the 73 bbc production of jane eyre with sorcha cusack and michael jayston be a decent adaptation of charlotte brontë classic novel but it pal in comparison to the outstanding bbc production of 83 in several respect . firstly and the 73 version have the weak script and which very often stay too close to the novel for be own good and yet at time diverts unnecessarily from the literary model . it may sound paradoxical that a production of jane eyre can stay too close to the novel and but so it be . the long dialogue between rochester and jane be a joy to read and but when they be transfer to the screen in nearly their full length a in this production and their complexity and very unusualness create an impression of artificiality and staginess . the 83 version and on the contrary and show how superbly these dialogue can be adapt to the screen . there and scriptwriter alexander baron do not keep all the line and but infallibly pick the core line which be essential to characterize the protagonist and convey the essence of the scene . faithful a the long conversation be render in the 73 version and they appeal to the intellect rather than the heart and they be interest and but not captivating and and they lack the focus and also the intensity of the scene between rochester and jane in the 83 version . another negative point be the more than frequent use of jane voice over . nearly all version make use of that technique and with just reason and but in this adaptation it be drive to absurd extreme . jane inner voice constantly interrupt even the dialogue between her and rochester and only to inform the audience about what be already blatantly obvious and what could have be show a effectively by plain good acting . ala and sorcha cusack act ability be limit at least in this role . she either raise her eyebrow or wear an amused and know all smile and which be simply not enough to render the character of the novel heroine . but then her whole concept of jane be wrong . she play jane a a self confident and sophisticated and worldly wise young woman and who be right from the begin on term of equality with mr rochester . she completely miss jane guardedness and her shyness and modesty and inexperience . her jane be even snappish and pert at time . but the misrepresentation of jane character be not cusack fault alone but partly also due to the script and which bring me back to my first point of criticism represent since the script be overall so faithful to the novel and the viewer naturally conclude that each word utter in this version must come straight from the novel but such be not the case . a very attentive reader of the novel will have notice that they frequently put repartee and remark in jane mouth which she do not utter in the novel and which give her a sophistication and shrewdness and boldness the young and inexperienced jane of the novel do not possess . and get jane wrong they also get the relationship between her and rochester wrong . she constantly have the final say during their conversation and she dominate and lecture rochester instead of be lecture by him . with such a jane there be little michael jayston a rochester can do . jayston be an admirable and subtle actor and who speak his many line well and who be really the highlight of this version and but unfortunately he lack that charisma and that great overpower presence and natural authority which be necessary to play rochester and which for example make orson well a more convincing rochester in the 44 movie and although he have much less screen time than jayston and do not possess the latter subtlety . jayston be superb at play the eloquent and refine gentleman and but simply can not portray rochester imperious and dark side and and his outburst of anger and temperament seem unnatural and force . in the 83 version all side of rochester character be render in equal perfection by timothy dalton and who combine magnetism and a great acting range and who be furthermore unrivalled in his incredible delivery of charlotte brontë unusual language . unfortunately there be also little chemistry between jayston and cusack represent their interplay be amuse but it lack feel and their love scene be passionless and dry . a regard the plot most of the novel important scene be faithfully show in this version although the part between jane flight from thornfield and her arrival at moor house be cut out but two scene be alter and to their disadvantage . the first be the gypsy scene . in this version jane guess who the gypsy woman really be even before she see her . rochester can only say a few sentence before jane make him stop the masquerade . in the novel this scene be an admirable mean of characterize both rochester and jane here it only serve to make jane look very smart and rochester like a fool . good to leave out that scene than to mutilate it in that fashion . the second be the part scene after the aborted wedding . this scene would have benefit if they have stay closer to the novel and but for some reason they considerably shorten it and consequently that scene conveys next to none of the heartbreak and despair of the scene of the novel . again and both these scene be do to perfection in the 83 version . let me conclude by say that despite all my point of criticism i still think that this version in it overall great faithfulness to the novel be mile above nearly all other jane eyre adaptation and and i would invite all true lover of the novel and use that term i exclude all those who earnestly affirm that the silly 2006 perversion of jane eyre be true to the novel or to the spirit of the novel to watch both the production of 73 and 83 and to form their own opinion . for my part i have find the definitive jane eyre in the 83 adaptation .