Product Description

After a childhood that would have broken weaker girls, Jane Eyre finds a respectable position as governess to the ward of the enigmatic Mr. Rochester. Twenty years her senior, brusque, and hardened by loss, Mr. Rochester finds his spirited new employee strangely bewitching. Despite the social chasm that divides them, they are drawn to each other as equals and contemplate true happiness at last. But there is an impediment to their love that tests Jane’s integrity and strength almost beyond endurance.

Considered by many to be the best adaptation of Charlotte Brontë’s romantic classic, this BBC miniseries is true to the original story, with dialogue taken directly from the novel. Best of all is the perfect casting and chemistry of the unlikely lovers, with Sorcha Cusack (Casualty) as Jane and Michael Jayston (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy) as Mr. Rochester.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #44071 in DVD
• Brand: CUSACK,SORCHA
• Released on: 2006-07-25
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Color, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 2
• Dimensions: .45 pounds
• Running time: 248 minutes

Customer Reviews

Best overall adaptation of Bronte's novel
After having had the opportunity to view several adaptations of Jane Eyre, Sorcha Cusack captures the heart, mind, and the look of Bronte's groundbreaking characterization of Jane. After the exquisitely masterful acting of Cusack in this role, it will take some adjustment on my part to see her in other roles. To put it as plainly as I can, Sorcha was Jane Eyre. The overall casting was very good; Michael Jayston's Rochester was very true to Charlotte's Bronte's vision of a deeply wounded misguided man searching for true meaning and fulfillment in a very Class conscious, frivolous society. It was refreshing to see Stephanie Beacham as a young woman who was the very female prototype of that priviledged, claustrophobic, and very clueless world that shunned people such as Jane. For literature purists, this Jane Eyre is a must-see!

Wish I could give it 10 stars. One of the best book adaptations ever put on film
It took over 20 years for this adaptation to be released for home viewing and what a gift to the viewing public it is. I first saw this version on PBS in the early 1980s. (I actually bought my very first VHS machine so I could record it!) One of my recorded tapes became corrupted over the years and I've been searching high and low for a viewable copy of this made-for-TV masterpiece for at least a decade. To finally have it available is, for me, a dream come true.

What makes this version so superior to the many versions of this story that have been produced before and since? Two things: the script, which is scrupulously true to the novel in every detail and which uses Bronte's beautiful dialogue straight from the book, and the inspired, magical performances of Sorcha Cusack as Jane and Michael Jayston as Rochester.

Yes, it's a clunky 1970s era, BBC production with sets and costumes that look a bit cheesy and the videotape filming medium is far from ideal, but these are minor quibbles. I've watched every version of Jane Eyre since the Orson Welles/Joan Fontaine movie from the 1940s and none of them come close to capturing the true meaning of the story like this one does.

If you love Jane Eyre you owe it to yourself to buy/rent/borrow this version and get ready for 4.5 hours of magic!

EXCEPTIONAL ADAPTATION
Okay...Everybody knows the story so no purpose reiterating it. As far as this adaptation goes...very simple...you take two extremely talented actors (Michael Jayston and Sorcha Cusack) and a fine script (very close to the book) and it = A classic first rate mini-series. This mini-series was far superior to the 1983 version. In the 1983 version (didn't like it), the actress who played Jane was horrible...underplayed the part...and no chemistry between the lead actors. In this version, there was character development and chemistry between Jane and Rochester. Compared to the book, there were some updated changes made in the script which were refreshing and appropriate. This is a "must have" DVD for Jane Eyre fans.