Jane Eyre (1996) Anna Paquin Young Jane Eyre Nic Knight John Reed Nicola Howard Eliza Reed Sasha Graff Georgiana Reed Fiona Shaw Mrs. Reed John Wood Mr. Brocklehurst Geraldine Chaplin Miss Scatcherd Amanda Root Miss Temple Leanne Rowe Helen Burns Charlotte Gainsbourg Jane Eyre Richard Warwick John Judith Parker Leah oan Plowright Mrs. Fairfax Directed by: Franco Zeffirelli Produced by: Charlotte Bronte's classic novel of Gothic romance gets the Zeffirelli treatment in this moving 1996 adaptation. Orphaned Jane Eyre (Charlotte Gainsbourg) grows into a strong-willed heroine after enduring a miserable childhood (where she's played by Anne Paquin). Things start looking better when she falls in love with the brooding Rochester (William Hurt), lord of the manor where she gets a job as governess. Unfortunately, Rochester's family skeletons threaten to sabotage their happy ending. Director Franco Zeffirelli (HAMLET, OTELLO) stays faithful to the book while stressing natural characters and landscapes over stylized gloom and mystery, with rewarding results. ========== Jane Eyre is an orphan cast out as a young girl by her aunt, Mrs. Reed, and sent to be raised in a harsh charity school for girls. There she learns to be come a teacher and eventually seeks employment outside the school. Her advertisement is answered by the housekeeper of Thornfield Hall, Mrs. Fairfax. ========== Jane Eyre, orphaned, is left to live under the charity of her Aunt Reed. After living ten years of mistreatment and segregation in her Aunt's home, she is then sent to Lowood- a boarding school for young girls. Jane grows up both physically and mentally at Lowood and becomes a teacher at age eighteen. She then advertises for the position of a governess and is called upon by Mrs Fairfax at Thornfield. At Thornfield, Jane falls in love with the master, Mr Rochester, and he with her. However, he yields a terrible and dark secret that threatens to tear them apart for good.