By Rachit Raj

FILM REVIEW

‘JANE EYRE 1997’, a film adaptation directed by ‘Robert Young’, serves as a tribute and showcasing a famous novel of 19th century. Written by the famous novelist ‘Charlotte Brontë’, the novel “Jane Eyre” is considered as a prominent work which helped in redefining the English Literature in various aspects.
The story is narrated in the first person by the [central character] female lead- Samantha Morton as ‘Jane Eyre’ and Ciaran Hinds as ‘Mr. Rochester’. The story displayed the life of an orphan who becomes a governess and falls in love with her employer who is Mr. Rochester. Uncovering various secrets at his estate. The film generally follows the original novel, capturing all the important factors like, the sets are beautifully designed to show the gothic atmosphere of that time, costumes of all the different characters which showcased their individualism and their duty respectively regarding with the social constructs of that time. Dialogues are well written, giving strong presence of language of that time. At last but not least the actors have done a commendable job, making audience to feel every depth of each emotion throughout the film.
Apart from that the film do possess a solid supporting cast. Some of the characters which I found myself impressed by are the Thornfield Hall’s Housekeeper - Mrs. Fairfax, played by ‘Gemma Jones’. She portrayed the housekeeper as a cheerful soul that kept the Rochester household running efficiently. The character of young ‘Adele’, portrayed by Timia Bertome is impressive.
This adaptation is an unique expression if art on its own =, but comparing it with the original novel, it seemed to be rushed and constricted. Yet Young’s direction more than made up for the shortcomings in the movie’s portrayal of Jane and Rochester’s relationship. I found the development of their relationship fascinating to watch. I particularly appreciated Jane’s resilience in face of Rochester’s relentless attempts to impose his will on her. With her ability to gain his affection and admiration along the way. On the other hand Rochester who was able to gain Jane’s respect and affection through his intellect, wit and gradual appreciation of her charms.
Talking about the duration of the film it is One hour and forty-eight minutes, seemed to be a rushed story with constricting various scenes and moments from the original text. The screenplay does lack various key scenes of the story such as, the childhood of Jane at lowood was quite short, the family connections of Jane and her small financial inheritance and various other parts were missing.

For me the story in the movie seemed to be a life of [Jane] an individual who’s finding herself in the world full of societal norms and constructs. A child who wanted to explore the world outside and also recovering from her past traumas. Finding love which she’s deprived of since her childhood. Same goes with Mr. Rochester whose life was doomed without love. A man in the search of the love and company for life. Both of the characters have different sorrows, struggles and a void of love, both found each other’s company as a loving and comforting bond. Both have various flaws, which followed with the character development throughout the story.

The film retains the novel’s exploration of themes like feminism, class, morality and the search of personal identity. In the novel “Jane Eyre”, charlotte delves into the hypocrisy and injustice of 19th century conventions regarding gender and class roles. Gender and class determined what opportunities people could expect to have in life, whom they could marry and how much education would be available to them. Showcasing the condition of the females. These are some of the things or Implications which I think should be focused more in this adaptation by Robert Young. But instead, the film is more distinct as a love story, which is undoubtedly beautiful to watch. But still lacking in the historical context of the story/ novel makes it critiqued by a lot.
The film remains quite traditional in its adaptation, which may be seen as both a strength and limitation. Some viewers might appreciate more creative interpretation or a fresh perspective on the story, especially for those who are unfamiliar with the historical context of the novel.
THANK YOU.

RACHIT
22ENG0626
BA Hons. English- 2nd year student