Jane Eyre

Great classic film actors in 1943 ‘Jane Eyre’

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ELIZABETH TAYLOR (left) and Peggy Ann Garner in “Jane Eyre.”

The tragic story of “Jane Eyre” has been filmed numerous times.
It’s been a miniseries. A new version was released early this year and is coming to home video.
Ah, but one of the best comes from 1943. As you would expect, it’s filled with film noir.
It has also plenty of recognizable stars.
For example, the young Jane is played by Peggy Ann Garner, best known as the optimistic little girl in the holiday classic “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.”
And Jane’s sickly little friend (you know what that means) is played by (drumroll) a very young Elizabeth Taylor, before she was married to anybody.
Sharing writing credits with Charlotte Bronte was none other than John Houseman, best known as Professor Kingsfield in “The Paper Chase.” Also helping was Aldous Huxley, author of “Brave New World.”
Orson Welles plays the dashing Edward Rochester, who chooses Jane as his governess to his young but annoying ward. Jane as an adult is played by Joan Fontaine, who seems rather pretty for plain Jane.
Ah, but the best is Mrs. Reed, the aunt who cared for the young Jane, if you can call it caring. She’s played by the great Agnes Moorehead, one of the best character actresses of all time, as in “Citizen Kane,” the Orson Welles epic. Anyway, Reed labels young Jane an evil child and she’s shipped off to a boarding school. And yes, Moorehead went on to play the nosy mother in the TV series “Bewitched.”
Jane screams her hatred for Reed as she rides away, happy at the thought of learning and meeting children her own age at school.
Hey Jane, did you forget, this is 19th century literature? You must earn your happy ending.
At the school, the sadistic head master, Mr. Brocklehurst, played by Henry Daniell, proclaims little Jane is evil and of the devil and nobody is allowed to talk to her.
Ah, but young, sweet, frail Liz Taylor does anyway. Did I mention she was frail?
Of course Jane grows up to become Joan Fontaine and takes the job at the huge, spooky mansion of Rochester, aka Welles.
Jane falls in love, things don’t go well, more tragedy awaits before true love comes calling.
The acting is first-rate and all of those big stars are fun to watch. The matte shots do get a little tiresome after awhile.
But “Jane Eyre” is an interesting film to revisit, especially in the wake of the newer remakes. The 1940s lilt seems more conducive to the novel.
And while not trying to be too political, check out the beginning of the book and see if it suggests anything from modern life.
“...I was born in 1820, a harsh time of change in England. Money and position seemed all that mattered. Charity was a cold and disagreeable word. Religion too often wore a mask of bigotry and cruelty. There was no proper place for the poor and unfortunate.”
“Jane Eyre” is available for streaming for Netflix subscribers.

JANE EYRE • Directed by Robert Stevenson • Written by Charlotte Bronte, John Houseman,Aldous Huxley and others • Runtime: 97 minutes • 3 stars out of 5