...than the A&E version of Pride & Prejudice, here comes another adaptation of Charlotte Bronte's classic Jane Eyre, from Masterpiece Theater. This two-disc film has been floating among the 500 or so movies on my Netflix queue for months now, but I finally decided to move it up the queue and watch it.
I haven't even watched the whole thing yet--have to wait three days for part 2--but man! I mean, I love Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy as much as the next girl, but there's something about the brooding, sensual, gruff and charismatic Mr. Rochester that is just so much more interesting (even if Toby Stephens is a bit too handsome for the role). Ruth Wilson makes for a satisfying Jane; no matter how plain the character was supposed to be in the book, you still want Jane to be alluring in her own way, and Wilson is cute as a button. The film itself is dark, real, gothic, and utterly romantic. Lushly shot. And there is such an electric passion between the two leads that you can cut the sexual tension with a knife. Altogether, a delicious find. I'm probably going to buy the DVD now so I can re-watch all the good parts. "You may think the world doesn't need another adaptation of Jane Eyre--but you're wrong...this production brings all of the novel's juice and passion to the fore, emphasizing the characters' sensual experience while staying true to the restrictions and mores of the period. All in all, exceptional." --Bret Fetzer
