The Classics Club: Flash Reviews 1-5

Goodness, this blog had been lacking posts of late. And the problem is, I seem to say that practically every time I post something. :P One of these days I'll give myself a challenge of posting every day for a week or two...

Anyways. When I first started The Classics Club I planned to write a paragraph or so about every book rather than actually reviewing them all (that's too daunting) and then group them together and post every five books. But I did do some separate reviews since then, of JA re-reads and Charles Dickens stuff and N&S, so it's only now that I finally have five to toss out there at once and some of them have been languishing in a Word document for some time. But anyways, here they are! 

Title: Anne of Windy Poplars

Author: L.M. Montgomery

Date: September 25, 2012

My thoughts: Delightful! Of course, it’s an Anne book, so that’s kind of duh. But I did enjoy it very much. And here I go again—it’s another book that I’ve been meaning to read for simply ages. Well technically I’ve been meaning to read the whole series for simply ages, and I only got as far as Island, and that was a few years ago, so I almost feel like I should reread the first few books too… but I intend to read the ones I’ve never read before I do that. ;) Anyway, having seen the first two Anne movies far too many times to count, it was very amusing for me to spot all the quotes and situations that came from this book that went into Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel. In the movie it’s all sort of shuffled and combined, but I must say I think they shuffled and combined in quite a masterly manner, and kept the spirit of Anne and so many of the quotes, even if they were in a very different context, were delightfully exact. Another thing that made me giggle was a couple of the characters who said things that sounded suspiciously like Mrs. Bennet with her poor nerves and nobody knowing what she suffers, but then she never complains. (Cough.)

Title: Pygmalion

Author: George Bernard Shaw

Date: February 24, 2013

My thoughts: This was fun! I was actually surprised to see how much of My Fair Lady came straight from the original play. It did have a whole lot less of the teaching period… and I must say, pretty much all the things that were changed in My Fair Lady I think were for the better. Sorry, George. But just the same, you can understand the story even better from reading the play, and it’s a pretty short read and a fun one.

Title: The Elusive Pimpernel

Author: Baroness Orczy

Date: April 10, 2013

My thoughts: It was very good.  It had been about a year since I’d read TSP, so it was definitely time to read another one. ;)  I have to admit, though, I was not liking Sir Percy most of the time.  I know the Leaguettes will not kill me for saying so, because after all, I make no attempts at murder when they say disparaging things about Mr. Darcy, so all is fair. :P

Anyways. It definitely kept my attention—but it did irritate me how right when you want to know what happens next, it goes into long descriptions about stuff you really don’t care to know the details of. Sigh. And also, these books always seem to start out rather slowly. (Well, this is only the second one I’ve read, haha, but anyways.) And it was so suspenseful the whole time, and then doesn’t spend too much time winding it down at the end. Those kind of books kind of leave me feeling a bit drained, which is probably why I’m think it will be a while again before I get to El Dorado. (But I’ll read it eventually. I promise.)

This is how I felt some of the time while reading the above. :P

Title: Jane Eyre

Author: Charlotte Brontë

Date: May 28, 2013

My thoughts: Well, this was my second reading of this book, and this time I was reading it along with Amy which made it even more delightful. J My original review is here, and if you skip down to the part with “my sentiments”… well, they are pretty much still the same, so, you know, I don’t want to repeat myself here. Of course rereads are always different… so I’m trying to think if there’s anything in particular that struck me this time. Uh… well, I was even MORE annoyed by St. John. That dude drives me NUTS, and I thought it rather a pity that the entire book ends with a quote from him. Charlotte, what were you THINKING? Heehee. And the only times I don’t like Jane is when she’s sort of under St. John’s power. :P Well, not exactly, but if you’ve read the book you’ll know what I mean.

Anyway. I definitely recommend this to everyone. And if you haven’t seen any of the movies yet either… read the book first. I didn’t. But you should. :D

