THE RECASTAWAYS OF "JANE EYRE"

"Jane Eyre", the novel by Charlotte Bronte, has been adapted many times for television. And that means many of those recastaways must be relegated to alternate dimensions.

The very first portrayal of Jane Eyre was by Kathleen Crowley on 'Kraft Theatre' in 1951. But as it was a TV movie, and thus gutted of much of the storyline, I think it should be sent off to an alternate TV dimension. Other Jane Eyres who would be so classified include the portrayals by Samantha Morton, Sally Ann Howes, Mia Goossen. Joan Elan, Jan Sherwood, Katherine Bard, and Mary Sinclair.

Mia Goossen and Ilaria Occhini would be the Jane Eyres in TV dimensions in which the Dutch and the Italians dominated the planet, respectively.

ANN BELL & RICHARD LEECH
(Jane Eyre & Mr. Rochester)
The official portrayal for Toobworld

That leaves the heroine as played by Ruth Wilson, Zelah Clarke, Sorcha Cusack, and Ann Bell who all appeared in mini-series adaptations. Since Ms. Bell played the role first in this manner in 1963, she is the official version of Jane Eyre in Earth Prime-Time (even though Ruth Wilson's televersion will probably have greater exposure in this DVD age.)

I would have liked it to have been Ruth Wilson (the subject of today's "ASOTV" showcase), if only to then make the theory of relateeveety that she is the ancestress to Alice Morgan of 'Luther'......

"Jane Eyre" (2006)
Played by Ruth Wilson (with Toby Stephens)

Jane Eyre (1997)
Played by Samantha Morton (with Ciaran Hinds)

"Jane Eyre" (1983)
Played by Zelah Clarke (with Timothy Dalton)

"Jane Eyre" (1973)
Played by Sorcha Cusack (with Michael Jayston)

Jane Eyre (1970)
Played by Susannah York (with George C. Scott)

"Jane Eyre" (1963)
Played by Ann Bell

Jane Eyre (1961)
Played by Sally Ann Howes

Jane Eyre (1958)
Played by Mia Goossen

"Matinee Theatre" - Jane Eyre (1957)
Played by Joan Elan

"Jane Eyre" (1957)

Played by Ilaria Occhini

"Jane Eyre" (1956)
Played by Daphne Slater (with Stanley Baker)

"Monodrama Theater" - Jane Eyre (1953)
Played by Jan Sherwood

"Studio One in Hollywood"- Jane Eyre (1952)
Played by Katharine Bard (with Kevin McCarthy)

"Studio One in Hollywood" - Jane Eyre (1949)
Played by Mary Sinclair (with Charlton Heston)

"Kraft Theatre" - Jane Eyre (1951)
Played by Kathleen Crowley

Isn't it funny that even though the story is focused on Jane, it's Mr. Rochester that seems to dominate these pictures?  (Except in the case of the Jane Eyre from Earth Prime-Time/Dutch.)

My thanks to a Russian blogger known as Goodwine (who could be named Выпивающий в ночи) for his blog entry about the many portrayals of Jane Eyre for these pictures.  If you visit his site, you'll also find the character as she appeared in several dimensions of the Cineverse and on stage as well.

BCnU!

AS SEEN ON TV: JANE EYRE

JANE EYRE

AS SEEN IN:

'Jane Eyre' (2006)

CREATED BY:

Charlotte Bronte

PORTRAYED BY:

Ruth Wilson

TV STATUS:

Recastaway

TV DIMENSION:

Alternate, To Be Determined

From Wikipedia:

Jane Eyre is a novel by English writer Charlotte Brontë. It was published in London, England, in 1847 by Smith, Elder & Co. with the title Jane Eyre. An Autobiography under the pen name "Currer Bell." The first American edition was released the following year by Harper & Brothers of New York. Writing for the Penguin edition, Stevie Davies describes it as an "influential feminist text" because of its in-depth exploration of a strong female character's feelings.

