Great Expectations (1946)

A humble orphan suddenly becomes a gentleman with the help of an unknown benefactor.

Director:

David Lean

Writers:

Charles Dickens (by), David Lean (adapted for the screen by)

Stars:

John Mills, Valerie Hobson, Tony Wager

Won 2 Oscars. Another 1 win & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Mills	...	Pip
Tony Wager	...	Young Pip (as Anthony Wager)
Valerie Hobson	...	Estella
Jean Simmons	...	Young Estella
Bernard Miles	...	Joe Gargery
Francis L. Sullivan	...	Mr. Jaggers
Finlay Currie	...	Magwitch
Martita Hunt	...	Miss Havisham
Alec Guinness	...	Herbert Pocket
Ivor Barnard	...	Mr. Wemmick
Freda Jackson	...	Mrs.Joe
Eileen Erskine	...	Biddy
George Hayes	...	Convict
Hay Petrie	...	Uncle Pumblechook
John Forrest	...	The Pale Young Gentleman

Storyline

Pip, a good-natured, gullible young orphan, lives with kind blacksmith Joe Gargery and his bossy, abusive wife "Mrs. Joe". When the boy finds two hidden escaped galley convicts, he obeys under, probably unnecessary, threat of a horrible death to bring the criminals food. He must steal at peril of more caning from the battle-ax. Just when Pip fears to get it really good while they have guests, a soldier comes for Joe who takes Pip along as assistant to work on the chains of the escaped galley-convicts, who are soon caught. The better-natured one takes the blame for the stolen food. Later Pip is invited to became the playmate of Estelle, the equally arrogant adoptive daughter of gloomy, filthy rich Miss Havisham at her estate, who actually has "permission" to break the kind kid's heart. Being the only pretty girl he ever saw, she wins his heart forever, even after a mysterious benefactor pays through a lawyer for his education and a rich allowance, so he can become a snob in London, by ...

---

Plot Keywords:

benefactor | orphan | convict | lawyer | escaped convict | 

---

Taglines:

From the Vivid Pages of Charles Dickens' Masterpiece !

---

Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Mystery | Romance

---

Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 May 1947 (USA)

Also Known As:

Grandes esperanzas

Filming Locations:

D&P Studios, Denham Studios, Denham, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

£350,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cineguild

Technical Specs

Runtime:

118 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Valerie Hobson also played Estella's mother Molly.

---

Goofs

As Joe says goodbye to Pip after dinner with Herbert, Joe's fake eyebrows are loose.

---

Quotes

Magwitch: Keep still, you young devil, or I'll slit your throat!

---

Crazy Credits

The identity of the actress playing Molly is never revealed, because this would constitute a spoiler.

---

Alternate Versions

In some prints, after the fifteen minute "convict episode" at the beginning of the film ends, we hear the adult Pip's (John Mills) voice-over saying, "it was a year later", as Mrs. Joe arrives home in the carriage. As now usually shown, there is no voice-over in this sequence.

---

Connections

Referenced in Sunset Blvd. (1950)

User Reviews

Magnificent translation of classic Dickens book with a splendid direction by David Lean

The movie deals with an orphan child called Pip (Anthony Wager and grown-up John Mills) meets on the dark moor an escaped convict (Finlay Currie) and helps him . Later on , at a musty mansion he meets an old woman , Miss Havershan (Martita Hunt), and a beautiful girl called Stella (Jean Simmons and grown-up,Valerie Hobson) . Pit suddenly becomes a gentleman with the support of an unknown benefactor and his advocate (Francis L. Sullivan) . He befriends Herbert Pocket , Alec Guinness , in his debut picture as Pip's likable flatmate .

The film is an adaptation based on Charles Dickens's novel , being very fine directed by the classic director David Lean . In the movie there are drama , a love story , humor , tragedies and is pretty enjoyable . Impressive black and white cinematography by Guy Green , David Lean's usual ; in fact Lean has only utilized four cameramen throughout his career , the others have been Freddie Young , Jack Hyldyard and Ronald Neame who besides is producer and screenwriter of the film ; everybody famed and specialist photographers . The motion picture is considered to be the greatest version of the Charles Dickens novel , the recent rendition featured by Ethan Hawke as Pit , Gwyneth Paltrow as Stella and Anne Bancroft as Miss Havershan is deemed average . John Mills acting as the starring is first rate , he's romantic , sympathetic , attractive but also vulnerable and memorable . Alec Guinness as the agreeable friend is top notch , and secondary cast as Bernard Miles , Freda Jackson and Finlay Currie are excellent . Rating : Above Average . Well worth seeing for the classic cinema lovers .