Isn’t a remake of JANE EYRE a bit of a Bronte-saurus in this day and age? Everyone remembers the sections of Jane’s childhood, of Jane being a governess at Thornfield and falling in love with Mr. Rochester, and then bolting. But what about the Rivers family?!

Screenwriter Moira Buffini’s, one of Britain’s great contemporary dramatists, stroke of genius in this latest adaptation of JANE EYRE (M) is that instead of abbreviating or losing the Rivers, which previous adaptations have done, she puts them right at the beginning – and turned the novel’s early sections of the young Jane at Lowood and her initial days at Thornfield into flashbacks. Therefore, midway through the third act, we catch up with Jane and you get the emotional punch of being in real time at the end as she comes to terms with everyone and everything.

This may not be faithful to the original structure, but this version does include every key stage of Jane’s story. The film is a very handsome production, directed by Cary Fukunaga, with Mia Wasikowska in the title role, Michael Fassbender as Rochester, and with Judi Dench, Jamie Bell and Sally Hawkins in central supporting roles.

The interiors are evocatively lit by oil lamp and fireplace, the clothes and habitats looked lived in, and the Derbyshire countryside is both glorious and foreboding.

With a new version of WUTHERING HEIGHTS on the horizon, it would seem the Bronte’s are muscling in on the Austens, with Jane Eyre the first heir of a run of literary remakes!

Richard Cotter

10th August, 2011