand in marriage in lieu of any prior arrangements. Jane is reluctantly convinced and her future appears to be full of happiness and a relief she has never known. That is…until her husband-to-be is forced to reveal a terrible secret that has haunted him for fifteen years. For those of you fortunate enough not to know how the story ends, I will leave my duties as a storyline reconstructionist at this point and leave the brilliant surprises for you to personally enjoy firsthand.

Jane Eyre is made great through a combination of great acting, amazing directing, and the perfectly chosen grim scenery that sets the tone for the moods surrounding the storyline. I cannot imagine enjoying a classical story more than this one. Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender are perfect in their roles. There is no doubt at any time that they are not wholly submerged in the lives of their characters. They portray Jane Eyre and Edward Rochester to the maximum of their abilities (which are quite lofty). In the absence of electricity, voicemail, text messaging, cameras or a viable postal system, it is amazing how tragic and bittersweet their lives seem in retrospect. Would modern innovations have changed their fates or would their sensibilities and stubbornness have led to the same conclusion every time? That is the very essence of why Jane Eyre is a notable classic.