Saturday, March 31, 2012

The Court Jester

by C.J. Chase
Most years, April 1 comes and goes with a few pranks to mark its passing. Since tomorrow is Palm Sunday for most North American Christians, I thought I'd have my April Fools fun a day early this year, with a look at arguably the funniest movie ever made--The Court Jester. Though this 1956 flick originally bombed at the box office, over the years it has gained in popularity.

As the movie opens, the current ruler of England, King Roderick the Tyrant, has usurped the throne after the massacre of the entire royal family--except for one surviving baby. A band of outlaws led by the cunning Black Fox are working to remove Roderick and replace him with the rightful heir, the child who bears the royal birthmark on his royal bottom.

Carnival worker Hubert Hawkins (Danny Kaye) joined the outlaws seeking excitement. He wants "to come to grips with the enemy: face to face, steel to steel, fist to fist." But gentle Hawkins is not a fighter and everyone--everyone except the hapless Hawkins, that is--knows it. Instead of giving Hawkins a sword, the Black Fox assigns him nanny duty for the royal infant.

However, while transporting the child to safety, Hawkins and the Black Fox's sword-wielding lieutenant Maid Jean (Glynis Johns) encounter the newly-arrived court jester Giacomo of Italy, "king of jesters and jester of kings." Things go awry when Hawkins and Jean hatch a plan for Hawkins to take the jester's place and infiltrate Roderick's castle. Unbeknownst to Hawkins, the real Giacomo is more than a mere fool--he is also an assassin hired by Roderick's right hand man Ravenhurst. Poor Hawkins soon finds himself planning assassinations, running from a love-hungry princess, and fighting in mortal combat with the grim and grisly gruesome Griswald.

This fast-paced spoof on the swashbuckler genre works because it incorporates so many types of humor--screwball, slapstick, and some of the most clever word play of the English language you'll ever hear. The clip below contains the first minute of the famous "pellet with the poison" tongue twister.




The cast also includes Angela Landsbury as the princess waiting for "someone dashing and romantic who will carry me away as a princess should be carried away" and Basil Rathbone as the evil Lord Ravenhurst in a parody of his Sir Guy of Gisborne role from the 1938 movie Robin Hood. Sammy Cahn and Sylvia Fine (Danny Kaye's wife) wrote the score for the movie, including the popular "Maladjusted Jester."


The Court Jester is a terrific family movie that appeals across generations. I have watched it with my grandparents, and it is a favorite of my children. We have even purchased copies as gifts for people undergoing difficult seasons of life.

"A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones." (Proverbs 17:22)


Do you like classic movies? Do you have any favorites that cheer you when life is difficult?




After leaving the corporate world to stay home with her children, C.J. Chase quickly learned she did not possess the housekeeping gene. She decided writing might provide the perfect excuse for letting the dust bunnies accumulate under the furniture. Her procrastination, er, hard work paid off in 2010 when she won the Golden Heart for Best Inspirational Manuscript and sold the novel to Love Inspired Historicals. Her next book, The Reluctant Earl, will be out in early 2013. You can visit C.J.'s cyber-home (where the floors are always clean) at cjchasebooks.com



Friday, March 30, 2012

But Is That Love?


 by Guest Blogger Jennifer Slattery

It’s easy to see hurtful behaviors when they’ve reached the extreme. It’s another matter to catch the impact of our seemingly helpful daily choices and interactions.

A few years ago, my husband and I started watching Intervention. Sitting on the couch in the comfort of our home, the action-reaction cycle we witnessed was so obvious! We readily saw the intertwined family dynamics and often talked about what the individuals should or shouldn’t do. Maybe if Mom quit making excuses for the addict, he’d be forced to change. Maybe if Dad didn’t cave to his son’s anger, it wouldn’t have escalated.

Viewing such drastic examples of helping turned hurting, it’s easy to see the long-term effects. It’s not so easy when the situation hits closer to home and is surrounded by a lifetime of behaviors. Then suddenly, the lines blur. In the evangelical community, this can be especially hard. We’re commanded to love, to carry one another’s burdens, to provide for our brother and sister in need, but if our acts of love aren’t grounded in truth, we risk actually harming our recipient.

Let me give an example. The other day I received a phone call from our daughter. She’d forgotten her math book and assignment at home. I could’ve responded in one of two ways: I could’ve brought her book to her or I could’ve allowed her to suffer the consequences of her actions. Both choices had long-term effects.

