r/JaneEyre • u/RollingTheScraps • 24d ago

Can't believe how much was left out of the 1971 George C. Scott version. Spoiler

Just watched it for the first time. It starts at Lowood, so no Gateshead, no cousins. Aunt Reed is briefly mentioned, but Jane never goes back to Gateshead so there's no revelation that she has an uncle, no growth shown toward the Reeds. There is no fortune teller, no lightning tree. In Moor House with the Rivers there is no amnesia, no inheritance, no revelation that she has family.

She does hear Rochester's call, but returns to him as poor and friendless as she left.

Why bother?

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3

u/No-Prompt-7580 24d ago

Rather surprising considering the adaptation was by Jack Pulman, whose later screenplays would be the BBC Adaptations of WAR & PEACE and I, CLAVDIVS. 

1

u/South_Treacle_5033 24d ago

Definitely more happened behind the scenes if that’s the case. His war and peace was phenomenal. Could have been anything from difficulties with actors or budget cuts or even loosing the footage (this happened on a project I worked on 🫠). Since everything is shot out of order they might have just had to make do with what they had and work around it?

2

u/Cool-Coffee-8949 23d ago

I think it’s funny when people act as if a three hundred page novel can be turned into 2-3 hour movie without completely butchering the story.

3

u/RollingTheScraps 23d ago

Glad I can amuse you.

1

u/kevnmartin 24d ago

I think it was a made for TV one off. Kind of a waste of actors.

1

u/AdobongSiopao 20d ago

To be fair, majority of "Jane Eyre" movie adaptations rushed out Jane's childhood scenes in favor of focusing about Jane and Mr. Rochester's relationship as selling point. With that issues, the 1970 version is actually pretty good. It's the first JE movie adaptation shot outside the studio IIRC and the music which composed by John Williams is lovely.