I hated this movie. Hated it. First, this is not a story about a young girl who falls for an older man with a dark past. Jane Eyre is a story about a woman who perseveres through adversity, who wants only to make the choice that is right and noble even if it denies her what she wants. But I'm sure to appeal to the masses they went the route of the tragic love story and nothing else. Unfortunately, they didn't even portray that well!! None of the true heartache was represented, major events and major characters were omitted and/or combined and tossed in haphazardly and most disappointing was the casting of Jane. Jane should be plain but beautiful through her character. Charlotte Gainsbourg was distractingly unattractive with an underbite so severe that instead of gazing into Mr. Rochester's eyes with demurity and passion, she stared at him with her mouth hanging open to which you half expected to see drool fall off of her lips! The character of Bertha was also a major disappointment and by the time she was introduced I had already begun to wonder if the director of this film had even read the book! My advice is do not waste your time on this version. The best thing about it is the casting of William Hurt as Mr. Rochester and Elle McPherson as Blanche Ingram. Everything else was useless.
Reviews
2 Reviews
Wuthering Heights
(1992)
An ideal compliment to the book!
5 July 2001
Although I would not suggest this film to anyone who has not read the book first (you would be thoroughly confused and missing out on major details of the plot!) I found Wuthering Heights (1992) to be the ideal visual aid to compliment the tragedy and passion of Heathcliff and Catherine's story. If Emily Bronte were alive, she herself would have cast Ralph Fiennes as Heathcliff (he was born for the role!) and Juliette Binoche was perfect particularly when she showed the more playful and childish sides of Catherine (her laughter was exactly as I had imagined - bright and bold...and just irritating enough that it really would drive Heathcliff - and later, Hareton - to suffer from wounded pride when it was directed at their egos). The beauty of this story is that you never really can decide who is the villain and who is the victim....
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