Alexandra Leaving

It is a nice sunny day and I feel nice and sunny. And I don’t work on Wednesdays. I work 4 days a week as my life seems to be as equally important as my work, even though I love my work. So I am at home with my cuppa and I want to go and do some shopping for shoes later. Life is pretty awesome.

I must tell you about the latest Jane Eyre my daughter and I went to see on Sunday.

I have seen several “Jane Eyre” adaptations. The first time I discovered Jane Eyre when I was 15, through 1983 serial with Zelah Clarke and Timothy Dalton. It is still probably my favourite adaptation. It was my first ever TV obsession. I haven’t seen it since 1983 but I remember it being very close to the book.

Franco Zeffirelli’ Jane Eyre with Charlotte Gainsbourg was pretty average, but I thought Charlotte was the closest to the way I imagined Jane to be looks-wise, as it is a common thing to cast Jane as too pretty.

Of 2006’s miniseries I only remember that it had a very Byronic looking Toby Stephens (I am a fan) and that I thought Ruth Wilson was a bit too gorgeous to be Jane Eyre.

I have also read the book, twice, in Russian translation and in English.



I thought 2011 film adaptation to be lovely, and my daughter loved it too. It was absolutely stunning on all levels: the scenery, the house, the music, the costumes. Everything was just so in harmony and so Gothic. I think this is what I loved the most about the film: the sheer joy of watching and listening. I am glad we watched it in the movie theatre.

At first, I thought Mia Wasikowska too pretty to be Jane Eyre, but she won me over with her performance. She was so beautifully Jane Eyre: self-reliant, but vulnerable, very practical, but romantic. She is my favourite Jane Eyre of all times, as she made me cry few times and I thought I already know this story so well that I will never be able to feel it.

As to Mr. Rochester, I must say that I am already not the 15-year old I used to be, so I do not tend to feel as much for Rochester as I used to. Hiding you mentally ill wife and trying to "marry" a young girl? And among this all managing to feel sorry for yourself, a tragic suffering hero? No , Mr.Rochester , I do not feel for you as much as I used to.

Plus, although Michael Fassbender gave a decent enough performance, and he and Mia had some lovely scenes together, he was so NOT Mr. Rochester. No black hair, no dark bushy eyebrows, no Byronic aura. No broad shoulders neither. And in his manners, he was somewhat too soft to be Rochester. His interpretation of the role was that of "the kind uncle", a common role in British miniseries.

But all in all, this was a lovely film.