Great Expectations (1946)

Star Rating: 3
Length of Film: 118 minutes
Director: David Lean
Cast: John Mills, Anthony Wager, Valerie Hobson, Jean Simmons, Bernard Miles, Francis L. Sullivan, Finalay Currie, Martita Hunt, Alec Guinness, Ivor Barnard, Freda Jackson, Eileen Erskine, George Hayes, Hay Petrie, & John Forrest
Oscars: John Bryan, Wilfred Shingleton (art direction), Guy Green (photography)
Oscar Nomination: Ronald Neame (best picture), David Lean (director), David Lean, Ronald Neame, Anthony Havelock-Allan (screenplay)




Great Expectations is based off of Charles Dicken's beloved novel and this film is considered the finest literary adaptations ever filmed, as well as one of the best British films ever made.

The movie starts out with Pip (as a 10 year old boy) visiting his parents at a cemetery. While at the cemetery, he runs into a prisoner escapee. The escapee, named Magwitch (Finlay Currie) talks Pip into bringing him food and a tool to help him get out of the handcuffs. Pip does as he's told. Guards come and arrest Magwitch, and Magwitch thanks Pip for his hospitality.

Pip is asked to go play at Miss Havisham (Martita Hunt) house, a rich lady who was stood up on her wedding day, which left her so heartbroken that she never changed anything; her outfit, the wedding feast. AFTER 20 YEARS! She never dusted, boarded up all the windows, it's a mess! With Miss Havisham is this little girl, that she adopted; Estella (Jean Simmons). Estella was mean to Pip, but Pip loved her from the beginning.

Pip went away to become a blacksmith apprentice, but when he was 20 years old, a lawyer came to him saying that he will be his benefactor and that he was instructed to move to London to become a gentleman. Adult Pip is played by John Mills who was 38 years old. Why they would choose someone that's 18 years older than the part? Who knows but you can definately tell that he doesn't look 20.

Pip becomes a spoiled brat, and gets used to high society. He meets up with adult Estella and falls back in love. He believes that Miss Havisham is paying for him to be a gentleman, and that he and Estella belong together-WRONG!

An old man appears to Pip, and announces that he's the one that has been paying the bills. It was someone that Pip met as a boy... in a cemetery...

Here's some other interesting events in the movie:

~There's a fire

~Someone burns their hands

~2 people die

~Mystery of who Estella's parent are

~ Happy Ending