Title: Anne’s House of Dreams

Author: L.M. Montgomery

Date: June 11, 2013

My thoughts: Delightful! Just what I said about Windy Poplars, I know, but that’s the word that seems to describe the Anne books for me. Just purely delightful. Of course, the whole thing wasn’t happy (heh), but everything just has a sort of light-hearted feeling that I love. Another thing was that reading this book for me it was like getting to a clean, new portion of snow that hasn’t been walked on yet and experiencing the mixed pleasure and regret of doing it yourself. Having seen the movies, I knew at least parts of the stories of the first four books, but as this is the fifth it was all completely new for me—and I’d always sort of looked forward to it at the same time since... well, once you know you know and then it’s not new anymore. ;) But anyways, it was a lot of fun getting whole new stories and characters. You can really grow to love Leslie Moore even though you may not at the beginning… Miss Cornelia is absolutely hilarious and I know I will be quoting her forever with her “Isn’t that like a man?”, “believe me.” Oh, and Captain Jim! Ahhh! He was great, besides for having a low opinion of women writers. (Of course, it was a woman writer who made that up, so whatever. Haha.) And I finally get the context of the race that knows Joseph, after having had it quoted at me a lot. ;) (I still don’t know why Joseph, though. Am I being dense? Can anybody enlighten me?) 

And that's it for now. (You can see my Classics Club page here.)

Vote for Lines of Literature!

 

"Couldn't have said it better myself." As that is often the case with classic literature, it can be amusing to try to say it worse. Last week I challenged my readers to dumb down some classic quotes as a satire on modern language, just for the fun of it.

The Lines of Literature Paraphrase Challenge is now closed for entries. I received 25 quotes in all, which is more than I was expecting and I am very happy. Thank you so much, everyone!
 Now comes a fun part, when you get to read everyone else's; only you won't know who wrote what. That, my dear readers, will not be revealed until the end. 
 I have divided everything up into 8 polls. The polls will be open until a week from today (Wed., March 14, 2012) and then I will post the results and probably one large poll to determine the overall favorite. And I may just make a button or two for prizes. ;)

I would suggest not voting for your own, just because I think it's easier for you and perhaps more fair in general. At least, when I have the option to vote for my own thing, it's far more difficult than if I wasn't supposed to. But I don't forbid it. Especially if you really do like your own the best... hehe.

 Poll One: From Emma by Jane Austen
1.
Original Quote:
"Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition, seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence; and had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her."
Satire:
"Emma Woodhouse, gorgeous, smart and loaded with cash, with a great house and a happy-go-lucky attitude, had basically everything anybody could want and had gotten through almost 21 years without having any reason for a temper tantrum."

 2. 
Original Quote:
"Human nature is so well disposed towards those who are in interesting situations, that a young person, who either marries or dies, is sure of being kindly spoken of." 
Satire:

"People like people who are interesting, so people will speak kindly of young people who die or get married." 
 

3.

Original Quote:

"I am very much astonished, Mr. Elton. This to me! you forget yourself—you take me for my friend—any message to Miss Smith I shall be happy to deliver; but no more of this to me, if you please."

Satire:

"Hello, Harriet cannot come to the phone right now. Please leave your name, number, and a brief message and Harriet will be with your shortly." 

{Poll removed--results}

Poll Two: From Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

1.
Original Quote:

“The power of doing any thing with quickness is always much prized by the possessor, and often without any attention to the imperfection of the performance.”

Paraphrase:

“If you can do it fast, you’re proud of it – despite the awful job you’re doing.” 

 2. 
Original Quote:
I have not the pleasure of understanding you.
Paraphrase:
"I ain’t got no idea what you’re going on about."

 3 & 4
Original Quote:
A lady’s imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony in a moment. 
(3) Paraphrase:
"You say to one girl that another girl is pretty, and instantly she starts planning your wedding."
(4) Paraphrase:
“Ladies have big imaginations – they are sure that if you think a girl is cute, you love her; if you love her, you want to marry her. And all this imagining in only a second!” 

{Poll removed--results}

Poll 3: Charles Dickens quotes

1.
Original Quote:
"And, as Tiny Tim observed, 'God bless us, every one!'"
~A Christmas Carol
Interpretation: 

"So, to quote Tiny Tim, 'Let's all have a great and politically correct day, okay?'"

(Author's note: "Because seriously, if ACC had been published today, that's probably how the book would've ended. :P")

2.

Original Quote:

“Although a skillful flatterer is a most delightful companion if you have him all to yourself, his taste becomes very doubtful when he takes to complimenting other people.”

Interpretation:

“A flatterer’s taste is only good when you have him all to yourself – once he speaks of others, he’s not so great.” 
 

3.

Original Quote:

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity..."

- A Tale of Two Cities

Interpretation:

“It was the most awesome of times, it was the most awful of times, it was the age of cleverness, it was the age of stupidity, it was the time of faith, it was the time of doubt...” 
 

