#Jane Eyre 1973

[adobongsiopao]

Sorcha Cusack (Jane) and Michael Jayston (Mr. Rochester) from "Jane Eyre" 1973 version.

If you're a fan of "Jane Eyre", don't miss out watching this great adaptation. The production values may be dated but it's script uses a lot of dialogues from the novel. It's also has one of the best chemistry and dynamics between the main leads.

[edeschmedie]

I can't stop thinking about how that scene in ep. 5 of 1973 Jane Eyre was done where Rochester is wondering if Jane is real or if he's just dreaming, and Jane starts talking about how her uncle has died and left her some money and she's rich etc, and Rochester is all like "yea okay this is too boring to be a dream" 😂

[cursemewithyourkiss]

The way she* is always on my mind.

*Jane Eyre (1973)

[phireads]

Michael Jayston (Jane Eyre, 1973) was the best Rochester. He just gets the weirdness and adheres to it throughout. Considering many Rochesters opt to ditch the strangeness in favour of conventional charm, I think it’s a true feat that Jayston amps up the oddity when he’s trying to woo/ retain Jane. Especially since book Jane is drawn to him expressly because he’s weird, just like her!    

[thatscarletflycatcher]

I have now seen three out of five episodes. I went into this knowing people thought Jane rather strange in this and that she smiled a lot, but like some posts I've seen about this, I do think it has an actual foundation. Sure, some of Rochester's comments about her being austere and smiling little come off strange, but I also like seeing how amused by and interested in Rochester she is and her genuine enjoyment of his company. I find almost all other adaptations a bit lacking in that regard. It feels like an essential element to their dynamic, which is why I think in this version they probably have the most chemistry after 2006! Michael Jayston as Rochester is fantastic! I don't necessarily like him better than my other favourite Rochesters (1983 and 2006), but I do like him very much, and there's a je ne sais quoi he brings to the role. Other casting is rather good too. I like that Mrs Fairfax is a bit less bright than other portrayals and emphasises why Jane and Rochester long for other company. Loved seeing her confusion at their exchanges. That's not usually included. Blanche Ingram is usually completely unlikable but I think here (though also in 1997) you also see a bit what makes her appealing. Yeah, I'm really enjoying it so far! It's rather faithful and an engaging watch. And though it's inaccurate, I really enjoyed that Jane immediately recognised it was Rochester dressed up as the fortune teller.

I rate 1973 very high because of its treatment of the childhood part of the book, yes, but also specially because of the Jane/Rochester dynamic. It makes or breaks an adaptation of Jane Eyre for me. It doesn't even have to be exactly the way it is in the novel, but I need to get a sense that they are on the same wavelength, and that that is a strange wavelength. And 1973 passes this test with flying colors.

Michael Jayston's Rochester is special to me, because it embraces so much the ridiculousness of the character, his theatrics, his impishness. I feel adaptations often feel the need to make him macho and dominant, and that's not what I get from the novel as his character. Toby Stephens has something of this, but not the level of commitment to the bit Jayston's has.

And yes to what you say about Mrs Fairfax and Blanche Ingram.

I'm so glad you are enjoying it :3

[burningvelvet]

Jane Eyre (2006) is my favourite adaptation too, but as someone who's seen seven different versions, I really think the 1973 series is worth watching too! The cinematography isn't very exciting, but it's more accurate than 2006, and the chemistry between the leads is really good as well. Just thought you might be interested :)

i watched a few scenes last night thanks to you and i definitely see that the dialogue is way closer to the books - i may continue it! i adore how 1973 preserves the strong fairy tale theme/atmosphere, and includes the elf/fairy/other fantasy references, because that’s one thing the 2006 could have gotten better. the 2006 really leaned onto the bird and witch references, but lacked some of the other stuff - i don’t remember a single elf reference in 2006. i also think all the 1973 actors who i saw in the scenes i watched were very good.

have you seen 1996 or 1997? these are newer (for jane eyre adaptations) and seem to do good on the age account, but i never hear them mentioned and have not seen clips yet.

also — please tell me which adaptation has your favorite adèles! i love her!

[literatureismyentirepersonality]

My little Eyre-athon continues with the 1973 miniseries. I think this has just knocked out 1983 as my favourite overall, but only just.

