YMMV / Jane Eyre (1983)

• Awesome Music: The opening and ending theme of the 1983 version, a strangely simutaneously melancholic and beautiful music which highlight the life of Jane.
• Broken Base: There is quite a feud over this version versus the 2006 version.
  • This versions closeness to the scenes and dialogues versus the 2006 version's more spirited dialogue and polished cinematography.
  • Is Zelah Clarke looked too reserved to act or is Ruth Wilson too emotional?
  • Is Timothy Dalton acted too dramatic or is Toby Stephens less brooding? The only thing many fans seemed to agree is that they're both too handsome to play as a less attractive character.
  • If it's not the 2006 version, this version is sometimes compared with 1973 version when it comes to closeness of source material.
• Can't Un-Hear It:
  • Zelah Clarke as Jane. Even if she retired from acting, it's still her best known role to this day.
  • For many fans of this version, Timothy Dalton is a quintessential Mr. Rochester! It helps that Dalton admits in some interviews that this version is one of his favorite moments in his acting career.
• Just Here for Godzilla: One of the biggest reasons why the 1983 version is popular is because of Timothy Dalton. Most comments on its episodes on Youtube are all about him.
• Narm:
  • Some people find that Jane wearing a night-cap in some scenes look ridiculous. It doesn't help that Jane's actress looked nearly too old to wear that one.
  • In Episode 7, as Mr. Rochester told Jane that she has to leave Thornfield after he marries, Jane suddenly runs away to the door while Mr. Rochester is not moving.
  • If isn't a Tear Jerker, Mr. Rochester shouting and crying to Jane not to leave him tends to be laughable.
• Narm Charm:
  • The height difference between Jane and Mr. Rochester's actors. It may be distracting but somehow it works on screen^note Jane's actress Zelah Clarke was around 5'1" feet. She is the shortest actress to play as Jane to date and it works because Jane was actually short according to the novel. Mr. Rochester's actor Timothy Dalton was around 6'2" feet at the time the show was filmed.. The scene where Mr. Rochester lifts Jane for a hug after their proposal looks endearing.
  • The scene where Mr. Rochester messes up Jane's hair while kissing during the night before their wedding can be seen as silly but it's still heartwarming to watch.
• Retroactive Recognition:
  • Mary Tamm (Doctor Who) is Blanche Ingram.
  • This adaptation features pre-Keeping Up Appearances actress Judy Cornwell as Mrs. Reed.
  • Colin Jeavons appears in some later episodes as Mr. Briggs a year before starring as Inspector Lestrade in Sherlock Holmes 1984 TV series.
• Signature Scene: The farewell scene of Jane and Mr. Rochester after their failed wedding is one of the few well-remembered moments in this version. Zelah Clarke admitted in an interview that it took at least several takes for Timothy Dalton to make this scene right.
• They Changed It, Now It Sucks!: A lot of viewers aren't happy for not seeing the part where Jane stays in bed with Helen before the latter dies near the end of the second episode. For this version known for being close to the novel, that idea was surprising.