4.

Original Quote:

"The said company being now relieved from further attendance, and the chief Barnacles being rather hurried (for they had it in hand just then to send a mail or two which was in danger of going straight to its destination, beating about the seas like the Flying Dutchman, and to arrange with complexity for the stoppage of a good deal of important business otherwise in peril of being done), went their several ways."

- Little Dorrit 

Interpretation:

"Then the guests could go, and since the important Barnacles were in a rush (because they had to send the mail that was going to its address to somewhere else and stop business that was getting done) they left."

{Poll removed--results}

Poll 4: Henry Tilney's "gentleman or lady" quote

Original Quote:"The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid." (Northanger Abbey)
Paraphrases:
1. “Anyone who doesn’t love a good book is stupid.“
2. “The person, whether a guy or gal, who doesn’t have fun reading a good book, must be amazingly dumb.”
3. “A guy or girl who does not like reading a novel is dumb.”

{Poll removed--results}

Poll Five: From Mansfield Park and Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen
1.
Original Quote:
"There certainly are not so many men of large fortune as there are pretty women to deserve them."
- Mansfield Park
Paraphrase:
"There aren’t enough rich guys to go around."

 2.
Original Quote:

"When she heard him declare that of music and dancing he was passionately fond, she gave him such a look of approbation as secured the largest share of his discourse to herself for the rest of his stay."

- Sense and Sensibility 
Paraphrase:

"When he said he liked music and dancing, she smiled so much that he talked to her till he left." 

3.

Original Quote:

"Let him have all the perfections in the world, I think it ought not to be set down as certain that a man must be be acceptable to every woman he may happen to like himself."

- Fanny Price, Mansfield Park 

Paraphrase:

“Even if he has all the good points in the world, I think it shouldn’t be assumed that a guy will be loved by every girl he might decide he likes.”
 

4.

Original Quote: 

"You will think my question an odd one, I dare say," said Lucy to her one day, as they were walking together from the park to the cottage—"but pray, are you personally acquainted with your sister-in-law's mother, Mrs. Ferrars?"

- Lucy Steele, Sense and Sensibility 

Paraphrase:

 “Hey, completely random question here: you know your brother’s wife’s mother?”

{Poll removed--results}
Poll Six: More quotes from Northanger Abbey

1.
Original Quote:"The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid. I have read all Mrs. Radcliffe's works, and most of them with great pleasure. The Mysteries of Udolpho, when I had once begun it, I could not lay down again; -- I remember finishing it in two days -- my hair standing on end the whole time."
- Henry Tilney (longer quote)
Satire:

"Anyone, guy or girl, who can't read a book, is really dumb. I read all Radcliffe's stuff, some of them were awesome. The Mysteries of Udolpho, after I finally cracked it, I couldn't put it down; -- I was done in two days -- It freaked me out. Spooky."
 

2.

Original Quote:

"But when a young lady is to be a heroine, the perverseness of forty surrounding families cannot prevent her. Something must and will happen to throw a hero in her way." 

Satire:

“But when a girl is destined to be a star, the lack of guys in the neighborhood can’t stop her. Something has to take place to bring a cute guy into her life.”
 

3.

Original Quote:

"Very true," said Henry, "and this is a very nice day, and we are taking a very nice walk, and you are two very nice young ladies." 

Satire:

"Yeah," he said “and this is a cool day, and this is a cool walk, and you are two cool chicks!"

{Poll removed--results}
Poll 7: Miscellaneous

1.
Original Quote:

“It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt.”

- Mark Twain

Paraphrase:

“Shut up and let people think you’re foolish –it’s better than opening your mouth and making them right.” 

2.
Original Quote:

"Reader, I married him."
~Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Paraphrase:

"Dude, we got hitched."

{Poll removed--results}
And lastly...
Poll Eight: Captain Wentworth's Letter
Two people actually had the same idea! I don't know how you all will choose between the two of them, but here they are...