Primarily of the bildungsroman genre, Jane Eyre follows the emotions and experiences of eponymous Jane Eyre, her growth to adulthood, and her love for Mr. Rochester, the byronic master of Thornfield Hall. The novel contains elements of social criticism, with a strong sense of morality at its core, but is nonetheless a novel many consider ahead of its time given the individualistic character of Jane and the novel's exploration of sexuality, religion, and proto-feminism.

The protagonist of the novel and the title character. Orphaned as a baby, she struggles through her nearly loveless childhood and becomes governess at Thornfield Hall. Jane is passionate and opinionated, and values freedom and independence. She also has a strong conscience and is a determined Christian. Jane Eyre is described as plain, with an elfin look. She sees herself as "poor, obscure, plain and little". Mr. Rochester once compliments Jane's "hazel eyes and hazel hair", but she tells the reader about Mr. Rochester's error that her eyes are not hazel; they are in fact green.

BCnU!

THE POETRY OF HENRY GIBSON

Yesterday would have been Henry Gibson's birthday.....

"DOCTOR WHO" - "THE POWER OF THREE"

As usual on our Video Weekend Saturdays (at least when 'Doctor Who' is airing), here are some teasers from tonight's episode "The Power Of Three":

Plus, here's a look back at a scene from last week's episode:

BCnU!

"THE HOBBIT" TRAILER

Just a side jaunt to the Cineverse as we celebrate Hobbit Day.......

"THE BALLAD OF BILBO BAGGINS"

A SONG FOR HOBBIT DAY

AS SEEN ON TV: FRODO AND BILBO BAGGINS

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

TO

BILBO AND FRODO BAGGINSES!

AS SEEN IN:

"The Return Of The King"

CREATED BY:

J.R.R. Tolkien

VOICED BY:

Orson Bean (both)

TV DIMENSION:

The Tooniverse

From Wikipedia:

"Hobbit Day" is the birthday of the hobbits Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, two fictional characters in J. R. R. Tolkien's popular set of books "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings". In the books both Bilbo and Frodo were said to be born on September 22, but of different years. Bilbo was born in the year of 2890 and Frodo in the year of 2968 in the Third Age (1290 and 1368 respectively in Shire-Reckoning.)

BCnU!

TVXOHOF #3, 09/2012 - PHYLLIS DILLER

Our third entry for this month into the TV Crossover Hall Of Fame is another member of the League of Themselves who passed away over the summer - the late, great Phyllis Diller.

She was a true pioneer in comedy, breaking down the walls so that women like Lisa Lampenelli, Susie Essman, Joan Rivers, etc. could follow. And she had to do it at a cost, making fun of her looks, her love life, dressing in garish outfits.....

Like Milton Berle and Bob Hope before her, Phyllis Diller was a larger-than-life personality. No matter if she played a fictional character, everybody saw her as Phyllis Diller. In fact, in an episode of 'Get Smart', secret agent Maxwell Smart underwent a spray-on plastic surgery technique that turned him into a carbon copy of Phyllis Diller. The Chief turned it down since she was so recognizable.

So why not appear as herself? And that is what she did in the following TV shows, which ensure her membership in the TV Crossover Hall Of Fame:

• "Arli$$"
  As Others See Us (29 July 2001) 
• "Diagnosis Murder"
  Talked to Death (26 February 1998)
• "Cybill"
  Romancing the Crone (10 March 1996) 
• "Blossom"
  Beach Blanket Blossom: Part 2 (21 February 1994)
• "Full House"
   But Seriously Folks (5 February 1988) 
• "The Jeffersons"
  You'll Never Get Rich (8 January 1985)

Phyllis Diller deserves far more plaudits for her contributions to the world of entertainment than I can supply, but I hope this will serve.....

BCnU!

