Monday, March 21, 2011

Film Field Trip # 3ish

Jane Eyre - really enjoyed it.  A good version I thought that, though it condensed and simplified etc. as a film always does which always irritates a book-lover, nevertheless caught the passionate mood of the story perfectly.  Both this Mr. Rochester and especially this Jane Eyre were very, very good.  Worth seeing!

But I hadn't quite realized until I saw the audience how much of a chick flick Jane's story is... there were a few men in the auditorium, but many of them had a slightly "dragged" look.  Which was short-sighted of them.  I remember one critic, years ago, talking about Freud's question (asked by many other men before and since), "What do women want?"  and pointing out that Jane Eyre gives one answer: freedom of mind, heart, and action; and a loving family; worthwhile work (however humble) that uses abilities and talents, is respected, and has satisfying results; and a little money to make that work not wage-slavery; and beyond that, a soul mate to marry as an equal!  Or... to tell truth... maybe to have a little bit the upper hand there.

This book is emotional, gothic, almost surrealist at moments.  It's an orphan-makes-good story reminiscent of Harry Potter (but with a much tougher school), a combo of Oliver Twist and Cinderella.  In it's day it was also a sort of geometry proof of the theorem that: "Woman has a soul and isn't afraid to use it!"

A very controversial book.

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