Which would’ve been an act of love?

This isn’t an easy question to answer, is it? The answer largely depends on her history and my long-term vision for her future. If this was a one-time event, a bit of grace might be appropriate. But what if this was the third time she’d left her book? Would rescuing her help or hurt? How might my action impact her future behavior?

When talking about children, most of you will probably agree. We understand as parents that sometimes we must do the hard thing. Sometimes we must take away privileges or allow natural consequence to train certain behaviors.

But what if the person needing help is a sister, brother, or parent? Suddenly those clear boundary lines blur, don’t they? Largely because our reaction and perception is rooted in long-establish patterns of behavior.

Let me give another example:

Gary’s Mom has a low-paying job. It’s the fourth job she’s held in four years. She has no health insurance and a mortgage she can’t pay. The Bible says to care for our parents, that he who doesn’t care for their family is evil. The loving son would provide his mom with extra income, would help her find a better job, get settled in a new community, would do whatever is necessary to help, right?

But what if Gary’s actions, although meant to be loving, really hurt his mom by encouraging the behaviors that led to her current situation?

To honestly evaluate the situation and our response to it, sometimes we need to take a step back. We need to look at our family history and the person’s past behaviors as well as our own. Because love and truth must always go hand in hand.

Let’s flash back twenty years. Gary grew up in a tense home with an angry father and a mentally unstable mother. As a child, he learned which behaviors led to the most peace. When dad got angry, he’d perform. When mom got agitated, he’d protect or fix the situation. He took on the role of fixer and protector. And Mom fell into the role of a victim in need of rescue. Over time, these roles strengthened and became normal patterns of behavior. Child and parent began to view this pattern as a display of love. But is this a healthy pattern? And is it truly loving?

These patterns of behavior are similar to those displayed on Intervention, only it’s harder to see them because the consequences don’t seem so dire. Mom’s not passed out drunk or strung out, and the money the son gives her goes to real needs. But Gary’s actions are still damaging if they encourage Mom to continue making poor choices.

I’m often reminded, love is a verb, an action. Emotions are great, but they can be faulty. Emotions tell me to let my daughter play outside even though she should be studying, but love tells me to hold her accountable in order to point her toward maturity.

Sometimes love does the hard thing. Finding the balance, that clear line in our emotional sand, takes prayer, wisdom, and grace. We need to step back from the situation and learn not to own the other person’s problems or emotions. When we do that, our love becomes pure and true, not motivated by guilt, past wounds, or faulty thinking, but instead, by wisdom. Then there’s a higher chance our actions will truly help, not hurt. Empower, not enable.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jennifer Slattery lives in the Midwest with her husband of sixteen years and their fourteen year old daughter. She’s passionate about seeing lives changed by the radical love of Christ and prays to be a grace and truth filled ambassador for Christ. She writes for Christ to the World Ministries, the ACFW Journal, Internet CafĂ© Devotions, Jewels of Encouragement, and maintains a devotional blog at JenniferSlatteryLivesOutLoud (http://jenniferslatterylivesoutloud.com) She’s also written for numerous publications and has placed in numerous writing contests. Connect with her on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/JenSlatte) to find out more.

Thursday, March 29, 2012

The Devil's Biggest Lie


by Jennifer AlLee

I spent last Saturday with about two thousand rowdy, on-fire women right in the heart of Las Vegas. That's right, the most grace-filled city in the world was a stop on the Women of Faith One Day Tour.

Scott MacIntyre and Sheila Walsh.
My apologies for not having a picture of Ken Davis...
I was in a confused stage ;)
The worship was fabulous. Whenever you have that many women all praising God together, you can feel His presence right to your core. The speakers (Sheila Walsh, Ken Davis, and Scott MacIntyre) blessed us like crazy. There were so many profound "epiphany" moments, it's hard to pick out just one to share with you. But unless I want this post to be novella-size, pick one I must. And here it is...

The biggest lie of the devil is that the thing you need to be happy is just beyond what you already have.

Sheila Walsh shared that golden nugget, and when it came out of her mouth, it zinged in my spirit. Whoa. The biggest lie of the devil is that the thing you need to be happy is just beyond what you already have. Think about it... he's been whispering that in the ears of mankind since the beginning.

