3/18/11

Jane Eyre

At least this generation will get a look at a classic. This telling of an oft- told tale is fairly true to Charlotte Brontë's gloomy Gothic, although it starts with completely unnecessary skipping around through time (linear storytelling is SOOO out of vogue!); but once it settles down we see our favorite orphan girl cope with rejection, typhoid and a spooky house.

In my opinion, they ramped up the "GOTCHA!" moments more than necessary, but the story is still intact. Director Cary Fukinaga ("Sin Nombre") clearly is trying to appeal to the current generation and I appreciate that.

Some of the cast is worthy of mention:
  • Mia Wasikowska "vash-i-kov-ska" ("Alice in Wonderland") is our eponymous heroine. She seems authentic with very little makeup and only two dresses in her wardrobe.
  • Michael Fassbender ("Inglourious Basterds") is a fairly politically correct Mr. Rochester. Mr. F. bears a fleeting resemblance to a young Laurence Olivier...may he rest in peace...
  • Jamie Bell ("Defiance" and "Billy Elliot") is the earnest young would-be missionary who refuses to travel with a young woman unless they are respectably married.
  • Judi Dench ("Cranford") is the sturdy and dependable house- keeper, Mrs. Fairfax.
This movie runs a little longer than necessary, but many in the audience were not familiar with the story (to my shock and dismay!), so in the interests of storytelling....sigh...

In another two or three years someone else will re-mount this old war horse (23 versions are listed at first glance) and we'll be off to the races again. This is one of the most durable love stories in classic literature.