MovieChat Forums > Jane Eyre (1996) Discussion > The lead actress ruined the movie for me

The lead actress ruined the movie for me

posted 19 years ago by tara_r_a
42 replies | jump to latest

I was left wondering how a fierce and passionate Anna Paquin could grow up into such a bland wooden faced Charlotte .. i think they made a horrible mistake in casting her as the heroine , i know she is supposed to be sort of repressed and stoic, but she could still be able to portray all that without acting like a robot.
( like how in 95's Pride and Prejudice,actress jennifer ehle was able to portray Elizabeth Bennet so well and was so expressive in her voice and her expressions without being overly dramatic )

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] zill_o_the_wisp 12 years ago

Silly_Lady: "Yeah, I noticed that Charlotte always ruins the movies she's in. Not a very good actress. I'm Not There would have been much better without her."<

You certainly are aptly named. What a load of ridiculous doggerel that is.
Without Charlotte, many movies would have been unwatchable. You have it completely backwards.

[–] hatton-1 9 years ago

Quite frankly my dear I couldn't give a damn. She is one of the best actors around. Nice name you have by the way.

[–] logan03 13 years ago

I thought Charlotte Gainsbourg was well-suited for this role and played the character to perfection. I saw nothing robotic about her demeanor or performance.

You've done some bad things, sweetie.

[–] Mandyjam 13 years ago

I loved Charlotte Gainsbourg's portrayal of Jane.

"great minds think differently"

[–] cinesylph 11 years ago

[and the debate continues :) ]
I absolutely disagree. In my opinion, Gainsbourg was almost the only good thing about this adaptation. I felt her strength, intelligence and restrained passion come through, whereas I got nuthin' coming from Mr. Hurt. I found myself looking to her to carry each scene and interaction w/ Rochester, and being more distracted than anything by Hurt. (I was practically willing Hurt to warrant her attachment to him, but no luck...)
I actually think Gainsbourg's Jane rivals Ruth Wilson's (2006), and hers is my favorite of the portrayals I've seen. I ultimately blame Zeffirelli for neglecting to guide the film and actors better, being seemingly more intent on capturing fall foliage (which, though beautiful, did not actually suit the moody/mystical feeling of JE, but that's another thread!). I rather feel that Gainsbourg's abilities were done a disservice by and were largely wasted on this production.
And yes, it is remarkable how differently people can react to the same art!

[–] DarcyBrandon 11 years ago

Charlotte was amazing. She had been oppressed in that school but you could still see that she had fire inside her.

[–] pulsatingstar 11 years ago

I could not disagree more!
At this film, Gainsbourg reminded me of a ballerina, or a white swan. A bird. Transparent, thin and fragile silent but tense, full of creativity and full of the primordial force of life, but still subjugated to her previous fate... and of course, to the protocols of the Victorian period.
Charlotte Gainsbourg especially in this movie was simply outstanding.
(I totally agree with jrice-11), sorry for my bad english!

[–] rizdek 11 years ago

I'll have to chime in and say I liked Jane in this version. I usually like Hurt, but not so much as Rochester.

[–] patabarca 10 years ago

My husband and I have just finished watching the last of the Jane Eyres on Netflix. This was our choice for watching last. Charlotte Gainsbourg was by far the best Jane. Hurt was the worst Rochester. I totally agree with rizdek. I usually like Hurt, but I hated him as Rochester. Ever since we saw this version *years* ago, we have made fun of Hurt's, "Jane. Jane." Bloodly awful. But we love how accurately Gainsbourg portrays the Jane of the novel.

[–] magpieskye 9 years ago

Hurt's performance is so meh. I just cannot buy him as Rochester, all I see is Wm Hurt trying to say his limes with a poor attempt at an English accent. What the heck was Zeffirelli thinking?

I enjoyed Gainsboirgh though, and Pacquin. Chaplin gives her usual performance in these types of roles (e.g. her Fraulein Rottenmeir in Heidi). Plowright was lovely. Amanda Root was a bright spot, Elle Macpherson was dire, Leann Rowe was pretty good as Helen. Billie Whitelaw seemed wasted on Grace Poole.

[–] edjavega 8 years ago

If you read the book, you will see that Charlotte Gainsbourg WAS the Jane Eyre of the novel.

Some actresses like Joan Fontaine and Susannah York were just too glamorous for the part. Mia Wazikowska also looked prettier than how she was described by Bronte.

But CG got the character completely, including her breeding, her simplicity and her repressed passion.

William Hurt though...... no.

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] hatton-1 9 years ago

I thought that CG was absolutely phenomenal in this. I can read that emotion in the eyes straight off. Trapped within a certain cultural framework, you can only live in the interior.Bravo to her.