Jane Eyre (Studio One, 1949) ***1/2

Charlton Heston made a number of TV productions before he attained movie stardom, including several entries in the Westinghouse Studio One series. This time, he’s Edward Rochester in ‘Jane Eyre’, and although a little too young for the role, he puts the part across with the right mix of sardonic charm and arrogance. Jane herself, played by an actress I hadn’t seen before, was also very good, and the production itself has some chills and some surprises – a glimpse of the mad wife from a window, for example.

This production is fairly easy to find and view online and is worth the effort. I’ve seen and liked many Jane Eyre versions, and this one is a welcome addition to those titles.