Well, the entire Mariemont Theatre was full (not quite full, but close) of folk who had decided that late afternoon Friday was the perfect time to slip away from the office early and enjoy Jane Eyre. I, of course, knew about Jane Eyre – but had never read the book, seen any earlier movies, or ready a synopsis. I expected it to be much drearier and slower paced than it actually was.
The interiors were dim, especially at night – but not dreary. The landscapes were lovely. The only dreariness was in the very beginning, when Jane, wearing way too many layers of clothes, is out on the moors fleeing Rochester, slipping, falling, crying in the pouring rain in the dark. I almost gave up on her victim-self right then and there.
Luckily, the story, told through flashbacks, was of a much spunkier, clearer, more direct and powerful woman who was, simply and understandably (sort of) having a meltdown in those first scenes after having her wedding blasted to pieces.
The scene where she’s rescued by the vicar and his sisters, her relationship with Dame Judith Dench, her work as a governess, those awful years at school. Lots of juicy stuff to ponder – no wonder she was poised. She’d had to learn many of life’s lessons the hard way.
And the love story. There’s a reason it’s a classic that’s lasted over 160 years. And I’m glad it turned out so well that I only wanted to re-write a tiny bit of it, there at the end. Beautifully filmed and directed, too. An excellent memory to have made, and definitely worth putting into your brain.