STUDIO ONE: JANE EYRE (TV)
Summary
One in this live dramatic anthology series. This episode is an adaptation of Charlotte Brontë’s Gothic romance novel about a governess living in a mysterious manor house. The program begins as twenty-year-old orphan Jane Eyre leaves Lowood School for good, saying she is glad to escape and bidding a contentious farewell to the cruel headmistress who has mistreated her over her lifetime stay at the school. She journeys to Thornfield Hall, where she has taken a position as governess to a young girl, Adele, and she meets her charge as well as the housekeeper, Mrs. Fairfax. Mrs. Fairfax tells her that the home is “cold and empty” and that the master, Mr. Rochester, is “abrupt and strange” and is usually away for months at a time. Jane meets another servant, Grace Poole, and goes to bed, with Mrs. Fairfax telling her to ignore the house’s “strange stirrings.” Jane hears an odd laugh and follows the sound, but Grace cuts her off and tells her never to enter the west wing of the house. Jane settles in and becomes close with Adele, and several weeks later, Mr. Rochester suddenly appears and requests to see Jane. He soon proves himself to be wry and inscrutable, questioning her about her life and seemingly amused by her admission that she does not find him handsome, and he takes a liking to her.
Jane continues tutoring Adele, and Rochester attends a ball at Blanche Ingram’s home. Adele longs for him to return, as she has prepared a song to sing for him. When he returns to Thornfield, he requests that Jane dine with him that evening, and she agrees, not noticing the strange figure spying on them from inside the home. At dinner, Rochester declares himself to be in a “gregarious” mood and chats with Jane, noting her “singular” nature and revealing that Adele is (possibly) his biological child by a dancer he met in Paris. Jane assures him that this scandal will not drive her away, and he states that he hates Thornfield and stays away as much as possible. Jane soon leaves for bed, and Rochester falls asleep in an armchair, at which point the strange woman from upstairs appears and lights a fire under him. Jane is again roused by odd noises and discovers the blaze, and she hurriedly awakens Rochester and saves his life. She realizes that someone tried to murder him and that Grace is hiding something, but he orders her to say that the fire was an accident and tell no one the truth. Later, Rochester has a party and Blanche Ingram attends, and Jane allows Adele a glimpse at the festivities. Rochester persuades Jane to enter and play some music, but the snobby Blanche ignores her efforts and continues gossiping, making snide comments about Jane’s “manners.” Overwhelmed, Jane goes outside and tells Mrs. Fairfax that she must leave Thornfield because she has fallen in love with Rochester but knows that they cannot be together. Rochester notices her distress, but she does not admit her feelings, and when Blanche points out the strangeness of a rich man’s close friendship with his servant, he bluntly tells her that he is not particularly wealthy at all, which disturbs her.
Jane packs to leave, much to Adele’s sadness, and Rochester summons Jane to him. She alludes to his forthcoming marriage to Blanche, but he explains that he feels profoundly connected to her, Jane, and finally makes an anguished declaration of love and asks her to marry him. After her initial shock, she happily agrees, and they plan to wed in four weeks’ time. On the day of the wedding, however, a Mr. Mason arrives at Thornhill and interrupts the ceremony, declaring that Rochester is already married to a woman, his sister, who still lives. A tormented Rochester orders his wife brought forth, and Grace fetches the madwoman, Bertha, from the west wing, and she attempts to attack Jane. Rochester explains that he was “tricked” into marrying her at a young age and that she went dangerously insane shortly thereafter, and that he has kept her hidden away for many years. Jane reaffirms her love for him, but states that she must leave forever, and Rochester is despondent. She wanders the moors alone for some time, thinking of Rochester and feeling that she can hear him calling to her, and eventually returns to Thornfield, where she is shocked to see evidence of a severe fire. Mrs. Fairfax explains that Bertha started another blaze and that Rochester attempted to save her life, but she jumped from the roof. Jane is deeply relieved to find that Rochester is still alive, though blinded, and he is stunned when she returns to him, promising never to leave again. Includes commercials.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: December 12, 1949 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:00:00
- COLOR/B&W: B&W
- CATALOG ID: T83:0194
- GENRE: Drama
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama; Literature - Adaptations; Romance
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV series, 1948-1958
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - Westinghouse appliances
- TV - Promos - upcoming Westinghouse Theatre productions
CREDITS
- Worthington Miner … Producer
- Franklin Schaffner … Director
- Charlotte Bronte … Based on the novel by
- Sumner Locke-Elliott … Adapted by
- Charlton Heston … Cast, Mr. Rochester
- Mary Sinclair … Cast, Jane Eyre
- Viola Roache … Cast, Blanche Ingram
- Ethel Everett … Cast, Mrs. Fairfax
- Joan Wetmore … Cast, Grace Poole
- Adelaide Klein … Cast