Jane Eyre Conquers the US - Part IV

... and more

The Lansing State Journal:

Charlotte Bronte's 19th-century novel has been given a sharp script by Sandy Welch and stylish filming by Susanna White, one of the directors of last January's triumphant "Bleak House."

There are strong supporting performances by some "Masterpiece" veterans, including Tara Fitzgerald as the aunt and Francesca Annis as the ambitious Lady Ingram. Most of all, however,
there's great work from the leads.

Sure, we can snipe that Toby Stephens is much cuter than the Mr. Rochester described by Bronte. Still, he's a gifted actor, as is newcomer Ruth Wilson as Jane. They make this a story that will pull in 21st-century viewers. (Mike Hughes)

On BlogCritics they seem to complain about the speed of the first half othe series.

Certainly the BBC did not skimp in any way on the production budget, the sets are wonderful, the clothes perfect, and all the little details exactly right. The acting, too, is good, with relative-newcomer Ruth Wilson more than able to carry the burden of such a large role.

However, there is still something about the first two hours of the miniseries that fails to truly click. Possibly the problem lies in the overall weight of the production. Jane Eyre is anything but light fare, and at a running time of four hours, this entire production is in danger of collapsing in upon itself. It’s not without its light-hearted moments and its humor, but at times all the pieces conspire to form a miniseries that is so crushing it can hardly stand.

Thankfully, the second half of the miniseries seems to shake the weight of the first two hours, or at the very least runs fast enough to avoid its crushing weight. It is only in the second half of the film that what is just around the corner is less obvious, and is more exciting to watch take place. It is true that a great number of people watching will already know the story, and thus know what is going to happen, but even so, the second half is more enjoyable than the first.

Highlights of the miniseries include many of the scenes between Jane and Rochester, particularly where it becomes evident early on that the two are falling in love and the moments of their courtship. Additionally, Jane’s interactions with Rochester’s friends in the first part of the miniseries play out wonderfully (as does the scene with the fortuneteller) as does Jane’s life upon leaving Thornfield. (...)

[T]his new production of Jane Eyre has a lot to recommend it: a good story, a cast that performs at a high level, and wonderful production values. It is, often, a little much, but that may simply be an attempt to better fit itself in with the original work on which it is based. Though more would have to be omitted from the novel than is here, an hour shorter running time may have made all the difference in this production. (TV and Film Guy)

Mike Duffy in Detroit Free Press

Newcomer Ruth Wilson portrays Bronte's embattled heroine, an outwardly plain Jane whose inscrutability masks a steely will and an impassioned heart. After escaping the clutches of an abusive orphanage, Jane Eyre makes her way in the world as a governess, hired by moodily handsome Edward Rochester (Toby Stephens, "Cambridge Spies"), the master of Thornfield Hall, to care for his adolescent female ward.

And that's when the real emotionally haunting fun of "Jane Eyre" begins, when true love becomes entangled in a web of secrets and lies. True love has a steely will of its own, of course. But first it's the pain, Jane. Love hurts before it heals in this captivating "Masterpiece Theatre" visit to Bronte World.

Douglas Durden in The Richmond Times-Dispatch:

For starters, at four hours, it's twice the length of the 1996 film version starring a dour William Hurt as Mr. Rochester and Charlotte Gainsbourg as a withdrawn Jane Eyre.
That means, among other embellishments, more time to tell Jane's initial story of a little girl cast off by her relatives and sent to live in one of those grim Dickensian orphanages where there's never enough food or bed linens.
The very young Eyre is winsomely played by Georgie Henley (Lucy from "The Chronicles of Narnia"), who bears a remarkable resemblance to the grown-up Eyre of this version.
It also means more time for a nicely realized look at upper-class England in the mid-1800s (and isn't that what "Masterpiece Theatre" fans are looking for anyway?), where hobbies included collecting insects and advances in science were discussed with the fervor we use for celebrity breakups today.
But best of all are Ruth Wilson and Toby Stephens as the new Eyre and Mr. Rochester.
Wilson's Jane Eyre is still "poor, plain, obscure and little." But this is a plain Jane for the 21st century, full of spunk from the miniseries' opening scenes.(...)
Stephens' handsome, hair-tossing Mr. Rochester may be too appealing too soon - no need of that "20,000 a year" to make him attractive to husband hunters. But it does make the production go by faster. There's just no other word for it; he's dashing.
At times, Wilson and Stephens act as if they're in two different productions. He's all long, lingering glances and Byronic angst. She's down-to-earth and resourceful.
Together, however, they create a striking new version of a familiar couple to cheer for.

David Kronke in L.A. Daily News:

Shot in muted colors and directed by Susanna White ("Bleak House"), this version absorbs the story s creepy, gothic aspects, as well,as embodied in the behavior of the sinister Grace Poole (Pam Ferris) and others. Here, good news isn t even good news.
Wilson (even with her brittle, measured half-smile, she s hardly as plain as Bronte described her) and Stephens exude a demure frisson. The story plays out leisurely — perhaps too leisurely — yet results in a solid, resonant adaptation.
JANE EYRE
Our rating: ***
In a nutshell: Well-acted; protracted.

Categories: Moves-DVD-TV, Jane Eyre