Jane Eyre

Released by: Twilight Time
Released on: November 12th, 2013.
Director: Robert Stevenson
Cast: Orson Welles, Joan Fontaine, Margaret O'Brien, Peggy Ann Garner, Elizabeth Taylor
Year: 1943
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The Movie:

Robert Stevenson's 1943 adaptation of Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre definitely has some similarities to Alfred Hitchcock's 1940 film Rebecca, but it is very much its own beast. While debate continues and will likely never cease in regards to how much influence leading man Orson Welles had in terms of the film's direction, none of that takes away from the power that the film has to move those willing to invest of themselves in its gorgeous use of shadows and effectively creepy sets and locations. If the story were nothing to write home about, the film would still succeed based on the strength of its visuals - but thankfully that's not the case and we get some very solid storytelling here to compliment all that the camera captures.

The film begins with an orphan named Jane (Peggy Ann Garner) whose domineering aunt (Agnes Moorehead) sends here to the cold and depressing Lowood Institution, run by Reverend Brocklehurst (Henry Daniell). His theory of child care is to break the girls that are entrusted to him so that they don't contest any of what he asks of them. Jane befriends another girl named Helen (a very young Elizabeth Taylor) and soon the two of them learn the hard way just how seriously Brocklehurst takes his task. In fact, so far does the reverend take his methods that Helen actually dies from her injuries. Jane, however, makes it out of this horrible place alive and grows up (and is at this point played by Joan Fontaine). Though Brocklehurst offers her a job in his employ, not so surprisingly she declines and soon finds work at the Thornfield Estate where she works as a governess.

The estate is looms large over the seemingly empty and consistently dark hills in the area. While out walking the area, Jane is almost trampled by the horse ridden by Edward Rochester (Orson Welles), her employer, but despite this less than welcoming first impression, Jane soon settles in and seems to enjoy her job caring for Rochester's ward, Adele (Margaret O'Brien). Shortly after her spirits seem lifted, a series of strange events begins to plague those who call the estate home. As things become increasingly unsettling, she can't help but begin to obsess over her employer despite the fact that he is soon to wed a wealthy local woman.

Shot by George Barnes (who, maybe not so coincidentally, shot Rebecca) and scored by none other than Bernard Herrmann, Jane Eyre is a movie ripe with atmosphere, far more than you'd expect from what is essentially a romance story, albeit one with some interesting and very dark undercurrents. The early scenes with Garner in the lead have a bleakness to them that first the story but once the setting shifts to Thornfield, the film is awash in shadows and fog and creepy looking trees and stone buildings - in fact it's in these moments that the film, visually speaking, has more in common with something like Mario Bava's Black Sunday than most costumed melodrama's you could mention. It's these quirks, among others, that make the movie so watchable.

While the drama does come across as forced sometimes, it is always performed by a talented cast at the top of their game, which of course makes it far easier to get swept up in it all. Welles is Welles, he's imposing and strong, powerful and forceful. When he speaks, you listen - and he's great in the part. He exudes that unique screen presence that only he could bring to a film and he uses it to craft a very interesting character. On the flip side, both Garner and Fontaine infuse their shared character with a pathos that makes it easy to care about the outcome of her plight. Supporting work from Taylor as Jane's only real friend in her younger days and both Moorehead and Daniell as the unpleasant aunt and truly wicked reverend respectively are both well played. Margaret O'Brien is just as charming as can be in her role as well.

It'd be easy for most readers of this site to simply dismiss this picture as a tawdry romance and be done with it but this particular film is so far removed from what most romance films do that it's almost in a genre all its own. There's a spookiness here, a haunting quality to the film that, when combined with the technical polish on display and the fantastic performances, makes it a completely engrossing watch.

Video/Audio/Extras:

Jane Eyre debuts on Blu-ray in an AVC encoded 1.33.1 fullscreen 1080p high definition transfer that is sourced from the best known elements (the negative was not an option here). Though contrast does sometimes bloom while grain is sometimes heavy and mild print damage not at all uncommon, the good certainly does outweigh the bad here. Detail looks about as good as the source materials will allow for, which is to say that it won't floor you but it is noticeably better than what SD would allow for. There is some jitter here and there the healthy bit rate keeps compression issues out of site. No noticeable issues with noise reduction or edge enhancement are noticeable and all in all, this is an accurately film like presentation of some materials that were in less than perfect condition.

The only audio option on the disc is a DTS-HD Mono track, though optional closed captioning is provided in English. Sound quality, for the most part, is just fine. It is limited in range, which is understandable given its age and origins, but dialogue is generally quite natural sounding. For the most part the score from Bernard Herrmann has good presence and the levels are nicely balanced throughout the film.

The first of the two audio commentary tracks on the disc features Orson Welles biographer Joseph McBride and actress Margaret O' Brien, recorded separately and edited together into a scene specific analysis of the movie ripe with plenty of facts and anecdotes about its history. As you'd assume, McBride's comments are focused more on what Welles did here while McBride shares her own memories of working on this picture. A second track gathers together film historians Julie Kirgo, Nick Redman, and Steven C. Smith and the emphasis here is on the history and importance of the picture. It's good talk that covers not only the obvious subjects like the cast and the director but also, and in some ways just as importantly, the work that Herrmann contributed here as well as the editing, the pacing, the locations and more. Both tracks offer plenty of information about the picture and, for fans of the picture or Welles junkies, are quite worthwhile.

We also get an interesting featurette in the form of the nineteen minute Locked In The Tower: The Men Behind Jane Eyre which does a fine job of examining the respective contributions of Robert Stevenson and Orson Welles respectively. This is worth watching and well put together and a nice addition to the disc as it does a fine job of exploring the relationship that existed between the imposing Welles and the more subdued Stevenson.

Rounding things out, we get a United States War Department film that Stevenson made called Know Your Ally Britain. It's forty-two minutes in length and very much a product of the early 1940s in which it was made, both technically and politically. Those with an interest in military history and propaganda movies will appreciate this as it's quite interesting in how it explains the relationships between the US and the UK. The original theatrical trailer, an isolated score track, menus and chapter selection are also found on the disc.

As is the norm with Twilight Time Blu-rays, we also get a nice insert booklet included inside the case that features an essay on the history and importance of the film written by Julie Kirgo offering some welcome insight and backstory.

The Final Word:

Jane Eyre may not look as amazing on Blu-ray as some older black and white films have but this is still a very strong effort from Twilight Time and would seem to be a case of doing the best with what there is. The plus side is that while the transfer may not be perfect, the audio is very good and there's a nice collection of interesting and very informative supplements included on the disc. The movie itself is a classic gothic film if ever there was one, a moving and emotionally involving film with loads of atmosphere and a fantastic cast.

Click on the images below for full sized Blu-ray screen caps!