Synopsis: Franco Zeffirelli (THE TAMING OF THE SHREW, ROMEO & JULIET) once again proves himself a faithful custodian of the classics with this adaptation of Charlotte Bronte's 1847 masterpiece. Anna Paquin (following up her Oscar winning role in THE PIANO) plays the young Jane Eyre, orphaned forced... Franco Zeffirelli (THE TAMING OF THE SHREW, ROMEO & JULIET) once again proves himself a faithful custodian of the classics with this adaptation of Charlotte Bronte's 1847 masterpiece. Anna Paquin (following up her Oscar winning role in THE PIANO) plays the young Jane Eyre, orphaned forced to endure life at a harsh boarding school. She grows into an independent, strong-willed woman (Charlotte Gainsbourg) who takes a governess position at the remote Thornton Hall, where she falls in love with the brooding owner, Mr. Rochester (William Hurt). He loves her too, but his dark secrets and her own fears, stand in the way of their happiness. This is a lushly photographed and well-acted drama that stresses realism and emotional honesty over the gothic gloom associated with previous versions. Though abrupt in spots, the film stays true to Bronte's novel, and it's full of the natural beauty one expects from the work of this famed director. [More]