Original:

"I can listen no longer in silence. I must speak to you by such means as are within my reach. You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone for ever. I offer myself to you again with a heart even more your own than when you almost broke it, eight years and a half ago. Dare not say that man forgets sooner than woman, that his love has an earlier death. I have loved none but you. Unjust I may have been, weak and resentful I have been, but never inconstant. You alone have brought me to Bath. For you alone I think and plan. Have you not seen this? Can you fail to have understood my wishes? I had not waited even these ten days, could I have read your feelings, as I think you must have penetrated mine. I can hardly write. I am every instant hearing something which overpowers me. You sink your voice, but I can distinguish the tones of that voice when they would be lost on others. Too good, too excellent creature! You do us justice, indeed. You do believe that there is true attachment and constancy among men. Believe it to be most fervent, most undeviating, in
F. W."
"I must go, uncertain of my fate; but I shall return hither, or follow your party, as soon as possible. A word, a look will be enough to decide whether I enter your father's house this evening or never."

- Captain Wentworth, Persuasion by Jane Austen

Paraphrase 1:

“I can’t listen any more without speaking up. I have to talk to you using the resources at hand. You stab my very soul. I am half despairing, half wishing. Don’t tell me I’m too late, that the cherished feelings we had are gone forever. I give myself to you again with a heart more devoted to you then when you almost broke it eight-and-a-half years ago. Don’t you dare say that guys forget sooner than girls do or that their love dies sooner. I have loved no one but you. I may have been unfair, rotten and bitter, but never unfaithful. I came to Bath because of you. You’re the only one I think about and plan for. Haven’t you seen this? Haven’t you been able to figure out my wishes? I wouldn’t have waited the last ten days if I had been able to detect what you were feeling, as you seem to have detected my feelings. I can barely write. Every moment I’m hearing you say something that astounds me! Now you’ve lowered your voice but I can still hear your sweet words even if no one else can. You are too good and too awesome dear! You do understand us, your verdicts are good. You do understand that guys can be just as equally in love and just as faithful as girls can. Please believe me to be your loving and faithful 
F.W. 
I have to go now without knowing what the future holds but I will be back and follow you. A comment or a glance from you will be enough for me to understand whether I should go to your father’s house tonight or never see you again.”

Paraphrase 2:

"I can't just sit here quietly any more! I have to talk to you the only way I can. My spirit is broken, half of me is depressed, the other half is in the clouds! Don't you dare tell me I spoke too late, that your love is erased forever.I'm proposing again! I belong to you now, more then I did years ago when you completely broke my heart.
  Don't you dare tell me that men forget sooner then women! Or that his love dies first! I've loved only you.  I might have been unfair, I was weak and held a grudge, but I never loved another.You're the reason I'm in Bath. You're the motivation when I think and plan my days. Haven't you noticed?
  I wouldn't have even stayed in town for these last ten days if I could read your heart, the way I believe you've read mine. I can barely write.This very second I hear you whisper something which overpowers me. You are quiet but I can hear your voice when others can't.
  You are too wonderful! You give us due credit. You do believe a man can really love and be attached faithfully! Believe that mine is very faithful to you!"

   F.W.

I have to leave now, but I'll come back, or follow you, ASAP. Just say yes or smile, and I'll talk to your dad soon.

{Poll removed--results}

You get applause from me, everyone! It's been fun collecting your quotes. A little tricky though, too...if I missed any of yours, PLEASE let me know and I will do my best to correct my mistake.
It would be "awesome" if you'd comment and tell us what you voted for. =) 

Jane Eyre: The Movies (Part 2)

Last week I posted my reviews for every Jane Eyre adaptation available to me. As promised, here is the follow-up post, which will hopefully be a little less scholarly, and more fun.  

Read Part 1

My recommendations

My movie recommendations depends on who you are and how acquainted you are already with the story.

If you do not know the story at all, I would suggest watching the 1983 mini-series so you can know the complete story, and then the version from 1996 and/or 2011. If you dislike older, slow-moving movies, or you already know the story, skip my first recommendation.

Now, here’s the deal about the ones from…

1996: It’s a fairly good representation of Jane and the acting is good; there is an enjoyable feeling throughout, and just something unaccountable that makes me like it a lot even though the story is much shortened and strays from the storyline too much. Enjoy it, but don’t trust it.

2011: This one is too short as well, but overall I like the actors better, and it does maintain the novel’s storyline. Things such as hair color are observed correctly, and it got some elements and details the others are without (missed a lot too, but…). It’s rated PG-13, pretty much for a painting of a nude woman which Jane sees and later inspects (don’t ask me why). These parts taken away, and I think it would be PG. I’ve heard it’s an old-fashioned, realistic looking painting, and might actually have gotten away with PG in some other film. I can’t tell you first-hand because I fast-forwarded it. If you wish to do that too, I can tell you exactly where if you like.
This version could be confusing because it starts in the climax area and then is comprised of flashbacks.

