He starred opposite claudette colbert in irving pichels melodrama tomorrow is forever 1946 before finally being given a chance by producer sam. Yet it ends up rather shallow, lacking the cinematic intensity of the orson welles version, though that was widely. But the center of robert stevensons 1943 film version of the book its selfappointed sun king, the lord and master of all he surveys is orson welles as janes employer and. Jane eyre streams on youtube from 7pm on 9 april as part of national theatre at home. Met joan fontaine, orson welles en margaret obrien. Jean rhys s novel wide sargasso sea 1966 offers an account of rochesters first marriage. Literary ladies guide inspiration for readers and writers from classic women authors. The sound and picture are excellent when you take into account the age of the film, very good restoration. This jane eyre is a goodlooking film, serious, thought through and well acted. Orson welles is endlessly entertaining, joan fontaine is sublime, the music is glorious, the direction is stalwart, and the. Jane eyre 1943 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Orson welles as macbeth 1948 in his film version on the web site shadowplay, there is a fascinating anecdote by david cairns about welles nose collection. His 1938 broadcast of the radio drama the war of the worlds had caused mass panic at the time and is now considered a legend. Feito pela 20th century fox, foi dirigido por robert stevenson e produzido por william goetz, kenneth macgowan e orson welles nao creditado.
After a harsh childhood, orphan jane eyre joan fontaine is hired by edward rochester orson welles, the brooding lord of a mysterious manor house, to care for his young daughter. Reed finds janes behavior untenable and arranges for her to be sent to. A consistent trait of all the adaptations is the conversion of jane and rochester from plain or unhandsome to goodlooking. Joan fontaine and orson welles also make a great couple though the former is rather too beautiful and the later rather over the top and melodramatic. In this beloved classic adapted from charlotte brontes novel, joan fontaine stars as the spirited governess of a prickly man orson welles with dark secrets and love for her. Jane eyre with joan fontaine and orson wells based on the classic novel by charlotte bronte. Jane eyre is a film directed by robert stevenson with orson welles, joan fontaine, margaret obrien, peggy ann garner, year. Immediately establishing the gloom of the film, jane eyre peggy ann garner is an independent and defiant orphan living at gateshead hall with her aunt, mrs. Orson welles was an american actor, director, writer, and producer who is best remembered for his innovative work in theatre, radio, and film. A great story, a great film and an amazing writer in charlotte bronte. Jun 07, 2016 i first saw this version of jane eyre as a child and i remember thinking that orson welles was perfect as rochester while although he isnt what you would call typically handsome, somehow his demeanor and air in this film make him so.
Jane eyre 1943 film based on the novel by charlotte bronte. Adapted for the screen by aldous huxley, robertstevenson and john houseman, and directed by stevenson, this stirring film is the definitive version of the engrossing classic. Jane eyre on lux radio theater, june 5, 1944 orson welles and loretta young jane eyre on the mercury summer theatre on the air, june 28, 1946 orson welles and alice frost orphaned, unloved, and unwanted tenyearold jane eyre peggy ann garner lives with her cruel and selfish, uncaring paternal aunt, mrs. For the orson welles centenary, an excerpt from robert stevensons memorable 1943 adaptation of jane eyre, welles first film performance. The stranger, the lady from shanghai, and macbeth mysterious rochester in robert stevensons jane eyre 1943 opposite joan fontaine. What made jane eyre work so well as a novel by charlotte bronte, and in three previous film versions, is the classic purity of the two central characters. And both legend and hearsay have it that he might have had more to do with the film s success than. This is a version of jane eyre which delves into some of the unexplained aspects of the novel.
