After a harsh childhood, orphan jane eyre joan fontaine is hired by edward rochester orson welles, the brooding lord of a mysterious manor house, to care for his young daughter. Jane eyre, 1996 film a recent bigbudget film version of jane eyre, directed by the famous and fantastic franco zeffirelli. But the center of robert stevensons 1943 film version of the book its selfappointed sun king, the lord and master of all he surveys is orson welles as janes employer and. Reed sara allgood as bessie elizabeth taylor as helen burns aubrey mather as col. Though shot on sound stages of the fox, this adaptation is atmospheric and ominous, largely due to barnes dark cinematography, which evokes the novel. Jane eyre spotlights orson welles perfect romantic antihero. Where better to start than with the classic 1943 rendition, starring major actors orson welles and joan fontaine. Jean rhys s novel wide sargasso sea 1966 offers an account of rochesters first marriage. Adapted for the screen by aldous huxley, robertstevenson and john houseman, and directed by stevenson, this stirring film is the definitive version of the engrossing classic.
Not as snazzy and new as some of the other versions, but charming in its own way, if you like that sort of thing. Small, plain and poor, jane eyre comes to thornfield hall as governess to the young ward of edward rochester. A great story, a great film and an amazing writer in charlotte bronte. In 1943, orson welles was coming off of two films that still stand as his greatest auteur creations. His 1938 broadcast of the radio drama the war of the worlds had caused mass panic at the time and is now considered a legend. Rochester, joan fontaine jane, agnes moorehead mrs. Jane eyre 1943 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. With orson welles, joan fontaine, margaret obrien, peggy ann garner. Yet it ends up rather shallow, lacking the cinematic intensity of the orson welles version, though that was widely. November 2, 20 december 23, 20 greg orypeck fontaine. This jane eyre is a goodlooking film, serious, thought through and well acted. Jane eyre, screenplay by john houseman and aldous huxley, starring orson welles mr.
He is considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. The book is called jane eyre but when it comes to its numerous movie versions, whether its orson welles in 1944 or michael fassbender right now, the actor playing edward rochester often. I know the jane eyre story well as it has been done so many times before, and i prefer the joan fontaineorson welles version. It captures the entirety of the novel in a brisk 97 minutes. Where better to start than with the classic 1943 rendition, starring. In 1944, joan fontaine and orson welles played the leads, jane eyre and rochester, and though welles looks much older than fontaine and his real age, the actors are more or less the same age. Peggy ann garner jane eyre as a child, margaret obrien adele varens, joan fontaine jane eyre, orson welles edward rochester, movie description. In the manor, a light shines in one window, high in a tower. And both legend and hearsay have it that he might have had more to do with the films success than. The sound and picture are excellent when you take into account the age of the film, very good restoration. In franco zeffirellis jane eyre, the newest film adaptation of brontes muchstaged story there have been three other eyre films, including the 1944 classic starring orson welles and joan. Orson welles was an american actor, director, writer, and producer who is best remembered for his innovative work in theatre, radio, and film. Before reading or seeing jane eyre, i did have some idea of the general plot. This movie came in so poorly that it barely rates a star for me.
Rivers henry daniell as brockelhurst agnes moorehead as mrs. Reed, margaret obrien adele, peggy ann garner young jane, and elizabeth taylor helen burns. Jane eyre starring orson welles and joan fontaine there are several more recent versions and theyre good as well but this is my favorite. Download jane eyre 1943 yify torrent for 720p mp4 movie. While in his twenties welles directed a number of highprofile stage productions for the federal theatre project, including an adaptation of macbeth with an. Jane eyre 1944 dvd sealed orson welles 8809177015921. Literary ladies guide inspiration for readers and writers from classic women authors. Orphaned and raised in an abusive home, jane eventually becomes a governess at thornfield hall, where she falls for its older aristocrat owner, edward rochester orson welles. Orson welles as edward rochester joan fontaine as jane eyre margaret obrien as adele varens peggy ann garner as jane as a child john sutton as dr. Jane eyre, a somber version of the bronte novel, with joan fontaine and orson welles, opens at the music hall.
To be sure, welles contributed ideas throughout the filming. Denied love all her life, jane cant help but be attracted to the intelligent. Jane eyre on lux radio theater, june 5, 1944 orson welles and loretta young jane eyre on the mercury summer theatre on the air, june 28, 1946 orson welles and alice frost orphaned, unloved, and unwanted tenyearold jane eyre peggy ann garner lives with her cruel and selfish, uncaring paternal aunt, mrs. The 1943 film version of the classic stars orson welles as edward rochester, joan fontaine as jane eyre, henry daniell as mr. His best theatre role was in the 1937 broadway play caesar. Jane eyre was already next on my lit flicks challenge list, but when i happened to be the october giveaway winner and the bluestocking society kindly sent me the book thanks, jessica.
George orson welles may 6, 1915 october 10, 1985 was an american actor, director, writer and producer who is remembered for his innovative work in radio, theatre and film. Jane eyre original film score licensed to youtube by tunecore on behalf of red bitch music. Read the jane eyre movie synopsis, view the movie trailer, get cast and crew information, see movie photos, and more on. This version is the most comprehensive and enjoyable movie adaptation of jane eyre. In the novel, jane is scarily 20 and rochester is older. In jane eyre can be found all of the elements of the modern gothic romance novel, which fills paperback racks with countless versions of the same story.
Without any doubt the best film version of jane eyre imo orson welles and joan fontaine at their very best. The classic jane eyre is the 1944 version with joan fontaine and orson welles. Small plain and poor jane eyre comes to thornfield hall as governess to the young ward of edward rochester. In the mystery dishonored lady 1947, hedy lamarr portrayed a magazine editor accused of murder. Jane eyre might have seemed like an unlikely follow up, but the murky, gothic, romanceashorrorstory was an ideal fit for welles. In the foreground, a wide eyed heroine, hair flying, bodice torn, flees from a forbidding gothic manor. After spending her childhood in an orphanage, young jane eyre fontaine becomes governess to the ward of an imposing older man named edward rochester welles. Jane eyre is an american film adaptation of charlotte brontes 1847 novel of the same name, released by 20th century fox.
Rochester, with joan fontaine playing the title character the screenplay was written by john houseman, aldous huxley, and director. Jane eyre inspired various film, tv, and stage adaptations, including a 1943 movie that starred orson welles as rochester and joan fontaine as jane. New governess jane joan fontaine with pupil adele margaret obrien speculates about the master shes never met, followed by his gaudy first appearance orson welles, as rochester on the yorkshire moors, in the 1944 20th century fox jane eyre. Jane eyre with joan fontaine and orson wells based on the classic novel by charlotte bronte. And both legend and hearsay have it that he might have had more to do with the film s success than. Scott is not my idea of a romantic leading man, coarse or not, and susannah york was twice the age of a young jane eyre who was to have resided. Immediately establishing the gloom of the film, jane eyre peggy ann garner is an independent and defiant orphan living at gateshead hall with her aunt, mrs. All free region 0plays on all dvd players worldwide. Jane eyre, 1944 film this is the vintage classic film version, starring orson welles and joan fontaine. It was directed by robert stevenson and produced by the uncredited kenneth macgowan and orson welles. Jane eyre is a film directed by robert stevenson with orson welles, joan fontaine, margaret obrien, peggy ann garner, year.