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In comparison with the movies about
James Bond as it happened in the West I'm sure that here in Russia the TV
miniserial "Jane Eyre" serves as a "visiting card" of Timothy Dalton, owing
to whose talent, life experience and fascination we were bestowed upon
unforgettable moments of meeting with genuine art of acting! And now it's 15
years since the movie has been released and various screen versions of
immortal Charlotte Bronte's masterpiece have appeared we can't stop admiring
either the way the creators of this miniserial precisely follow the inner
atmosphere and the plot of the novel, and the way they succeed in
psychological description of origin and development of the correlation
between two persons, a man and a young worldly unsophisticated woman,
obstacles between whom seem first to be insurmountable, then completely
absent.
As the authentic masterpiece of art becomes
Charlotte's novel incorporates information about various spheres of life.
This novel provides everyone with something similar to his (her) time. For
instance Karl Marx considered that creative activity of this author as well
as Dickens' and Tackeray's one "brought to light more political and social
truth than all politicians, publicists and moralists could do".
Fortunately film producers didn't accent on the
horrors of capitalism as well as they kept the overall life story of Jane
from her childhood up to her arriving to Rochesters', but they paid main
attention to the destiny of two nonordinary but very lonely persons. The
theme of spiritual loneliness probably is rather actual nowadays though among
young and middle-aged guys, girls and women there are numerous viewers who
watch this film with tremendous interest.
It's 15 years since the first release of the
movie but I've met nobody disliking this film, I've bumped into no negative
review. If You are aware of anything - please, contact me. As it widely
considered the main reason for it is the particular sense of belonging to
spiritual feelings of the characters this miniserial abounds in, peculiar
correlation between them being embodied on the screen by Timothy Dalton and
Zelah Clarke who "were simply born to play these roles" as various reviews
speak.
I can agree with the above stated viewpoint
only by half 'cause Zelah who's acting was an "hour of triumph". Her Jane
being alike with Charlotte herself was strangely open-hearted, very calm and
steady in critical situations, who possessed a rare gift of keen observation,
but at the time who wasn't able to trade principles off for the sake of love,
conquered our hearts from the first glance.
But as for Mr.Rochester…he can drive mad
anybody desiring to follow momentary changing of his mood reflecting deep
personal experiences that have fallen to his lot. It's really surprising how
Timothy succeeds in reproducing man's behavior in such situation that was
depicted in the novel from the author's feminine standpoint. Frankly speaking
I've never and nowhere seen anything alike.
Inquisitiveness and curiosity forced my seeing
of this film many times to understand the way Tim succeeds in reflecting the
overall range of complicated feelings that "tear Mr.Rochester to pieces".
Every time I realized that I wasn't going to understand anything and simply
starred at the screen, being enchanted as for the first time and admiring the
genuine art of reincarnation again and again.
It's rather interesting that being involved in
studying of this theme, I mean the art of acting, I started looking through
"theatre" literature. Among the books I was lucky to skip through was a
two-volume edition of "Literary heritage" by Michael Chekhov - Mr.
Stanislavsky's close friend and contemporary, who possessed a brilliant
dramatic talent.
On page 10 of the introductory article to this
edition (M.Chekhov. "Literary heritage". In two volumes. V.1. Reminiscences.
Letters.-Moscow, 1995.-542p., with illustrations) by Chekhov's contemporary
M.O.Knebel I found such lines about those as well as me in the case with
Dalton trying to understand the way Michael lead his part: "…Chekhov actor's
influence on the theater goer was a real phenomenon which could be completely
explained by nobody nowadays even. I had to discuss it with many outstanding
actors and producers. Everybody repeated the same: "It's a miracle that can't
be disclosed. Sergey M.Ezeinshtein said that he would sacrifice everything to
understand the secret of that tremendous talent. I.V.Ilinski chose the word
"inscrutability". Michael M.Shtaukh told that he had attended numerous plays
with Chekhov's acting to "spy" upon mystery of his art, but he never
succeeded in keeping position of a rational observer - Chekhov bewildered
and turned him to obedient child who laughed and cried against the will of
actor the Wizard".
Second resemblance between Timothy and Michael
Chekhov lies in the ability of the first to "animate" lines so naturally, so
persuasive that this text seems to be the one of Timothy's own. Truly indeed
I bought a book by Charlotte issued in Great Britain in English in order to
make sure the book text conformed to that being pronounced by Dalton
especially in scenes abound in emotions i.e.: declaration of love in the
evening park and justification of his activities after a might-have-been
marriage. In the above mentioned introduction to Chekhov's two-volume edition
(page 14) we read about Nemirovich-Danchenko (we're talking about "Revizor"
staging produced by Stanislavski in 1921 in Moscow Artistic Academic Theater - K.E.)
who entered the hall carrying on a small volume of Gogol and stayed up to the
end, collating the role with the original - Chekhov seemed to act independently
in his own way. At least it turned out that there had been no "own words",
all punctuation had been observed, all commas and complicacy of Gogol's
lexicology had been taken into account". So it was obvious that neither
Chekhov nor Tim had digressed the text!
