Great Expectations (1946)

Very well executed

Surprisingly incoherent and boring

Admirable film.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

I believe I can echo another reviewer's comment about reading the Dickens novel as a high school student - one of the most boring experiences imaginable. At least as much as I can remember because that was almost fifty years ago. However this 1946 film adaptation managed to hold my interest in a way that surpassed my enthusiasm for director David Lean's "Lawrence of Arabia". There was only so much of that sun and desert sand I could take in one sitting. I can't say with any kind of certainty today how much the picture followed along with the original novel, but the execution on screen was engaging and worthwhile viewing. I did manage to recall from memory names like Miss Havisham (Martita Hunt) and Mr. Joe (Bernard Miles), and it was a bit of a surprise seeing Pocket portrayed by an impossibly young Sir Alec Guinness. And since my seasoned citizen brain had forgotten virtually the entire story of Pip and Estella, it was a genuine surprise to learn of Abel Magwitch's (Finlay Currie) identity as Pip's benefactor. All to the good I would say, as the story advances Pip's youth and young adulthood in a way that's interesting and compelling, even with it's series of unfortunate bumps along the way.

This is a classic version of one of Dickens' great works. It involves the story of Pip (Philip Pirrip) orphaned and raised by his sister. It starts with an assault by a criminal who terrorizes him. Pip dreams of being a gentleman and at some point money shows up from an unnamed benefactor. This sets his life in motion. One day he is called to the house of Miss Havisham and meets Estella (Jean Simmons/Later Valerie Hobson) the snobbish ward of the old lady. Pip's life takes a series of dramatic jolts that almost ruin him. The acting is wonderful and the story tight and well plotted. What is missing are some very important interactions among significant characters from the book. I know a movie can only be so long, but it cheats out of some really significant action. I am particularly fond of the Disney mini-series that came out a few years ago, starring Jean Simmons, this time as Miss Havisham.

"Great Expectations" is another Dickens novel adapted for the screen and directed by David Lean. I recently saw "Oliver Twist" and thought it was exceptional in all respects, and I would put "Great Expectations" in the same category. Both pictures excel especially in two areas; acting and photography, and I should also mention their faithfulness to the original story.David Lean said he wanted no other actor for Pip than John Mills, and it would seem he was right, as Mills captured the essence of Pip to the last jot. Martita Hunt as Miss Havisham was an inspired choice, but the best choice was Francis L. Sullivan as Jaggers. Sullivan elevated any film he appeared in with his bigger-than-life characterizations and his elegant speaking voice, a George Sanders sound-alike.It's all been said in many other reviews, so I just wanted to weigh in with these few comments above. With Cineguild and The Archers, British film production reached its zenith during the 40's to mid 50's, and since that time the movie industry has not been able to recapture the same standard of excellence on either side of the Atlantic, form over substance being the rule nowadays.

A humble orphan suddenly becomes a gentleman with the help of an unknown benefactor.I have read "Great Expectations" and found it to be a rather disappointing book. In contrast, this is a rather good film. The camera angles, the use of darkness, the casting... all very excellent. Being the film debut of Alec Guinness makes it valuable all by itself.There is rumor that many people felt that the adult Estella was miscast. I tend to agree. I did not care for her. Though, perhaps, that would be part of the charm. The rest of the cast -- Havisham, Jaggers, etc -- were cast perfectly. I am not sure what the deal was with Pip's large bow tie, but maybe once upon a time that style was acceptable.