So, just consult your own taste from my reports and choose accordingly. One more thing – if you watch the one from 2011, definitely watch the deleted scenes called “Badminton in the Garden” and “Bertha Rips Veil in Jane’s Room.” These are rather important to the story and in my opinion should not have been left out. Some of the other deleted scenes were strange, though.

The bottom line is: if the story sounds of interest to you, be sure to read the book. Nothing can tell you the story like it can!!

Watching a movie first could be a good thing or a bad thing depending. It’s better to read it first I’m sure; I didn't, but I knew I’d want to read it when I watched it. For others it might just give a wrong impression of the characters, however.

My favorite

I really cannot decide. There are good and bad points to all the ones I like. The three mentioned above are my top favorites, of course. Maybe my favorite is the 2011 version (un-PG13ed, that is). While it was much too short to be quite satisfactory, it was really a beautiful film and, for the most part, not inaccurate to the novel. Jane wasn’t tall or too old (yay!), Blanche Ingram had dark hair (yay!) and Mr. Rochester was definitely not repulsive. *Spoilers* The main thing I disliked was the Rivers not being related to Jane. To me, that’s a very important part of the story, and shows us more of her character by how she reacts. At least she got her fortune, though. *Un-Spoilers* It did get the part with St. John, Diana, and Mary a lot closer than several others (and most of the main versions).

I’ve only seen it once, though, so this may not yet be enough to proclaim it as my favorite.

And here we have Melody the Trailer Fanatic giving you one for each of her top 3:

Which is your favorite? I’m very interested to see the results of this poll.

Which is your favorite version of Jane Eyre?

2011 2006 1997 1996 1983 1973 1970 1943 1934

pollcode.com free polls

Other favorites

Just for fun….

Favorite Jane

This is sort of a tie between Charlotte Gainsbourg (1996) and Mia Wasikowska (2011). C.G. is rather too tall and her hair is darker, I think, than Jane’s was supposed to be; but she did have rather ‘irregular features’ – interesting looks, which at the same time did not at all displease me…not really un-pretty. I liked her acting pretty well too, even though I think she should have been a little more passionate a few times.

M.W. was a good enough actress, although she didn’t say things the way I imagined Jane to; she just wasn’t quite Jane. (But then, who can be, but Jane in the book?) By the way, does anybody know what sort of accent she had? It wasn’t the same as people, and the Jane Eyres, usually have on these films – to me it actually sounded closer to lower-class characters – and it bugged me a bit. She was a little too serious, but then most of the movies portray her that way. She is in the book, too, part of the time; but not for all of it. She definitely has a sense of humor, and can say funny, witty things. (Right, Miss Dashwood? haha)

I guess if the tie-breaker is height and hair color, M.W. gets the award. (She’s short by today’s standards I think, but still not short enough in comparison to her Rochester’s height.)

Favorite Mr. Rochester

You cannot know Mr. Rochester at all until you read the book, and even then he takes some deciphering.

I’m not satisfied with any of them, but that’s hardly surprising, is it? That seems to be my answer to everything.

Toby Stephens (2006) might fit the book’s description of Mr. Rochester the best, but for me, there is something wanting. There’s something about his portrayal that I don’t like, and I can’t put my finger on it, especially since I haven’t seen the whole thing.

Okay, down to business. I’ve been delaying my answer: I really do have a favorite this time, and that’s Michael Fassbender (2011). He’s not, in my opinion, un-handsome enough to be accurate, but you know, I prefer that to the other way around. (tehe) I thought his rants when he first came back to Thornfield – banging on the piano, going outside and shooting the air – were a bit strange and nothing like that occurred in the book, but that’s not the actor’s fault.

He was just more likable than others. When they make Rochester dislikable, it’s harder to sympathize with Jane, and half the impact of the story is gone.

He still wasn’t right, but you know.

As always with this version, the character was underdeveloped; there wasn’t enough conversation to know him well enough, etc.

Favorite Mrs. Fairfax
Joan Plowright, 1996. This is probably the easiest one to answer. I thought she was spot-on.

When I first heard Judi Dench was Mrs. Fairfax in the new adaptation, I thought it sounded like a really good fit. Actually seeing her in that role didn’t quite rise to my expectations. She wasn’t cheery enough or…something. Maybe Miss Dashwood is right – she’s just Miss Matty, and there’s an end to it. ;-)

Favorite Adèle

Some people might not consider Adèle an important character, but after all, she’s the whole reason Jane went to Thornfield.

