19th Century Love - Jane Eyre - Live Blog!

The missus is on a costume drama love story kick. I told her I would sit through her favorite scenes if she let me blog about it.

And we're off!

Jane Eyre - This British miniseries recently aired on PBS and is available on DVD. Rochester is giving Jane 10 pounds in wages and the subtext is nothing but steamy goodness they cannot act upon. While saying goodbye, Rochester asks her not to go, and he looks at her with a combination of lust and sadness that really touches the missus. The performances are good, and now the missus has announced this isn't the love scene I'm supposed to write about.

Jane Eyre Take Two - This love scene is for real now. Maggie Smith's son plays Rochester. The missus thinks he's hot. In this scene he's sending Jane away from Thornfield because he's supposed to be married. The scene is a two shot. They don't look at each other because men and women didn't do that in the 19th century in Britain. Still, Jane's freaking out a bit, all weepy because Rochester treated her like an equal. Oh, the class obstacles! Must he think that she's got no heart because she's lower class? But Rochester is not heartless. He loves her! Oh, he loves her! Marry him, Jane, you idiot! Believe him! For the love of Christ, believe Rochester, nay, Edward! Oh, sweet Jesus, she does it! She will marry him!

Of course, there are scenes to come that makes it all impossible until it's inevitable. So now I must sit through Jane's return to Thornfield, when Rochester is a blind burn victim, sitting in his ruined house. Cranky bastard.

Rochester does some bitching about his mad dog, Pilot. But there's Jane. Sweet, sweet Jane, delivering water. He can sense something different. As soon as she speaks, he knows. Oh, God, does he know! And he calls her a witch. Wait. Really? A witch. Oh, he doesn't think she's real. He's so vulnerable, this Rochester, Maggie's son.

And finally, another two shot, as she describes the river he can't see. Rochester gets all jealous of some other dude, and Jane plays it up. They play all sorts of games. I'd hate their relationship. Where's the directness? Why toy with each other? Oh, these repressed 19th Century Brits. Blind Rochester finally gets direct: "I want a wife." I think maybe he means Jane. And suddenly, they're making out on the grass and Rochester's grabbed her ass! Seriously! He grabbed her ass!

Then there's a wedding painting being prepared and Jane's bossing everyone around.