"Sure, you live in a paradise and have everything you could ever need or want. But if you really want to be happy, then you need to eat that fruit over there. You know... the one thing that God told you not to do. If you do that, then everything will be perfect."

We all know how that turned out... Guilt, shame, banishment from paradise, a cursed existence on a now-cursed world. Quite a price to pay for fleeting satisfaction and pleasure.

The devil still whispers in our ears. Have you ever thought any of these things?

"If I was thinner, then I'd be happy."

"If only I got that promotion, then all my problems would be solved."

"If I could sign a multi-book contract, then I'd know I'd made it as an author."

I've thought two out of the three (I won't tell you which, but it should be easy to figure out). That old saying about the grass being greener on the other side of the fence... that's right from the pit of hell. "If you only had what those people have, then you'd be happy."

Consider the words of the apostle Paul:
     But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
     Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:7-14, NIV)
Paul wasn't looking to get one more thing in order to be happy. He was discarding things. He was focused on what mattered, "forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead..."

Despite my epiphany moment on Saturday, I don't have a handle on this way of thinking. I still catch myself looking in the mirror, shaking my head and thinking, "If only..." But hopefully, I'll be quicker to catch myself and realize that God always has, and always will, give me everything I need to be happy. And much, much more.


JENNIFER ALLEE believes the most important thing a woman can do is find her identity in God – a theme that carries throughout her novels. A professional writer for over twenty years, she's done extensive freelance work for Concordia Publishing House, including skits, Bible activity pages, and over 100 contributions to their popular My Devotions series. Her first novel, The Love of His Brother, was released by Five Star Publishers in November 2007. Her latest novel, The Pastor’s Wife, was released by Abingdon Press in February 2010. Her next two novels are The Mother Road (April 2012) and A Wild Goose Chase Christmas (November 2012), both from Abingdon Press. She's a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America, Christian Authors Network, and the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance.
Visit Jennifer's website at www.jenniferallee.com/

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Pastiche Please

By Lisa Karon Richardson

The poet once said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. And lately I have been seeing more and more very sincere literary flattery on bookstore shelves.

pas·tiche-noun

a literary, musical, or artistic piece consisting wholly or chiefly of motifs or techniques borrowed from one or more sources.

In the literary realm a pastiche typically means taking a beloved character and setting, and giving them new adventures. For example with Jane Austen’s recently reinvigorated popularity there has been a surge over the past couple years of new stories wherein her characters go on to get married, solve mysteries, and even upon occasion fight zombies and sea monsters.

Sherlock Holmes is another character who has had numerous pastiches created to extend his life. There are the direct ones that simply give the great detective new stories to solve, and there are the ones where Holmes is merely a bit player, like Carole Nelson Douglas’s wonderful Irene Adler series. There is even a cozy mystery series featuring Mrs. Hudson as the detective. Even I have been working on a Homes pastiche wherein the mystery is solved by Dr. Watson’s brilliant and talented second wife. And I totally call dibs on the idea!

I personally love reading new stories involving my favorite characters. But some are more successful than others. Have you read any pastiches you’d recommend? Do you like this little subgenre? Why or Why not?

Influenced by books like The Secret Garden and The Little Princess, Lisa Karon Richardson’s early books were heavy on boarding schools and creepy houses. Now that she’s (mostly) all grown-up she still loves a healthy dash of adventure and excitement in any story she creates, even her real-life story. She’s been a missionary to the Seychelles and Gabon and now that she and her husband are back in America, they are tackling a brand new adventure, starting a daughter-work church in a new city. Her first novella, Impressed by Love, part of the Colonial Courtships collection, is coming in October, 2012 followed shortly thereafter by The Magistrate’s Folly in November.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

The Story Behind Walks Alone by Sandi Rog

 by guest author Sandi Rog

WALKS ALONE

A Cheyenne warrior bent on vengeance. A pioneer woman bent on fulfilling a dream.

Until their paths collide.

After fleeing her abusive uncle, Anna is determined to reach the city of her dreams. But White Eagle and his fierce warriors take her prisoner. Anna attempts a harrowing escape, but her savage captor is determined to have her at all costs and forces her to be his wife. Has God forgotten her, or does He have plans of His own?

A man with a boot in one world and a moccasin in the other, White Eagle is disillusioned with his faith after a minister leads a massacre on his peaceful tribe. Where is his God? He's definitely not with the white men who are slaughtering his people. But White Eagle also can't give in to the idolatry practiced by his fellow tribesmen. Only the Truth can set him free.