I think Sorcha Cusack gave a weaker performance than Zelah Clarke or Ruth Wilson, admittedly (though I do wonder if the smell-the-fart acting she was doing was more bad direction than anything else), but Michael Jayston outdid even George C. Scott for me, and is a vastly better fit than Timothy Dalton.

The fortune teller scene was done real justice in this version, my wishes come true indeed, and St. John was done much better than usual. The treatment of that portion of the novel is still best in the ‘83, though.

I think perhaps what I’m looking for in a favourite is an all-rounder. There are plenty of specific aspects in which one adaptation or another that is fairly low down on my list excels.

Another random note is that watching this adaptation (or perhaps watching so many adaptations in quick succession), I’ve really come to appreciate a central conflict in the novel that I hadn’t noted before: to love God through work and abnegation or to love God through human love and compassion. The Lowood and St. John episodes can seem somewhat disconnected and confusing if you haven’t grasped that tension, and now that I’m older, I’m able to appreciate them more. I really want to read Jane Eyre again with a more analytical eye.

Regards the St. John episode, I think this adaptation (and many others) missed a trick by not including Rosemary Oliver. I think she’s key to drawing out the above-mentioned theme, as is Helen’s early line about Jane caring too much for the love of people instead of the love of God.

It’s so incredibly transgressive, really, that Jane chooses humanity over God. I wish I’d caught that strand of the novel as a child.

[thatscarletflycatcher]

:3

Review: Jane Eyre, 1973, starring Michael Jayston and Sorcha Cusack

@thatscarletflycatcher suggested this adaptation to me, because she knows I love silly man Mr Rochester, my poor little meow, my court jester of a man. I wasn’t disappointed one whit- indeed, I was actually pleasantly surprised! I’m usually rather skeptical of older adaptations, but this one was a banger.

Let’s get into it!

- small Jane: I adored her so, so much. It felt accurate to her character, and I do believe she’s probably one of my top favorite Young Janes, right up there with Georgie Henley.

- Aunt Reed was, per usual, absolutely horrendous! I loved, as far as adapting choices go, that she was still rather pretty, as she’s described in the book, though perhaps not as young as intended.

- Something about John Reed just felt about right. In most adaptations, he’s just positively awful, but in this one, you can see his duality- the thinly veiled disrespect in his “charm” to his mother, and his blatant disrespect towards others, especially Jane. The wine chugging was a rather nice touch, considering he dies later for his undisciplined habits.

- Mr Brocklehurst was also awful, 10/10 for villainry, loved how he just hands Jane a pamphlet and goes “this tells of naughty naughty children who lie and the various ways that they gruesomely die, happy reading!” bonus points for the scene after the typhus epidemic starts at Lowood where the two gentlemen approach him and say, in a paraphrase, “we’ve noticed you’re a little unsympathetic cunt, so we decided to suggest for you to form a committee!”

- oh, Miss Temple is a dream here. She’s marvelous. I loved her little ways of displaying affection to her pupils, and how she’d make sure to soften any blows from the others.

- Now- Helen. By far, probably my favorite Helen. She was actually sweet and wise and kind. Sometimes I get from the other adaptations that Helen didn’t actually like Jane all that much, but this one took the time to establish “no, they’re friends, absolutely friends.”

- I have so much love for Sorcha Cusak as Jane Eyre. She reminds me a lot of Mia Wasikowska, as far as her sort of unconventional attractiveness, and her softness. I won’t say I exactly prefer her to Ruth Wilson, but she’s definitely in my top Janes. I do, however, like her proposal speech much more than Ruth’s. I love Ruth’s, to be sure, but Sorcha’s feels like steel below silk.

- I think 1973’s Adele is probably by far my favorite. She was genuinely so sweet and adorable. I can’t say much about her, because she didn’t get terribly much screen time.

