Nice effects though.

Fantastic!

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

This adaptation is generally thought to be one of the very best and I can only say I agree wholeheartedly. It's the definitive version in my book and no adaptation made before or after can touch it.The advantage of the miniseries is (obviously) that it can do the book full justice, which shorter versions just can't. In this case, I think they did splendidly. Timothy Dalton is a great Rochester, even if his acting goes slightly bipolar in one or two scenes (I'm thinking of the post-marriage scene where he alternates between cooing over Jane and cursing her at the top of his voice within seconds…). He starts slightly too gruff but he soon gets it right. Anyway, most Rochesters start out a bit gruffer than they should, so I believe this to be a directing mistake… Timothy Dalton is able to express so much emotion with his face and yet you couldn't really tell which muscles are doing it, which is the hallmark of an excellent actor (I think anyway). One can really feel he is a tortured soul but he still has a sense of humour and conveys great depth of feeling after he falls for Jane. Other reviewers have pointed out that he's too handsome (which is true, but do we really mind, ladies?) and too young (which isn't true, he was 36 when they shot this, which makes him just right). I also like Zelah Clarke as Jane. Her acting scope is slightly more limited than Tims but I don't think this is necessarily a bad thing when playing Jane Eyre. Jane is passionate but also very proper. However when Rochester starts to draw her out she manages to convey both the humour that Jane and Rochester share and the painful confusion Jane feels when he starts toying with her. Also, she is suitably minuscule, if a bit old for 18-year old Jane… The rest of the cast is also excellent. Adele is suitably vain, silly and yet likable, Mrs Fairfax is just as I imagined her in the book and especially with St John Rivers they chose the actor brilliantly. He is wonderfully haughty, pious, cold and unlikeable… Of course the production values are less than top notch. I do not mind this personally but other reviewers have pointed it out and they're right. The costumes are superbly done however (probably because you can re-use those over and over in any Victorian drama, so they did them properly once so they would keep a while). The best thing however about this story is the dialog and storytelling. Jane's childhood is depicted in all its excruciating oppressiveness and you get to feel all her pain and her development into a passionate but very religious and strong woman is completely believable. The relationship and growing attraction between Jane and Rochester is depicted very accurately and carefully (which is something that other adaptations often made complete hashes of by not allowing the necessary time for it). The dialog is clean, produced more or less verbatim in many scenes, but they make it work as a movie nonetheless. And also Jane's flight from Thornfield is developed in detail, which shows how much she is willing to suffer to do what she thinks is right and how she manages never to lose her dignity. I think these latter points are what sets this version apart from almost all other adaptations and makes it such a masterpiece. A must-see for all Jane Eyre fans!

