William Hurt

In 1983, Frances Toto, a mother of four living in Allentown, Pa., and married to Tony Toto, a local pizza shop owner, decided to have her husband bumped off. It was an impulsive decision, Frances said later, but not a capricious one. Tony was cheating on her pretty much around the clock, and girls were starting to call the house. "A body can only take so much," Frances explained.

His isn't a household name. But if you know who Academy Award-winning actress Marlee Matlin is — if you've seen her on "Ellen" or caught a recent episode of "Celebrity Apprentice" — you're likely to recognize Jack Jason: He's the short man with close-cropped hair, lending his voice to her words. He stands at her side at movie premieres and shares the stage with her on talk shows. When Matlin won the Oscar in 1987 for her role in "Children of a Lesser God," it was his emotive voice adding sound to the young deaf actress' signs of appreciation.

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts will host an advance screening of Franco Zeffirelli's rendition of Charlotte Bronte's classic "Jane Eyre" on Tuesdayat 8 p.m. at the Pacific Design Center's Center Green Theatre in West Hollywood. Producer Dyson Lovell will introduce the film, which stars Charlotte Gainsbourg, William Hurt and Anna Paquin as the young Jane. The screening will be preceded with a reception at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10. Information: (310) 652-4123.

Here are this week's key releases on video and DVD, available beginning Tuesday. Source: Internet Movie Database; Box Office Mojo; Nielsen/SoundScan, Inc. *--* BOX OFFICE (MILLIONS) DOMESTIC FOREIGN "The Village" Joaquin Phoenix, William Hurt; directed by M. Night Shyamalan $114.2 $142.5 "Without a Paddle" Seth Green, Matthew Lillard; directed by Steven Brill $58.1 $3.2 "Silver City" Chris Cooper, Danny Huston; directed by John Sayles $1 $.06 *--*

"Trial by Jury," a drama starring William Hurt and Joanne Whalley-Kilmer and playing in general release, also opens today. Because Warner Bros. did not make the film available for screening until Thursday, The Times' review will appear Saturday. "The Next Karate Kid," a comedy with newcomer Hilary Swank as a young karate prodigy, playing in general release, also opens today. Because Columbia did not make the film available for screenings, The Times' review will appear Monday.

THE ACCIDENTAL TOURIST Lawrence Kasdan's 1988 film of Anne Tyler's warm and singular novel bristles with eccentric, memorable characters and is the true stuff of life: love, family, our capacity and willingness to change. With William Hurt, Kathleen Turner and an Oscar-winning Geena Davis. Sunday at 8 p.m. Wednesday at 10 a.m. Saturday at 4:30 p.m. Cinemax

Film critics honored "Kiss of the Spider Woman" as the best foreign film at the 1985 Norwegian Film Festival. The film is directed by Hector Babenco of Argentina with an American cast including Raul Julia and William Hurt. At the Wednesday night awards ceremony the managers of Norwegian movie theaters gave the special Spreader of Joy festival award to the American movie "Desperately Seeking Susan" by director Susan Seidelman, featuring rock singer Madonna as Susan.