Jane Eyre 175 Years -- October 19, 2022

listal.com

175 years ago today, Charlotte Brontë, using the male pseudonym Currer Bell, published her most popular novel, Jane Eyre. 

About a year ago, we saw that the story had been adapted into silent movies many times:

Big V Riot Squad: Jane Eyre -- September 13, 1921

This time I will write about some of the talking picture adaptions. 

Akron Beacon-Journal, 04-August-1934

The first talkie that I could find was Jane Eyre, made in 1934 by Monogram. Virginia Bruce played Jane, Colin Clive played Edward Rochester and Claire Du Brey played Bertha Rochester. Christy Cabanne directed. 

Boston Globe, 28-July-1934

Monogram was known for making relatively high-quality B pictures on relatively modest budgets. The success of a costume picture made on such a low budget attracted the attention of other studios.

listal.com

In 1943, Val Lewton was in the midst of producing a series of excellent but low-budgeted horror films for RKO. Jacques Tourneur directed I Walked with a Zombie, which borrowed much of its plot from Jane Eyre. Frances Dee played a Canadian nurse who was hired to be caregiver for the sick wife (Christine Gordon) of a wealthy plantation owner (Tom Conway). Things rapidly go sideways. It is always nice to see and hear Calypso singer Sir Lancelot in a Lewton film.

Also in 1943, Robert Stevenson directed the first big-budget sound adaption, which was written by John Houseman and Aldous Huxley. Joan Fontaine played Jane, Orson Welles played Edward Rochester and I don't know who played Bertha. The film was produced and distributed by 20th Century-Fox. Welles played Rochester several times on the radio.

Detroit Free Press, 18-July-1943

Also during 1943, movie star Sylvia Sidney toured the nation with her husband, Luther Adler. Helen Jerome wrote the stage adaption.

listal.com

In 1970, George C Scott played Edward Rochester in a made-for-television movie. It was released in theaters in Europe. Susannah York played Jane. Scott did several movies like this in that period, including adaptions of A Christmas Carol, Beauty and the Beast and Oliver Twist. The later productions were sponsored by Armour Star Ham.

listal.com

Director Franco Zeffereli made an adaption in 1996. Charlotte Gainsbourg was Jane, William Hurt was Rochester and Maria Schneider was Bertha Rochester.

listal.com

In 1997, director Carey Fukunaga made another adaption. Mia Wasikowska was Jane Eyre, Michael Fassbender was Rochester and Valentina Cervi was Bertha.

Perhaps another time, I will write about non-English language versions or television adaptions.

Peter O'Toole and Joan Fontaine RIP -- December 16, 2013

I was sad to learn of the deaths of Peter O'Toole and Joan Fontaine. 

It is a wonder that Peter O'Toole lived as long as he did, because he had been a hard drinker.  I loved almost everything I saw or heard him in, from Lawrence of Arabia to Ratatouille.

One summer I took a Joseph Conrad summer class from a favorite professor who wanted to do something out of his usual area, which was Old and Middle English.  No one else knew how to work a 16mm projector, so I ran Lord Jim, with an anamorphic lens, which I had never before touched. 

I still hear people quote lines from My Favorite Year.  "Ladies are unwell. Gentlemen vomit."

He played Sherlock Holmes in a series of animated adaptions. 

The image shows him with Audrey Hepburn on the set of How to Steal a Million, which was released in 1965.

Joan Fontaine and her sister, Olivia De Havilland were Hollywood stars and cousins of aircraft designer Sir Geoffrey de Havilland.  Joan Fontaine appeared in Hitchcock's Rebecca, his first movie in America, and Suspicion. 

I hope that Miss Fontaine and her sister spoke to each other before it was too late. 

Happy Talk Like a Pirate Day #2 -- September 19, 2012

Olivia De Havilland and her sister Joan Fontaine were Hollywood stars and cousins of aircraft designer Sir Geoffrey de Havilland. Olivia De Havilland appeared in Captain Blood, The Adventures of Robin Hood and other movies with Errol Flynn.