Day 40. "You transfix me, quite."

Charlotte Brontë's "Jane Eyre" 

A few weeks ago I watched Cary Joji Fukunaga's 2011 version of "Jane Eyre" with Michael Fassbender and Mia Wasikowska.  There is a scene, where Mr. Rochester (Fassbender) is speaking to Jane.  He is intrigued by her; she possesses an innocence and lightness of mind--even though she has suffered greatly in her short life--that he has lost.  At one point he stares at her intensely and says,

"You transfix me, quite."

It was...arresting.  I think I caught my breath.  

What a beautiful wording...putting that "quite" on the end of the sentence.  Of course, the fact that Michael Fassbender uttered them in a low, deep voice, with piercing blues eyes did not hurt.

In January 2004, James Lipton aired an interview with Russell Crowe. Lipton always asks actors the same questions at the end of the interview, one of which is, "What turns you on?" 

Russell Crowe replied, "A well-constructed sentence will give me chills."  I completely understand.

"You transfix me, quite."

Here's another great one from the movie:

I struggled with this painting.  His face came and went as I reworked it.  It looked good, and then I lost it.  I wanted to portray him "lost in grayness"--the color of his torment--contrasted with the soft green and violet of the plants growing out of the grayness--the possibility of lightness with Jane.  I guess it was apropos that is was a struggle, as their love--and what stood in there way--was a struggle.

This is the man I was watching (Day 37. "I'm So Tired, a.k.a that darn YouTube") on Youtube on the Irish "Late, Late Show."  And the bizarre twist was, right after I had seen "Jane Eyre," I saw Fassbender in "Shame" on IFC (Independent Film Channel)--or Sundance Channel.  "Shame" is about sexual addiction.  And as you may suspect, Michael's blessings of physical attractiveness extends to every area...ahem.  Here's the thing, though.  This man is such a great actor...so unbelievably talented.  So much so, that even in the midst of the most graphic sex scenes, he can convey miniscule pleasure overcome by painful desperation.  His despair in his addiction is palpable.  What an incredible actor.