Superb Toby Stephens and Ruth Wilson, excellent cinematography, musical score, locations but poor screenplay. This production had none of the mesmerizing dialog of the book. I cringed when Rochester asked Jane "Why are you crying?" Imagine Toby speaking in his dulcet tones the words from the book... "But I affirm that you are: so much depressed that a few more words would bring tears to your eyes--indeed there they are now, shining and swimming; and a bead has slipped from the lash and fallen on the flag.." (how beautiful), the altered gypsy scene compared to the Dalton/Clarke 1983 version is a terrible disappointment. Why did they change it? Why fiddle with perfection? Eshton's theories (nowhere in the book), the final marriage proposal I am paraphrasing because I don't remember it exactly. Rochester: Ah Jane but I want a wife. Jane: choose then sir her who loves you best. Rochester: I will at least choose her I love best. Why didn't BBC use this? I could go on and on. An excellent movie for the moviegoer who has not read the book but poor for the reader. I only wish BBC would have adapted the 1973 Jayston/Cusack or the 1983 Dalton/Clarke scripts with the excellent production used in this movie. It could have been perfect. A missed opportunity. I give it a 10 for production but subtract 2 for the script.
