There have been some outstanding screen treatments of the classic literature of Charles Dickens. This 1974 TV movie is not among them. The story had already been filmed brilliantly in the '40s by the great David Lean, so quite why a remake was ever deemed necessary is a bit of a mystery. Still, the film has a cast to die for, featuring the likes of Michael York, Sarah Miles, James Mason, Margaret Leighton, Robert Morley, Anthony Quayle, Joss Ackland and Rachel Roberts. Any film which gathers so many famous faces in one place has a certain appeal, though it must be noted that several of the actors are miscast and many of them give indifferent performances.
In Victorian Kent, apprentice blacksmith Pip (Michael York) comes across an escaped convict in a foggy graveyard. The convict, Abel Magwitch (James Mason), is on the run from the law and needs food, drink and something to release him from his leg irons. Frightened Pip agrees to help him, but later Magwitch is recaptured by soldiers even though Pip does nothing to betray him. Soon after, Pip is summoned to the nearby house of eccentric old lady Miss Havisham (Margaret Leighton) to act as a friend for her adopted daughter Estella (Sarah Miles). Pip does not realise that Miss Havisham is an avid man-hater who has been plotting to unleash her fury against the opposite sex since the day she was jilted just hours before her wedding. Estella is a cruel, taunting, distant girl who has been trained all her life to break men's hearts on behalf of Miss Havisham and Pip is to be victim number one! Later, Pip learns that he has inherited a fortune from an un-named benefactor. Assuming that he must somehow have impressed Miss Havisham and that she must be the benefactor, Pip heads off to London to become a gentleman. He even assumes that once he has established himself as a gentleman he will be married to the beautiful Estella. But Pip is in for an extraordinary shock when he discovers that his true benefactor is Magwitch, the dirty old convict who he tried to assist all those years ago. Magwitch has never forgotten that act of kindness and has spent his lifetime since trying to return the favour.
Mason is in excellent form as Magwitch and gives what is easily the film's strongest portrayal. Good actors like York, Miles, Leighton and Roberts seem much less enthused about the film and give rather bored performances. In the case of York and Miles, it barely helps that they seem far too old to be playing their respective characters. The film's production values are rather limited. The costumes are good enough, but the interior and exterior sets aren't up to much. Also slightly disappointing is the way that a lot of key events from the book are omitted from this version, although it is at least faithful to the basic plot line. In summary, this is a watchable but unexceptional remake of the story. If you want to see it done better, go for the 1946 David Lean version.
In Victorian Kent, apprentice blacksmith Pip (Michael York) comes across an escaped convict in a foggy graveyard. The convict, Abel Magwitch (James Mason), is on the run from the law and needs food, drink and something to release him from his leg irons. Frightened Pip agrees to help him, but later Magwitch is recaptured by soldiers even though Pip does nothing to betray him. Soon after, Pip is summoned to the nearby house of eccentric old lady Miss Havisham (Margaret Leighton) to act as a friend for her adopted daughter Estella (Sarah Miles). Pip does not realise that Miss Havisham is an avid man-hater who has been plotting to unleash her fury against the opposite sex since the day she was jilted just hours before her wedding. Estella is a cruel, taunting, distant girl who has been trained all her life to break men's hearts on behalf of Miss Havisham and Pip is to be victim number one! Later, Pip learns that he has inherited a fortune from an un-named benefactor. Assuming that he must somehow have impressed Miss Havisham and that she must be the benefactor, Pip heads off to London to become a gentleman. He even assumes that once he has established himself as a gentleman he will be married to the beautiful Estella. But Pip is in for an extraordinary shock when he discovers that his true benefactor is Magwitch, the dirty old convict who he tried to assist all those years ago. Magwitch has never forgotten that act of kindness and has spent his lifetime since trying to return the favour.
Mason is in excellent form as Magwitch and gives what is easily the film's strongest portrayal. Good actors like York, Miles, Leighton and Roberts seem much less enthused about the film and give rather bored performances. In the case of York and Miles, it barely helps that they seem far too old to be playing their respective characters. The film's production values are rather limited. The costumes are good enough, but the interior and exterior sets aren't up to much. Also slightly disappointing is the way that a lot of key events from the book are omitted from this version, although it is at least faithful to the basic plot line. In summary, this is a watchable but unexceptional remake of the story. If you want to see it done better, go for the 1946 David Lean version.