Third resemblance. In the book by Charlotte
Mister Rochester is a stocky, broad-shouldered and dark-eyed man. In life
Tim is tall, thin and he has green eyes… But in movies, especially in scenes
shot in the ancient castle Dalton's Rochester is presented to You not only in
outward but in internal appearance as being described by Charlotte herself
and he has brown eyes! In that very introduction to Chekhov's two-volume
edition on page 10 we read the following: "In memoirs, evidences of those
who played with Chekhov we can bump into contradictory knowledge concerning
actor's eye color even - they seemed different in various roles. What's this?
A gift of reincarnation? An unexpected power of actor's character? I'm sure
both. I can't help agreeing here with M.O.Knebel!
To my mind all these qualities of the actor
represent real aerobatics in this profession!
No, Timothy wasn't born to play this part only!
He was born to play numerous parts! It's quite another matter that these roles
where Timothy's talent can be completely exposed are in deficit in our country!
It's the main obstacle for every talented person and not only the actor. Thus
here in Russia we passionately follow his creativity 'cause our overall
"innovations" and "reforms" have negatively influenced the major representatives
of various creative professions so many of them are still being unclaimed!
Dalton splendidly plays the role of Rochester.
This playing may be compared with a virtuoso-musician's one. Actually when I
follow the way Tim acts on the stage it seems to me that I'm listening to the
music so all his movements, gestures, words and acts are shapely precise and
at the same time are strictly determined and confined. It seems that one
should play up to him as an experienced student does to his examiner and
Tim'll take a scene with even an amateur completely upon himself. In that
film Zelah Clark was completely obliged to Dalton for her tremendous success
'cause later on she would have a minor role in the TV serial entitled as
"Lady Jane" where Helen Bonham-Carter was proclaimed to be a rising film-star.
In one of her latest interviews Zelah considered
"Jane Eyre" to be an "old-fashioned" movie… I think she has said so in the
heat of the moment or having a grudge against her destiny 'cause I'm sure
that 1983 staging will go down in history as the best screen version of the
novel by Charlotte Bronte and may be the best screen version of the world
classics!
Actually the 20th century has gladdened us with
numerous screen versions of the classic plot that we can hardly find a person
who has seen all of them! If my memory serves me right there still exists a
screen version about Jane Eyre adopted especially for the Indian viewer! I've
got acquainted with three of them only however I wish I have seen the version
of 1970 and 1997 staged by BBC and the musical of 1998 being on for about a
year in the US as the Internet says.
I've made a video-film of my own involving all
the versions available in my collection where three pares of actors "pass
through" the main scenes of the novel in their turns (Jane's arriving to
Turnfield, acquaintance with Mrs. Fairfax and Adele, first meeting with Mr.
Rochester, dialogues in the drawing-room, rescue of Mr. Rochester from fire,
guest reception, etc.). In my "staging" there are: Joan Fontain and Orson
Welles from the film produced by Robert Stivenson in 1944, Zelah Clarke and
Timothy Dalton from the TV serial of 1983 and Charlotte Gainsbourg and William
Hurt from the film produced by Franco Zeffirelli in 1996.
When watching the entirely mounted film I was
greatly impressed by the following: I realized that image created by Timothy
Dalton was richer than Orson Welles' acting it had been frequently compared
with. These works can't be compared with each other as it is impossible to
compare phonation of natural and artificial music instruments, three-dimensional
and flat images. Some times William Hurt seems to be OK but even here he
can't deviate from the stated stereotype usually drawn in his creativity
representing Rochester in final scenes as a weak and even miserable creature.
As for the women - they all look good: clear head Joan, young and meanwhile
inexperienced Charlotte Gainsburg who feels herself at home in this cosy
gathering - all these facts confirm the truism that even an amateur will
look more effective in the strong company!
In conclusion to my review I provide You with
the complete list of screen versions of the book "Jane Eyre" selected from
the Internet Database (IMDB - Internet Movie Database). I do it with a light
heart and a strong confidence that "Jane Eyre" as the TV miniserial of 1983
will stand any competition and remain the best screen version of the novel at
least for the 20th century. Finally I'd like to mention that any comparison
of the actors playing the role of Mr. Rochester is in favour of Timothy
Dalton!
The List of "Jane Eyre" Picturizations
with the movie's ratings (based on IMDB data)
FILMS
1. "Jane Eyre" - 1996
Rating - 6.9, in the main parts: William Hurt and Charlotte Gainsburg
2. "Sangdil" (aka "Jane Eyre"),
Indian movie - 1952
3. "Jane Eyre" - 1944
Rating - 7.9, In the main parts: Orson Welles and Joan Fontaine
4. "Jane Eyre" - 1934
In the main parts: Colin Clive and Virginia Bruce
5. "Jane Eyre" - 1921
In the main parts: Norman Trevor and Mabel Ballin
6. "Jane Eyre" - 1914
TV-FILMS
1. "Jane Eyre" - 1997
Rating - 8.0, in the main parts: Ciaron Hinds and Samantha Morton
2. "Jane Eyre" - 1970
Rating - 7.2, in the main parts: George C. Scott and Susannah York
3. "Jane Eyre" - 1961
In the main part: Sally Ann Howes
TV-SERIALS
1. "Jane Eure" - 1983 (mini)
Rating - 8.4, in the main parts: Timothy Dalton and Zelah Clarke
2. "Jane Eyre" - 1973 (mini)
In the main parts: Michael Jayston and Sorcha Cussack
Ê.Å., 1999
Order in Amazon
[Genre]
[Character]
[Chronology]
[1960 - 70-th]
[80-th]
[1990-th]
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