And it's found in beautiful Anna’s carpetbag.

Dear Readers:


I’m originally from Colorado and recently moved back to the States after living in Holland for thirteen years. But it took moving to the other side of the world to discover the truth about my home state and what happened to the Cheyenne Native American tribe, along with the Arapaho and Lakota tribes and other Nations, on the morning of November 29, 1864. This incident is known today as the Sand Creek Massacre.

Most of the events in this story related to Colorado’s shameful past are true and accurate according to history—the massacre and its details (e.g. the toddler on the banks of Sand Creek), the popular saying in Denver “nits make lice” (a saying that made it acceptable for soldiers to murder innocent children), and some of Anna’s words and experiences when she’s abducted (taken from other white women who were abducted).

Cheyenne Chief Laird Cometsevah (a.k.a. Whistling Eagle) has approved Walks Alone’s accuracy and is touched that a part of his tribe’s culture and history is being told. While the Sand Creek Massacre is a disturbing event, I hope to not only give the Cheyenne tribe a voice, but to shine light on the hearts of these people.

Although my main character, White Eagle (a.k.a. Jean-Marc) is fictional, you’ll notice he comes strikingly close to resembling the real man George Bent (a.k.a. Beaver), half-breed son of William Bent, frontier tradesman. George Bent was educated in white schools, fought in the Civil War, was at Sand Creek during the massacre, and then became a Dog Soldier and fought in the Indian Wars. His father was a Christian and his mother was a Cheyenne native, and he struggled between their two beliefs. It’s because of George Bent that we are able to know, not only the historical accounts of the Cheyenne, but also their cultural practices.

Come with me now as you read a story of forgiveness and love, unleashed in a world of misunderstanding and hate.

***

This is the note I wrote to readers before they start reading Walks Alone. I want them to know that this is more than just a romance. When I first started this story, I was hoping for an easy book that wouldn’t require too much research. I was needing a break from ancient Rome, where my other books take place. So, I figured, how about writing a story based on my home state? What I didn’t realize was how much I didn’t know about my homeland. I walked and played on the ground where Cheyenne roamed. I had never heard of the Cheyenne before starting on my book. It amazed me that I hadn’t learned anything about them in school. I was heartbroken when the stories of the Cheyenne came to my knowledge. Was this truly the “land of the free?” Free for white men, sure. But not for Native Americans.

If you’re interested in the truth of what happened, watch this video:  The Sand Creek Massacre 

I talked to a few Cheyenne and asked them if they prefer being called “Native Americans,” and if they felt insulted to be called “Indian.” In reality, the tribe members I spoke with didn’t want to be called “Native Americans” (who can blame them?) and preferred the name “Indian,” saying “That’s who and what we are.” Why should they be ashamed of that? They said what insults them today is the name Redskins, which is the name of a popular football team. Of course, I’m sure these opinions vary, but it was interesting to hear the feedback from a few tribal members.

If you watch the video above and follow other links to other videos that tell the true account of the Cheyenne and other tribes, keep a box of tissues by your side. These are true events, not children’s tales. When I learned the truth, I had to tell their story. I had to give them a voice.

Sadly, Hitler was not the only one to commit genocide in this world. We had our own “Hitlers” right here in “the land of the free.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sandi Rog is an award winning author, her debut novel The Master’s Wall winning the 2011 Christian Small Publisher’s Book of the Year Award. She lived in Holland for thirteen years and now lives in Colorado with her husband, four children, a cat, and too many spiders.

Order Walks Alone on Amazon: Available for kindle and pre-order
Order Walks Alone in other ebook formats: http://www.ebookit.com/books/0000001445/Walks-Alone.html

Monday, March 26, 2012

Pictorial March on the Canadian Prairies

by Anita Mae Draper

March 2012 is about one month ahead of our average springtime after an extremely mild winter. I think our lowest temp this past season was -21C/-6F whereas we'd normally go down to -40C/-40F or lower. Brrr

Mar 2: We start our pictorial with a photo of 13 yr old JJ and his 2nd ride ever on our Yamaha snowmobile. Until this point, we just hadn't had enough snow to make it fun. But the day was gorgeous so Nelson had JJ watch him go a couple times around the island in our yard before letting JJ take it for a spin.