Jane played here by charlotte gainsbourg is plain, severe addressed in somber clothes, an unwanted orphan whose unhappy days at boarding school have been followed by employment at the forbidding thornfield hall. United states war department film directed by robert stevenson. Jane eyre, made in 1944, was the fifth hollywood version of the bronte classic. Though shot on sound stages of the fox, this adaptation is atmospheric and ominous, largely due to barnes dark cinematography, which evokes the novel. It was directed by robert stevenson and produced by the uncredited kenneth macgowan and orson welles. Read the jane eyre movie synopsis, view the movie trailer, get cast and crew information, see movie photos, and more on. Screenplay by, john houseman aldous huxley robert stevenson. Widely considered a classic, it gave a new truthfulness to the victorian novel with its realistic portrayal of the inner life of a woman, noting her struggles with her natural desires and social condition.
Orson welles, joan fontaine, margaret obrien, peggy ann garner en john sutton. Mar 16, 2011 the classic jane eyre is the 1944 version with joan fontaine and orson welles. Audio commentary by orson welles biographer joseph mcbride and actress margaret obrien. As a kid i was intrigued by the blackandwhite film noir version with orson welles as rochester and music by bernard herrmann. Jane eyre came out in 1847, a little more than 30 years after pride and prejudice, and yet as mr. This version of jane eyre works in some novel twists that fit into the original plot, such as janes pursuit of rochester and st. In his first film performance for another director, welles starred in robert stevensons 1943 version of charlotte brontes jane eyre, playing edward rochester opposite joan fontaines governess. In 1944, joan fontaine and orson welles played the leads, jane eyre and rochester, and though welles looks much older than fontaine and his real age, the actors are more or less the same age. After a harsh childhood, orphan jane eyre is hired by edward rochester, the brooding lord of a mysterious manor house to care for his young daughter. In 1982, the bbc broadcast the orson welles story in the arena series. And with its theatrical shadows it looks superficially like an orson welles film and, to add to the effect, there is bernard herrmanns music and agnes moorehead and welles had done jane eyre on the radio and the project had originally been a david seznick baby before he sold the package to 20th century fox, selznicks new deputy, john. While in his twenties welles directed a number of highprofile stage productions for the federal theatre project, including an adaptation of macbeth with an. In 1944, joan fontaine and orson welles played the leads, jane eyre and. Jane eyre might have seemed like an unlikely follow up, but the murky, gothic, romanceashorrorstory was an ideal fit for welles.
Apr 07, 20 the 1943 film version of the classic stars orson welles as edward rochester, joan fontaine as jane eyre, henry daniell as mr. This doesnt even count the approximately 64 billion jane eyre radio plays. The first american edition was published the following year. Jane eyre was a book written by emily bronte it was published on 16 october 1847, under the pen name currer bell. But none of the studios was rushing to sign him as a director. What i liked about this version is that zeffirelli is true to the characters. Joan fontaine and orson welles in jane eyre 1943 jane eyre elizabeth taylor, peggy ann garner 1944 20th. Jane eyre by robert stevenson orson welles, joan fontaine. Orson welles 1915 1985 and joan fontaine star as mr rochester and jane in the 1944 film jane eyre. Jane eyre, 1996 film a recent bigbudget film version of jane eyre, directed by the famous and fantastic franco zeffirelli.
Jane eyre is an american film adaptation of charlotte bronte s 1847 novel of the same name, released by 20th century fox. Jane eyre, novel by charlotte bronte, first published in 1847. The beginning is superb, with the children, played by peggy ann garner and elizabeth taylor, absolutely mesmerising. Drama romantiek film geregisseerd door robert stevenson. Reed agnes moorehead, and her spiteful son ronald harris. The classic jane eyre is the 1944 version with joan fontaine and orson welles. Where better to start than with the classic 1943 rendition, starring major actors orson welles and joan fontaine. Audio commentary with film historians nick redman, steven smith and julie kirgo. It has a story that i can only describe as a meshing of beauty and the beast and rebecca. Each new snout would be handcrafted by studio artists to the actors exacting specifications, and at the end of filming would go into welles private collection. Jane eyre original film score licensed to youtube by tunecore on behalf of red bitch music. Sep 10, 2011 this jane eyre is a goodlooking film, serious, thought through and well acted. Jane eyre spotlights orson welles perfect romantic. But before any more introduction, the movie plot of jane eyre, should it be unknown to any one.