The Adèles aren’t very easily compared, but my favorite is probably Josèphine Serre from 1996. I’m not sure why, but I just remember her the most, and I liked her pretty well. She was too old for the part in real life, though.

St. John Rivers, 1996

Favorite St. John Rivers

St. John (Or “Sinjon/Sintjon” as they say it) is actually a fairly major character when it gets to that part of the book. In most of the movies, that part is way condensed.

My favorite as far as accuracy goes is Andrew Bicknell from 1983, and he was pretty good. Otherwise, though, I liked Samuel West from 1996.

Recognizable actors from all versions

Here’s a list of actors I recognized from each version, and the parts they played in other movies (mostly what I’ve seen).

1934

Colin Clive (Mr. Rochester) – “Henry” Frankenstein, Frankenstein (1931)

1970

George C. Scott (Mr. Rochester) – Ebenezer Scrooge, A Christmas Carol (1984)

Susannah York (Jane Eyre) – Mrs. Cratchit, A Christmas Carol (1984)

1983

Tracey Childs (Georgiana Reed) – Marianne Dashwood, Sense and Sensibility 1981; Suzanne, The Scarlet Pimpernel (1982)

1996

Amanda Root (Miss Temple) – Anne Elliot, Persuasion (1995); Mrs. Davilow, Daniel Deronda* (2002)

Fiona Shaw (Mrs. Reed) – Mrs. Croft, Persuasion (1995)

Samuel West (St. John Rivers) – Mr. William Elliot, Persuasion (1995)

Joan Plowright (Mrs. Fairfax) – Martha Sourby, Return to the Secret Garden

1997

Samantha Morton (Jane Eyre) – Harriet Smith, Emma (1996, A&E)

Ciaran Hinds (Rochester) – Captain Wentworth, Persuasion (1995); Michael Henchard, The Mayor of Casterbridge (2003); Lord Tarleton, Amazing Grace

Deborah Findlay (Mrs. Reed) – Miss Phoebe, Wives and Daughters (1999); Miss Tomkinson, Cranford (2007) and Return to Cranford (2009)

Gemma Jones (Mrs. Fairfax) – Mrs. Dashwood, Sense and Sensibility (1995)

Rupert Penry-Jones (St. John Rivers) – Captain Wentworth, Persuasion (1995)

Elizabeth Garvie (Diana Rivers) – Elizabeth Bennet, Pride and Prejudice (1980)

Peter Wight (Clergyman) – Mr. Wilfer, Our Mutual Friend* (1998); Mr. Gardiner, Pride and Prejudice* (2005)

2006*

Christina Cole (Blanche Ingram) – Mrs. Augusta Elton, Emma (2009); Nora Rowly, He Knew He Was Right; Caroline Bingley, Lost in Austen**

Francesca Annis (Lady Ingram) – Mrs. Gibson, Wives and Daughters (1999); Lady Ludlow, Cranford (2007) and Return to Cranford (2009)

Pam Ferris (Grace Poole) – Mrs. General, Little Dorrit* (2008); Mrs. Boffin, Our Mutual Friend* (1998)

Andrew Buchan (St. John Rivers) – Jem Hearne, Cranford and Return to Cranford (2007, ’09)

Georgia King (Rosamond Oliver) – Pet Meagles/Gowan, Little Dorrit* (2008)

Charity Wakefield (Miss Temple) – Marianne Dashwood, Sense and Sensibility (2008)

2011

Jamie Bell (St. John Rivers) – Smike, Nicholas Nickleby (2002)

Judi Dench (Mrs. Fairfax) – Matilda (“Miss Matty”) Jenkyns, Cranford and Return to Cranford (2007, ’09); Lady Catherine De Bourg, Pride and Prejudice* (2005)

Sally Hawkins (Mrs. Reed) – Anne Elliot, Persuasion (2007)

*I may not have seen this (or all of it) therefore I can’t recommend it as a whole; OR could mean I know there’s something in it which I found objectionable. I either recognized the actor from what I did see, or I heard about them being on it, etc.

**I would definitely not recommend this if I had seen it, which I have not.

~~~

So, which Jane Eyre movie(s) is (are) your favorite(s)? (Don't forget to vote on the poll!) Favorite portrayals of the main characters? I love to read your comments. =)