Book vs. Movie: Jane Eyre (1943, 1983, 1996, 2006, 2011)

Reader, did you know that there has been at least one screen adaptation of Jane Eyre per decade since 1910? The publication of Jane Eyre in 1847 heralded a new direction in prose fiction featuring a complex female protagonist. Charlotte Brontë, like her sisters, explore the issues of class and status within Victorian society. The many attempts to bring Jane Eyre to life through film, TV, and stage adaptations reflect the ongoing relevance of the novel. Today, we'll take a look at just five popular adaptations of Jane Eyre:

Jane Eyre (1943)
Starring Joan Fontaine and Orson Welles

Jane Eyre (1983)
Starring Zelah Clarke and Timothy Dalton

Jane Eyre (1996)
Starring Charlotte Gainsbourg and William Hurt

Jane Eyre (2006)
Starring Ruth Wilson and Toby Stephens

Jane Eyre (2011)
Starring Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender

Chapters:
0:00 Prologue
0:45 Jane Eyre (1943)
2:36 Jane Eyre (1983)
3:36 Jane Eyre (1996)
5:21 Jane Eyre (2006)
7:09 Jane Eyre (2011)
8:33 Epilogue

#BytheBook #JaneEyre

[frakkintoasterluvva]

Book: Mr Rochester is not a handsome man
Adaptations: * cast a series of gorgeous actors *

[MadameChristie]

I love that Mia Wasikowska opted to do the "Poor Plain and Little" speech without a ton of crying and just went full in on the righteous anger XD

[tamarleahh.]

It's kind of ironic to see beautiful actresses describing themselves as plain lol

[celinafernandez]

For me, the best adaptation is the 1983 mini series with Timothy Dalton and Zelah Clarke by far. Best Mr. Rochester and the adaptation that most reflects the book as well as the sequence of scenes. Actress Zelah Clarke is best Jane. The setting is also very successful.

[valphipps]

The 1983 version is the most reflective of the book, and Timothy Dalton is the icing on the cake. Far and away my favorite.

[XtremeKaiba]

How could you forget the 1997 one with Ciaran Hinds and Samantha Morton? That one is my favorite, it was the first adaptation I saw of this. He is such a good actor, not classically handsome, but there is something so sweet and charismatic in him that draws you in and makes you see that he is indeed beautiful.

[TahtahmesDiary]

The one thing I admittedly HAVE always found disappointing is the refusal to adhere to the spiritual/supernatural elements of the story. No one ever leans into it despite the strange tones of the book overall.

[givnikR]

1983 version allll the way! Zelah played the best Jane and Mr Rochester was eye candy and suited the role so well

[smileyt]

1983 all day long - Timothy Dalton is Mr Rochester - his performance blew me away.

[tinalionti]

1983 version was the most faithfull to the book. The movie didn't disappoint me after reading the book.

[sandrabast]

I cannot get enough of watching every Jane Eyre movie that comes out. I often have binge weekends watching adaptation after adaptation!

[rachelalberg]

Although I read the book several times, I never really "got" the relationship between Jane and Rochester until I saw the 2006 version. Toby Stephens just nailed the character, and Ruth Wilson was a revelation. It is by far the best adaptation of their characters, although I agree with the criticisms that this version did not give enough time to her childhood at Lowood and cut other details from the book - still, at heart it is the most faithful and accessible adaptation.

[Garland]

The 1983 version is still the best in my opinion. No other actor can beat the feeling and richness of Timothy Dalton's portrayal of Rochester. I would tie Zelah Clarke from that version to Ruth Wilson's Jane in 2006, although I still think the 1983 version is superior in its faithfulness to the book.

[Kein]

Timothy Dalton is absolutely Rochester as in the book. And a little Zelah Clark is very good too. Definitely 1983 version is the best! ❤❤

[ABB]

2006 is still my favorite. It did an all around great job getting all the elements in, and the production and acting was exceptional.

[everyonelovesdee]

Random bit of trivia. Haddon Hall was the location for Thornfield Hall in the 1996, 2006 and 2011 adaptions. My achievement in watching all three and thinking that all looks familiar.

[nursulucoaching]

1983 BBC series are my favourite! I love to watch it over and over agin

[rusojanjalashvili]

1996 version with Charlotte will always stay as my favorite even though other versions might even objectively be better. It was the very first adaptation I watched, perhaps that's the reason (besides being always told I look like her). I remember skipping the school that day, turning on TV, waiting for sth to watch and as soon as the film started, without any context and title card, the ceiling must have shaken as I screamed "it HAS to be Jane Eyre!!!". I believe it captured the hauntingly beautiful atmosphere of this gothic literature masterpiece.

[monicacall]

I’ve watched every version of JE except any silent movie treatments of the story. My favorite is definitely the 2006 version. The chemistry between Jane and Rochester is perfect and Toby Stephens shows the mercurial side of Rochester’s character best. I love the humor that is brought out, and I like the idea of Jane’s different friends plus her new found cousins forming a family group of their own seeing as most of them have lost parents and spouses or both. Now they all belong to each other as a new “family”.

[joselocalau]

i seem to be the unpopular opinion, but the 2011 is my favorite. Mia Wasikowska brings something modern to Jane that i like a lot, and her delivery of the "poor plain and little" speech in the form of rage and angst is perfect to me. Also the sexual tension between jane and rochester is just *chefs kiss* amazing. And the music! the camera work! it made me feel just like the book did