JANE EYRE (2011)

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Having been somewhat underwhelmed by the 1943 version of this classic tale (which I watched recently) I was really hoping that this more recent version might be more to my taste. 

We start off with a disorientating beginning in which an adult and tearful Jane takes refuge at the house of St. John Rivers and his two sisters, having fled Thornfield Hall. In due course we embark on a very lengthy series of flashbacks to explain how Jane got to this sad state 

In this version Jane's aunt Mrs Reed lives in a luxurious house full of colour (quite a contrast to the stark black-and-white cinematography of the earlier version) but she's still as unkind to Jane, and Jane still suffers a miserable time at the Lowood School for Girls.

Anyway she's soon arriving at Thornfield Hall, run by kindly Mrs Fairfax (Judi Dench) as a governess to young Adele.

Eventually of course Mr Rochester turns up, played by Michael Fassbender.  He's a far less intimidating and more interesting character than Orson Welles’ version, and right from the off there's an underlying attraction between him and Jane.  She of course has to be submissive to the extent proper as his employee, but in their conversations she reveals that she is his equal in all other respects. 

One night they manage to put out together the literal fire that has started mysteriously in his bedroom but it's going to prove impossible for them to put out the metaphorical fire of their burgeoning love affair.  

However first there's still the (to me) rather strange business of Rochester appearing to be planning to marry the unsuitable Blanche Ingram.  This leads to the first of two great love scenes between them in which she reveals her anguish and he declares his love for her, and proposes marriage.

The second scene occurs after the wedding falls through and Jane learns of the existence of the first Mrs Rochester. Edward justifies his proposal on the (modern) grounds of why should they not be happy together, just because he is trapped in a thoroughly unsatisfactory marriage?  Of course we're in the nineteenth century and Jane cannot possibly be happy with him 'living in sin', causing her to run off.

Flashbacks over, Jane inherits a small fortune, and returns to Thornfield Hall to learn the happy news that the first Mrs Rochester is now dead, so that she can marry Edward.

Having sat through these two contrasting versions I'm not in any hurry to read the source novel because I don't find the more melodramatic elements of the story (mad wife in the attic etc) particularly appealing.

But this version thankfully underplays the more gothic aspects in order to deliver a satisfying romantic tale, thanks to excellent performances by the two principals.

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