AS SEEN ON TV: HENRY FIELDING AS THE NARRATOR

THE NARRATOR

(HENRY FIELDING)

AS SEEN IN:

'Tom Jones, A Foundling'

CREATED BY:

Henry Fielding himself

PORTRAYED BY:

John Sessions

From the DVD:

From GradeSaver.com:

The narrator provides that his purpose in the text will be to explore "human nature." As such, his story veers between several extremes - comedy and tragedy, low and high society, moral and base.

From "An Introduction To Tom Jones"

by Ruth Nestvold

The god-like omniscience of the authorial narrator in Tom Jones needs to be taken with a grain of salt, however. The authorial narrator is portrayed as all-knowing and all-seeing, but a reader who relies exclusively on the expressed judgment calls of the narrator will be deceived: one of Fielding's techniques is to introduce important details that are given very little attention by the narrative voice, lulling the reader into ignoring them. The omnipotent role is somewhat tongue-in-cheek, as is much of Tom Jones. Take for example one of the introductory chapters in which Fielding lays down the rules of the new genre:

Peradventure there may be no parts in this prodigious work which will give the reader less pleasure in perusing than those which have given the author the greatest pains in composing. Among these, probably, may be reckoned those initial essays which we have prefixed to the historical matter contained in every book, and which we have determined to be essentially necessary to this kind of writing, of which we have set ourselves at the head.

For this our determination we do not hold ourselves strictly bound to assign any reason, it being abundantly sufficient that we have laid it down as a rule necessary to be observed in all prosai-comi-epic writing. Who ever demanded the reasons of that nice unity of time or place which is now established as so essential to dramatic poetry? (V, 1)

Here the game Fielding is playing with his readers becomes obvious, especially when he compares his prefaces to the rule of dramatic unity; the comments following this passage make it abundantly clear that he scorns the convention.

The voice of the narrator in any novel - unless identified as one of the other characters (Nick Carraway of "The Great Gatsby" being a good example.) - should probably be considered to be the voice of the author.  In the case of "The History Of Tom Jones, A Foundling", that narrator's voice would be Henry Fielding and he often interrupts the narrative flow to interject his thoughts on morality, historical events, and the personal character of the characters.

In making the TV adaptation, the producers kept that aspect by having Henry Fielding actually appear as the narrator. (He's played by John Sessions, but within Toobworld's reality, he is Henry Fielding.)

And Fielding is given credit for both functions:

We know "Tom Jones" exists in Toobworld because it's referenced in an episode of 'Are You Being Served?':

When the staff are gathered in Mr. Rumbold's office and they discuss the different plot ideas they've sent in, Mr. Rumbold says there has been one suggestion "which had all the right ingredients, sort of 'Tom Jones' full of adventure and sex and excitement."

And the 1963 movie based on the novel is mentioned during an episode of 'Remington Steele':

Laura: "This stuff sounds more to me like 'Tom Jones'."
Steele: "'Tom Jones'? Albert Finney never had to work this hard."
Laura: "Albert Finney never had to play the part with me."

And yet the characters of the book exist in the same TV dimension as the man who wrote the book. That's because Fielding was the same kind of writer as were the televersions of Shakespeare, Dickens, Mark Twain, Jules Verne, and Dame Agatha Christie - he wasn't creating fictional characters, he was chronicling the lives of real people.

That he also appeared within their story as the narrator is why Fielding is treated as a member of the literary edition of the "ASOTV" showcase, rather than being saved for the traditional version of the gallery.

Because of his function as the narrator within the story, Henry Fielding is revealed to be a serlinguist, centuries before Rod Serling gave his name to the practice of talking to the Trueniverse audience.

Like Serling in the 'Twilight Zone' episode "A World Of His Own", Fielding gets involved in the action, but he's not always seen by those around him. There are several exceptions - he's served ale in a tavern, he falls off a cart, and young Tom Jones snatches away his wig.

And he's aware that he's in a TV production. When the camera cuts away from him, Fielding gripes, "Oh, it's like that, is it?" So that means he's also tele-cognizant, aware that there is a camera on him and that he exists in a world of television.

BCnU!