Something I like to do is watch different movie versions of my favorite books. Recently, I viewed four Jane Eyre films. Only one was for the big screen and the rest were television miniseries adaptations.
Here is the order that I rank them. I would enjoy watching all but the lowest ranked one again.
4.
I am sorry, but this 1997 version was horrible. One pitfall of this bad Jane Eyre adaptation is that Jane shows little intelligence or competence.
3.
This was the 1983 adaptation. Timothy Dalton is an excellent Mr. Rochester. The filming feels dated and limiting, almost like a stage production. Both leads are believable, even while being a little old fashioned in their style of acting.
2.
2011. Cinematically gorgeous for the big screen, many shots had such beautiful composition that they looked like subjects for paintings. It has a wonderful cast, but since it is the shortest adaptation, some important pieces in the story are overlooked and the happily ever after is artistic, but abrupt.
1.
2006. The chemistry between leads is so good. Toby Stephens shows a unique vulnerability and humor, and he’s the first Mr. Rochester that I actually like. The person who recommended this version to me said that you can see why Jane Eyre fell in love with this man. This screenplay shows best how Jane’s difficult past helped her become morally strong and kind. There are many things to love about this one.