- Mrs Fairfax: 10/10 would adopt her as an aunt

- Now- my favorite. Michael Jayston’s performance as Mr Rochester is quite unlike any other I’ve ever seen. His attractiveness isn’t quite in his face as much as on his face. His charisma and his facial posture is just charming, the way he quirks his lips at the corners when he’s teasing or verbally sparring with Jane. Completely unmatched! I find it hard to compare him to Toby Stephens because Toby was cast for a purpose, and it was to take “unconventionally attractive” and make it his bitch, and just completely ooze sexuality, regardless of being regarded as an “ugly man.” (get a pair of glasses, you idiots.) Michael Jayston, however, makes Rochester a silly yet passionate man, and hardly biting. I also love that they included him in drag- absolutely wonderful. And the eyeliner was a paid actor.

- The other half of the budget went into finding the biggest dog on earth to play Pilot, I love him.

- I’m not completely sure how I felt about Bertha. I do appreciate that they didn’t try to make her or overstate that she was “exotic” like 2006 did. I think they went the right route by making her seem pathetic- her catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror when she tears Jane’s veil, her wailing about how Rochester said he’d take her home, etc. I almost felt bad for her, but also another portion of the budget went into the audio quality of her laugh wafting throughout Thornfield.

- I almost forgot- I adored this Blanche. So biting! So beautiful! She’s actually dark headed and not just perpetuating the mean blonde queen bee role!

- My dear, dear St John- you are not 29, you are 30 going on 68. Seriously, I’ve never seen a man so confusing looking. He was handsome, but in like a slight uncanny way.

- I also loved Diana and Mary so much, so so pretty and sweet. 10/10, would collapse on their porch

- Honorable Hannah mention, i feel like she and Mrs fairfax would get on like a house on fire (oops, too soon?)

Well, there we have it! My review of 1973- I was absolutely and thoroughly charmed. Thank you, to my friend, for allowing me to commentate in her DMs, maybe one day I’ll post screenshots and snippets of it, or she can if she so pleases XD

[thecoolestfreakyouknow]

adaptions not giving Rochester a lost hand and massive scar across his face my beloathed

[adobongsiopao]

For some reason, I find pleasing to hear Jane saying Mr. Rochester's name in many adaptation versions. They sounded beautiful, perhaps they rarely say it.

What Mr. Rochester said in Chapter 27 was true -

"I liked my name pronounced by your lips in a grateful happy accent."

[edeschmedie]

Sometimes I feel normal and then I step out of Tumblr and remember that no, most people do not talk about 1973 Jane Eyre miniseries that much.

[cursemewithyourkiss]

Rest in peace Michael Jayston

[junk-culture]

actually forget rating jane eyre adaptations based on their faithfulness to the book the quality of acting the chemistry the cinematics etcetera etcetera. let's base our analysis on how cute the dogs playing pilot are

[thatscarletflycatcher]

You expressed some eagerness at hearing my thoughts when I watched Jane Eyre (1973). I just watched the first episode! The transitions were soooo weird, however beyond that the direction was rather good! Definitely better production values than 1983. Jane missed a bit of passion at first but I did end up liking her! Bit much voiceover maybe but I do like there is one. Miss Temple and Helen really were so good! Finally all the Helen scenes! And they didn't tone down the religion. Very strange for the episode to end in the middle of the meeting Rochester scene; still, I'm very excited to see Michael Jayston. I already like him as an actor.

Yes!

For a BBC 1970s-1980s production, they truly threw the house through the window, as we say in Spanish XD I think only Wuthering Heights 1978 got as much evident budget (and it has some actually artsy, inspired camera work? that one is kinda wild).

The whole tone of 73' is strangely... lighthearted? Jane goes through life like "I'M GOING ON AN ADVENTURE WEEE" which is a bit strange overall, but it pays off nicely when she gets to interact with Rochester, because he's trying all his bullshit so hard and she's like "lol, you are pathetic, I love you".

The voiceover thing is strange too, because it's hilariously overdone on episode 1 (like, the action stops so that Jane can narrate at us XD) but then it slowly goes away as the adaptation moves forward? I don't remember it ever being fully absent, but it is noticeably dropped in intensity.

I ADORE 73 Helen! I think the series does get what is The PointTM of the character and translates it well, and that's so satisfying considering how often that is not the case.

The ending of the episode is meant to be a cliffhanger, I think. If you are not familiar with the story, the mystery of the stranger would be a hook to tune in next time.