SYNOPSIS
Charlotte Bronte’s classic novel of Gothic romance gets the Zeffirelli treatment in this moving 1996 adaptation. Orphaned Jane Eyre (Charlotte Gainsbourg) grows into a strong-willed heroine after enduring a miserable childhood (where she’s played by Anne Paquin). Things start looking better when she falls in love with the brooding Rochester (William Hurt), lord of the manor where she gets a job as governess. Unfortunately, Rochester’s family skeletons threaten to sabotage their happy ending. Director Franco Zeffirelli (HAMLET, OTELLO) stays faithful to the book while stressing natural characters and landscapes over stylized gloom and mystery, with rewarding results.