As I stood on the steps and watched him go around, I was very worried. After all, if he came toward the house too fast, he could hit the truck, the house, me or kill himself. I began to pray.


With good reason! He took that far corner and sped up instead of braking! Och! Yes, the snowmobile was still running as JJ took off on in a hurry. But He was unhurt, PTL.

After that, Nelson fired up the BBQ for burgers. Regardless of the temperature, when Nelson wants burgers, he goes out and BBQ's them. Of course it would be easier going to McDonalds, but since the closest one is over an hour drive away, he doesn't let a little thing like snow and cold stop him.


Mar 3: A foggy day. Pretty, but deadly. It caused some horrific highway accidents throughout the day.



The fog cleared and left icicles everywhere. That didn't stop this House Sparrow from checking out the old birdhouse.



Mar 5: The birdhouse must've been acceptable because the House Sparrow was back with a mate. The female is on the top left, the male on the bottom right.



Mar 8: Freezing rain overnight paints a shiny layer of ice although this House Sparrow seems unimpressed.



Mar 18: Pussywillows on the Mountain Ash tree.



A lone Red-winged Blackbird checks things out in a Poplar tree.



Mar 21: The Canada Geese and Snow Geese are migrating over our farmyard.



A whole flock of blackbirds arrive and spend their last days of bonding in the poplar trees before separating for the summer.



Mar 22: This male has staked out his territory and is already on guard for intruders.



Mar 25: I'm watching the pussywillows because I'm curious how they grow.



The robins came back about a week ago. This one is in the Purple Royalty crab tree. I feel like saying, "You can fly, but you can't hide."



And yesterday I caught the Muskovy ducks playing a round of King of the Castle.


Spring is here!

The above photos will soon be added to the jigsaw puzzle pages of my website at www.anitamaedraper.com.

This next one won't be though...Mar 8th: A self-portrait of me signing the Books & Such Literary Agency contract. Hello Mary Keeley. :)



So? How's spring for you this year, and is it a normal year?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anita Mae Draper is retired from the Canadian Armed Forces and lives on the prairie of southeast Saskatchewan, Canada with her hubby of 30 plus years and 2 of their 4 kids. She writes stories set on the prairies of Saskatchewan, North Dakota, Montana and Wyoming. Anita Mae has semi-finaled in the Historical Romance category of the ACFW's 2011 Genesis contest and finaled in the Inspirational category of the 2011 Daphne du Maurier, the 2011 Fool for Love, the 2011 Duel on the Delta and 2009 Linda Howard Award of Excellence contests. Anita Mae is represented by Mary Keeley of Books and Such Literary Agency. You can find Anita at http://www.anitamaedraper.com/    

Sunday, March 25, 2012

The Lord's Great Delight

by Suzie Johnson
"And a voice from heaven said, 'This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.'" ~ Matthew 3:17

Most, if not all of us reading this blog, long to please the Lord in some way. I know I do. Fortunately, since I tend to fail a lot, I’m covered by His grace.

courtesy of thebiblerevival.com
I have this long standing image of the Lord holding out His arms, face beaming, as He says words similar to those same ones He spoke over Jesus when he was baptized in the Jordan River, "You are my child, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."

The very thought fills my entire being with a warm glow and I feel incredibly loved.

I don’t think I’ve ever shared this with anyone, not even my sister. But somehow she must have known because she sent me a card this week with an unfamiliar scripture on the front. I may have read it before and stored it in my subconscious, but I can’t be sure. I do wonder though, if this is where I came by my initial image of God being pleased with me.

"The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing." ~ Zephaniah 3:17

courtesy of thebiblerevival.com 
I never imagined God taking delight in me. Pleased, yes, but taking that concept deeper to Him taking great delight in me – it’s a new thought for me. Even more so, the image of Him singing over me with joy, gives me a sense of gladness so deep down in my soul, I can barely express what I’m feeling.

Music has always drawn me close to the Lord. This fact and the timing of my sister choosing a card with this scripture has reminded me that God’s timing is perfection. That she sent me this scripture at this particular time – God must have been sitting on her shoulder while she looked at cards and nudged her toward this one. My desire to give my best in whatever I do has been renewed because of it. (Thank you, Pam!)

I now have a burning desire to attain the utmost in this scripture – the part where not only is God delighting in me, He’s singing over me with joy!