The presence of orson welles in the cast he receives top billing. Mar 28, 2020 jane eyre charlotte brontes classic about an orphan girl who grows up to become a governess in a gloomy manor in yorkshire, where she falls in love with the mysterious edward rochester. Jane eyre 1944 cast and crew based on the renowned charlotte bronte novel, this drama depicts the trials and tribulations of young english woman jane eyre joan fontaine. Rochester never really melts, and jane eyre is spared the obligatory glamor shot when she takes her hair down and we realize she was really beautiful all along as when joan fontaine starred in the 1944 version, opposite orson welles rochester. He is considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. In the novel, jane is scarily 20 and rochester is older. Made two years after citizen kane, this 1943 version of charlotte brontes jane eyre sure looks like star orson welles muscled his way behind the camera much of the time. Its not a stretch to say that this film version is far more accessible to the modern.
Interviewed by leslie megahey, welles examined his past in great detail, and several people from his professional past were interviewed as well. Rochester, with joan fontaine playing the title character. Overall, this is the only jane eyre film you will ever want to watch. Jane eyre starring orson welles and joan fontaine there are several more recent versions and theyre good as well but this is my favorite. Jane eyre is an american film adaptation of charlotte brontes 1847 novel of the same name, released by 20th century fox. From aldous huxleys intriguing orson wellesjoan fontaine 1943 film, through zelah clarke and timothy daltons 1983 bbc miniseries, charlotte brontes jane eyre has never been short of adaptations. In the mystery dishonored lady 1947, hedy lamarr portrayed a magazine editor accused of murder. Jane eyre spotlights orson welles perfect romantic antihero. Jane eyre, 1944 film this is the vintage classic film version, starring orson welles and joan fontaine. Small plain and poor jane eyre comes to thornfield hall as governess to the young ward of edward rochester. Agnes moorehead, henry daniell, sara allgood, john sutton, peggy ann garner, margaret obrien, orson welles, joan fontaine. In fact, costar joan fontainewho plays the title characterhas maintained that welles methodically did just that every day on the set. Fukunaga pointed out, a world of difference separates the two books. A goodlooking, serious, and wellacted version of the bronte classic, but it still cant match a moody orson welles, writes philip french.
In 1943, orson welles was coming off of two films that still stand as his greatest auteur creations. Unfortunately to make a 2 hour movie they cut out huge sections of the story. Where better to start than with the classic 1943 rendition, starring. After spending her childhood in an orphanage, young jane eyre fontaine becomes governess to the ward of an imposing older man named edward rochester welles. Nov 02, 20 but before any more introduction, the movie plot of jane eyre, should it be unknown to any one. Jane eyre is a widely filmed adaptation from the charlotte bronte book of the same name. Jane eyre inspired various film, tv, and stage adaptations, including a 1943 movie that starred orson welles as rochester and joan fontaine as jane. Jane eyre, a somber version of the bronte novel, with joan fontaine and orson welles, opens at the music hall. And both legend and hearsay have it that he might have had more to do with the films success than. Jane eyre 1943 newly enhanced dvd w dolby digital sound. Not as snazzy and new as some of the other versions, but charming in its own way, if you like that sort of thing. George orson welles may 6, 1915 october 10, 1985 was an american actor, director, writer and producer who is remembered for his innovative work in radio, theatre and film.
With orson welles, joan fontaine, margaret obrien, peggy ann garner. Joan fontaine and orson welles in jane eyre 1943 jane eyre elizabeth taylor. His best theatre role was in the 1937 broadway play caesar. The 1943 film version of the classic stars orson welles as edward rochester, joan fontaine as jane eyre, henry daniell as mr.
An all star cast including orson welles, joan fontaine, agnes. A dark and stormy production of charlottle brontes gothic novel, with welles making arguably the best rochester ever. An allstar cast including orson welles, joan fontaine, agnes. Jane eyre van charlotte bronte is een oerboek rondom een o. An added treat is a cameo by elizabeth taylor as helen burns, janes childhood.
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