| Jane Eyre |  | Director: Robert Stevenson
Actors: Orson Welles, Joan Fontaine, Margaret O'Brien, Peggy Ann Garner, John Sutton
Category: DVD
This item is no longer available
Rating:  101 reviews
Format: NTSC
Running Time: 97 Minutes
Theatrical Release Date: April 7, 1944
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Amazon.com
Made two years after Citizen Kane, this 1943 version of Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre sure looks like star Orson Welles muscled his way behind the camera much of the time. (In fact, costar Joan Fontaine--who plays the title character--has maintained that Welles methodically did just that every day on the set.) Not that the film's official director was a hack: Robert Stevenson, who later had a busy career at Disney making numerous live-action hits for the studio, such as Mary Poppins, gets the credit. But there's no mistaking Welles's masterful hand in the film's bold and creative look, and there's no getting away from his enigmatic charisma as Rochester, the widower who takes in Jane as a governess to his daughter. An engrossing, gorgeous film, there's even a small role for Elizabeth Taylor at the beginning as Jane's unlucky, doomed friend at a cruel boarding school. --Tom Keogh
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 101
 A Complete Re-Write of the Story September 14, 2009
Joseph R. Poisso (Alexandria, Louisiana)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I bought this because of a mistaken belief that at least Orson Wells would have been respectful of Charlotte Bronte's work. I was wrong. The original story was completely re-worked beyond recognition. Frankly, I don't see what the makers of the movie gained. It is obvious that a great deal of money was spent making the movie. Why not do it right instead of turning out this poor cribbled thing?
 a disappointment September 12, 2009
Dr. Victoria G. Navarra
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
The only good think about this is the story- the actors are horrible. I expected more from both, specially Orson Wells. It is black and white or the technical quality,( although the sound was bad- I had to turn my volume to 70 to hear it passably)- but those were not the only reasons I did not like it. Jane Eyre was supposed to be 18, not thirty and Joanne Fontaine could never act, Orson Wells was always glowering and abrupt.
 BROODING EDWARD YEARNS FOR JANE, WHO IS SO GENTLE AND CARING! August 29, 2009
Teresa (NORTH CAROLINA, USA)
This love story has become a classic legend! I am a true Jane Eyre fan, and I love this old black and white version, of this very old and special love story! This movie gives you a shorter and darker version of Jane Eyre, but I still loved it! I loved( Orson Welles) as Mr. Rochester, he was tall and handsome and brooding, and he was a very intense, and striking Edward Rochester! He had a nice deep voice! I also loved the beautiful( Joan Fontaine) as Jane Eyre, I thought her and Orson Welles, looked like a perfect couple together! I was also pleased with my DVD, it had a very clear picture!
In the movie Mr. Rochester's home, and the outside scenery was dark, and it did not stand out, and but I liked it anyway! It all reminded me of a dark, spooky, haunted house! I heard that( Robert Stevenson )the director of the movie, may have chosen to keep Rochester's home and the grounds, and the movie itself dark and brooding, because when this movie was being made, the worst part of WWII, was going on.
This movie is about a poor orphaned, little girl named Jane Eyre, who was sent to a school for orphan's, and all her young life, she has been picked on, and mistreated, and made to feel unwanted, and unloved! I loved the little girl who played Jane Eyre, and I was also pleasantly surprised, to see (Elizabeth Taylor) as the little girl who played Helen, Jane's friend at school.
Jane grows up in this orphan school, and she becomes a young woman and wants a new life, so she advertises, and becomes a governess, to a little girl at Mr. Edward Rochester's estate. The housekeeper of Mr. Rochester's estate, says that Mr. Rochester is hardly ever at home, and stays gone for long periods of time. But when Edward meets Jane all that changes, and later Jane even, saves Edward's life from a fire, and a bond is formed between them, and they fall in love! Edward loves Jane so, and wants to marry her, but Jane feels like the beautiful Blanche Ingram, is the one who Edward really wants! But Edward wants Jane and will do anything to have her as his wife!
But Edward is tormented by a hidden secret, that is soon found out, on Edward and Jane's wedding day! And Edward and Jane's life is changed forever!
An Uneven, Flawed Attempt July 14, 2009
RareRare
0 out of 3 found this review helpful
I had never seen this "Jane Eyre" in its entirety until I recently bought this DVD. I remember flashes of brilliance and that's what I saw when I finally sat down and watched it. The casting is ridiculous: Joan Fontaine being too old and Orson Welles acting way over the top. Robert Stevenson was certainly not at fault and I'm sure he couldn't control Welles, who kept wanting co-directing and/or co-producing credit and David O. Selznick trying to control the whole thing when he had sold the property casting and all to MGM.
The design and lighting are marvelous and the first part of the film about young Jane is incredibly compelling. But Joan Fontaine is just too sophisticated for the role.
I have just ordered the British version starring Timothy Dalton and hope it is better.
 Present for wife July 10, 2009
Paul D. Kaiser (Park Hills, Ky. USA)
My wife has a collection of Jane Eyre dvd's and she didn't have this one. It is good quality and came in a timely manner. The price was fair. I am satisfied with this purchase.
Paul
Showing reviews 1-5 of 101
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