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Great Expectations [1946]
John Mills's performance as the adult Pip charts his change from the wide-eyed wonder and generous spirit of the child he was to the class snob transformed by money and social standing, an ugly flaw that Pip confronts when his mysterious benefactor is finally revealed. The outstanding cast also features Valerie Hobson as the grown-up Estella, now a beguiling enchantress, a bright young Alec Guinness in his film debut as Pip's jovial London roommate Herbert Pocket, and the imposing Francis L. Sullivan as the decidedly humourless lawyer Jaggers. Exquisitely photographed by Guy Green (who won an Oscar for his work). Lean and his collaborators effectively maintain the heart of Dickens's epic drama while cutting it to its essentials in this vivid, compelling film. --Sean Axmaker, Amazon.com ReviewsA beautiful adaptation of a literary masterpiece Review date: 2008-09-12 Rating: 10 out of 10 This excellent production truly captures the spirit of a Dickens classic. And it's WAY ahead of its time for 1946! Long movies were expensive to make in those days yet this adaptation runs to almost 2 hours. The orphan Philip Pirrip - or "Pip" - lives with his violent, merciless sister and his kindly though unrefined brother-in-law Joe, a blacksmith. On visiting his parents' grave one night Pip has a chance meeting with an escaped convict called Magwitch, who bullies the child into stealing him some food. He also visits a strange mansion inhabited by the fabulously rich but wildly eccentric "Miss Havisham", abandoned on her wedding day years earlier and now living in seclusion and wallowing in perpetual self-pity. There Pip falls in love with the pretty but brash Estella. As soon as Pip is of age, he's apprenticed at his brother-in-law's forge (from this point he's played by the matchless John Mills). Out of the blue, the youth is offered a chance to move to London and become a gentlemen! New opportunities, some pleasant surprises and a few more chance encounters all await Pip in his new life. It's time to leave the forge, the blacksmith and the strange rich lady behind for good...or is it? The casting is excellent, with one very obvious exception. The younger Estella is stunningly pretty, oozes sex-appeal and mesmerises the innocent young Pip. The slightly older Estella - played by Valerie Hobson - is unconvincing, uninspiring and bland. Poor casting of that particular character IMHO but not quite bad enough to drop a star. The picture quality is as good as you can expect for 1946. If you're a Dickens fan, this video is well worth adding to the collection. The Gold Standard! Review date: 2008-06-21 Rating: 10 out of 10 There are some films, such as "Casablanca," that should never be remade. David Lean's "Great Expectations" is one of them. The cast--headed by John Mills as the grown-up Pip, and which includes the rotund Francis L. Sullivan as the lawyer Jagger (whose clients are hanged as a matter of course), Finlay Curry as the convict Magwitch, and Alec Guinness as Herbert Pocket--is pitch-perfect (although I always thought that Valerie Hobson was a bit of a disappointment after the brittle hauteur of Jean Simmons). This film has everything: humor, suspense, and a lack of the sentimentality that seems to have crept into Dickensian films of late. Lean, who was to become famous for his sweeping desolate landscapes of "Lawrence of Arabia" and "Dr. Zhivago," captures the essence of the lonely English fog-bound marshes with swirling swathes of grey in this glorious black and white film. The image of young Estella (a bewitching Jean Simmons) leading young Pip by candlelight up the darkened staircase into the cobweb-enshrouded inner sanctum of the demented Miss Havisham (the incomparable Martita Hunt) is unforgettable, as is the sight of the jilted bride's rat-infested wedding cake. Without computer-generated effects or even color, David Lean has created a cinematic masterpiece. Film making at it's best Review date: 2008-03-08 Rating: 10 out of 10 They don't make films like this anymore, more's the pity. John Mills is superb and the supporting cast just as good. The last part of the film when Pip revisits the old house for the last time and finds the love of his life there still brings a tear to the eye. It is simply a classic movie which any self respecting film lover should have in their collection. brilliant Review date: 2008-01-16 Rating: 8 out of 10 i first watched this film about ten years ago and was happy to see it always crops up on tv so i always try to re watch it again!The story is brilliant, the casting is superb and the setting is totally lavish, i really admire mr dickens for inventing such a masterpiece of literature and i also admire david lean for making it work on screen!!! Product Details/SpecificationsActor(s): Valerie Hobson John Mills Jean Simmons Bernard Miles Tony Wager Creators: John Mills (Primary Contributor) Valerie Hobson (Primary Contributor) David Lean (Writer) Anthony Havelock-Allan (Producer) Anthony Havelock-Allan (Writer) Cecil McGivern (Writer) Charles Dickens (Writer) Kay Walsh (Writer) Ronald Neame (Writer) Director(s): Recording label: ITV DVD Manufacturer: ITV DVD EAN: 5037115000835 Binding: DVD Number of items: 1 Format: Black & White, Full Screen, PAL, Release date: 1999-04-12 Number of discs: 1 Aspect ratio: 1.33:1 Audience rating: Parental Guidance Region code: 2 Running time: 118 minutes Theatrical release date: 1947-12-16 Language: English (Original Language)
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