MovieChat Forums > Jane Eyre (1996) Discussion > So I'm sure I'm in minority here...

So I'm sure I'm in minority here...


...but I do love William Hurt as Rochester. I've browsed all the posts saying he hasn't got the looks, or the temper to be Rochester, that he's too bland etc. However, I liked him a lot. He managed to be at the same time sad, brooding, blunt and direct, with a bitter sense of humor and his voice captured his entire conflicted essence. It was low, a bit rough, saddled with past grief and emotion, but saying the most surprising things in an attempt to bring a little life in his existence.
I've read the book a couple of times when I was very young, I don't remember every detail about the characters, just that I was a bit puzzled by Rochester. I'm not sure what I was puzzled about, maybe I was expecting a handsome lead. William Hurt is not handsome as Rochester, but he's charismatic and made me care about the character, maybe more than I cared a long time ago about the same character in the book.

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[deleted]

I absolutely agree with you, Hurt's portrayal of Rochester was charged with subtle intensity, bitter charisma and some sort of exquisitely nuanced self-torment. I was blown away! This movie was my first on-screen approach to both Jane Eyre and William Hurt -- his performance here made me want to check out more of his filmography, and also the 2011 rendition of the novel.

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I'll throw my name in the hat here and also agree with the original poster.

William Hurt's acting was charged with an enigmatic loathing of life mingled with eccentric, often times failed, attempts at finding happiness. Listen to the way Mrs. Fairfax talk about Rochester at the beginning of the film and you'll hear her perfectly describe his performance.

I won't speak to the adaptation as a whole because I can't; I've never read the novel. But William Hurt turned in one of his best performances in this film, if not the best.

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I thought he was great! Such an interesting story.

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