After wanting to see this 1983 BBC production for some time, I've finally gotten to see this at last. Having never actually read the book I wasn't sure what I would make of the production, which had been recommended to me because of me being a fan of Timothy Dalton, who plays the role of Mister Edward Rochester. What I got was a fine production to say the least. It has a fine cast, fine production values which help to tell this atmospheric romance/drama in a fine fashion.The cast is fantastic to say the very least. Both Sian Pattenden (as the child) and Zelah Clarke (as the grown-up) both give fine performances in the title role of Jane Eyre, both are believable in their roles and come across as strong willed but all too human characters, which is especially true of Clarke as her relationship with her employer Mr. Rochester grows throughout the story. Speaking of Mr. Rochester, there is an absolutely brilliant performance by Timothy Dalton in the role. Dalton shows a huge range of emotions in the part and he shares some fine chemistry with Clarke and they really work well as a couple. There's also a fine supporting cast as well including Jean Harvey as Rochester's housekeeper Mrs. Fairfax, Damien Thomas as Rochester's mysterious friend Richard Mason, Judy Cornwell as Jane's aunt Mrs. Reed, Mary Tamm as Rochester's love interest Blanche Ingram plus Elaine Donnelly, Morag Hood and Andrew Bicknell as the Rivers family amongst others. Also of mention is the performance of Joolia Cappleman as Bertha who, while not often seen, has a considerable influence over the story and lends it much of its atmosphere and mystery. Together they make for a fine cast of actors and actresses.There's also some fine production values as well. It was shot on both film (for exterior scenes) and videotape (for interiors) which some people have used against it as a way of calling this a cheap looking production. Nothing could be farther then the truth, which is that this was standard BBC policy at the time and virtually all of the programs made by the BBC (such as the original TV series of Doctor Who for one of many examples) were shot that way. Besides one shouldn't judge the production based on that, in my opinion anyway. Instead it should be judged based on the costumes and sets used. Both of those categories are successes as the BBC was more then capable on making fantastic period sets and costumes. Both the interiors and the exterior scenes are well shot and lit, which help to evoke both the moodiness of the story and the atmosphere of the period as well as seen in any of the scenes (interior or exterior) at Thornfield Hall for example. There's also some fine make-up work as well, especially in episode eleven which should be seen as not to spoil the story for anyone. There is also the music of composer Paul Reade who produced a fine piece of music for the titles sequences and the sporadic, but well made and used, pieces heard throughout the production as well. Once one looks past how the production was shot (which shouldn't really even be and issue), there are plenty of things in the costumes, set, make-up and music to admire about this production.Last, but not least, is the script which was written by Alexander Baron from the novel by Charlotte Brontë. Having never read the novel, I am unable to judge how faithful the script is to the original novel though, from what I've read from other reviews, the script adheres to the novel rather faithfully. Judging it then from the point of view of the writing alone it is a well constructed story which goes from Jane as a girl to her becoming the governess for Rochester's ward and beyond. There is a steady build-up of tension once Jane arrives as a mysterious laughter can be heard along with unexplained occurrences and Jane's growing feelings for Rochester. Especially since it is told across eleven half-hour episodes which each ending, cliffhanger like, at a point that brings the viewer back to see what happens next (especially someone like me who hasn't read the novel). This may be down to the novel, I don't know, but even if it is there is much credit to be given to Baron for being able to bring it to this production.All in all this 1983 BBC production of Jane Eyre is a fine example of BBC costume drama. Meaning that has some really fine performances from its large cast (especially Zelah Clarke and Timothy Dalton), fine costumes and sets and a well written script. It is a moving human drama that is nonetheless atmospheric and tense. While I can not judge this production to the novel it is based on, I feel confident in saying that this is a fine drama that will prove enjoyable to those who have or haven't read the novel.

Jane Eyre is dramatised by Alexander Baron, is based on the novel by Charlotte Bronte and stars Timothy Dalton, Zelah Clarke and Mary Tamm.There have been many adaptations of Bronte's novel but this series is by far the best. Practically everything from the book is here, including original dialogue and you really feel the growing emotional connection between Jane and Rochester.What really makes this so good is the casting of the two lead actors. Timothy Dalton is perfect as Rochester, brooding and playful,while Zelah Clarke is the perfect combination of strength,courage,shyness and gentleness as Jane. The pair have wonderful chemistry, which is a great help during their romantic scenes.The young Jane Eyre( Zelah Clarke) is a teacher at a charity school for girls in the 1800's, she advertises her services as a governess in the newspapers.Jane is offered the post of governess at Thornfield Hall to tutor Adele who is the young ward of the halls mysterious owner Mr Rochester(Timothy Dalton.) As the months go on he falls in love with Jane and puts into effect a few situations to try and see if she is as madly in love with him as he is with her.However, there is a secret still waiting to be discovered at Thornfield Hall and when it is it's effects are devastating.This is a moving and well acted drama, highly recommended especially for fans of the book. When I want to watch an adaptation of Bronte's novel this is the one I usually turn to.

I am taking into account that this was made in a time when cameras stayed still but they still and the ability to do a bit of good casting.First off, piece of advice, if your camera blurs in poor light, don't have candle-lit scenes.Secondly, considering how much of the speech in the book is utterly pointless you don't need to stick with it word for word. You can cut out a lot of the instances in which Mr. Rochester repeats Jane for a start.Thridly, If your going to cast a tall actor for Rochestor don't cast a short one for Jane. It doesn't work. All the shots had to be wider than necessary to fit them both in and the actors must have got neck-ache surely.And finally, when it comes to casting someone for the part of Jane Eyre their ability to act is more important than the way they look. I couldn't care less about that Jane Eyre, she was utterly pathetic, completely unlikeable and impossible to sympathise with.Watch the 2006 version instead.