What images do you hold onto of God?
Did they come from scriptures you read, or from something you were taught?

Suzie Johnson’s debut novel, No Substitute, a contemporary inspirational novel, will be released by White Rose Press later this year. She is a member of ACFW, RWA, and is the cancer registrar at her local hospital. The mother of a wonderful young man, who makes her proud every day, Suzie lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and naughty little cat. Although the beaches there are rocky instead of sandy, lined with Madrona trees instead of Palm trees, and the surf is much too cold for wading, it is still the perfect spot for writing inspirational fiction. You can visit her blog, Suzie's Writing Place at http://suzieswritingplace.blogspot.com/.

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Jane Eyre


I don't see many movies in the theater, so I'm usually way behind everyone else in seeing new releases. I have been wanting to see the 2011 version of "Jane Eyre" for quite a while now, so I was very pleased when it came up on my Nexflix queue.



Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga, this is a beautiful if sometimes grim version of the classic story. Jane Eyre (Mia Wasikowska from Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland") leaves her joyless childhood behind to earn her way as a governess at gloomy Thornfield Hall. The master of the hall is the mysterious Edward Rochester (Michael Fassbender from "Fish Tank"). From their first meeting he is demanding and abrupt, but she sees in him someone who is more like her than not, someone who is willing to engage her as an intellectual equal, someone, though he denies it, who wants to be a truly fine person.

Wasikowska's Jane captures perfectly the Jane of the book. She is small and quiet, almost supernaturally serene in the midst of life's storms, but she has a spine of steel. When she realizes Rochester's true circumstances and what he wants her to do, what he begs her to do, she stays strong. Despite her aching love for him, despite his clinging to her, desperate for that love, she holds herself away from him, knowing it is the only thing she can do and be true to herself. And when she comes back to him, when she knows it is right to come back, she does it with that same deep certainty. She has done what she must.

Some would say that Fassbender's Rochester is too handsome for the role. Certainly the book describes the character as being less than beautiful. Fassbender is no pretty boy, but he has more than his share of attractive qualities, not the least being the mere intensity of his presence. Even though Jane knows, and we know, that what he wants is wrong, he makes that desire understandable, even reasonable. He makes her denial of him seem almost cruel, even though she is the one who has been wronged.

Besides the two leads, I very much enjoyed Dame Judi Dench as Mrs. Fairfax, the housekeeper. As always, she brings depth to her role, saying a great deal about the secrets she's surrounded by with just a glance or a particular tone of voice while never revealing anything in words.

I think, all in all, this is one of my favorite productions of Bronte's story. This Jane and Rochester have a tension between them that really fuels the movie. Beyond that, the supporting players, the costumes and sets, the cinematography, everything about the movie was very well done. The only thing that really bothered me was the abruptness of the ending. As a friend recently told me, "If you watch a movie where someone has been trying the whole time to get a donut, you'd better be able to watch him enjoy that donut once he gets it." Yes, this Jane Eyre gives Jane and Rochester their happy ending, but we only get the briefest glimpse of it before the credits start rolling.

Still, I would definitely recommend it. I'd like to see it again.


Did you see this version of Jane Eyre? If so, what did you think of it?

What other film versions of this story have you seen?



DeAnna Julie Dodson has always been an avid reader and a lover of storytelling, whether on the page, the screen or the stage. This, along with her keen interest in history and her Christian faith, shows in her tales of love, forgiveness and triumph over adversity. She is the author of In Honor Bound, By Love Redeemed and To Grace Surrendered, a trilogy of medieval romances, and Letters in the Attic, a contemporary mystery. A fifth-generation Texan, she makes her home north of Dallas with three spoiled cats.

Share This Post

How Our Giveaways Work: The Official Rules

We, the ladies of Inkwell Inspirations, would love to give free stuff to everybody. Since we can't, we will often have a giveaway in conjunction with a specific post. Unless otherwise stated, one winner will be drawn from comments left on that post between the date it was published and the end of the giveaway as determined in the post. Entries must be accompanied by a valid email address. This address is used only to contact the commenter in the event that he/she is the winner, and will not be sold, distributed, or used in any other fashion. The odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. NO PURCHASE, PLEDGE, OR DONATION NECESSARY TO ENTER OR TO WIN. ALL FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AND MUNICIPAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS APPLY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.

Pinterest