Pip, an orphan, is a modest apprentice to a blacksmith when he is contacted by a London lawyer and informed that a mysterious benefactor has decided to set him up as a society gentleman. Pip quickly finds friends and takes to his new station in life, but gradually comes to realise he has turned his back on his upbringing. Meanwhile, an unpleasant surprise awaits him regarding the identity of his sponsor ...
I find I can usually sum up the plot of most movies in two sentences, but the above synopsis doesn't even begin to describe the terrific story and memorable characters of one of Charles Dickens' best and much-admired novels. This film is arguably the best screen adaptation of his work (the closest contender being Lean's subsequent Oliver Twist), which benefits chiefly from fabulous photography by Guy Green and a truly marvellous cast. Mills and Hobson are excellent in the leads, but the honours go to Currie as the terrifying yet honourable Magwitch and Hunt as the doomed Miss Havisham. In strong support are Sullivan as bombastic lawyer Jaggers and Barnard as his assistant Wemmick, and don't miss very early performances by Simmons and Guinness. There are several justly famous sequences in this movie; notably the ultra-spooky opening in the graveyard and the cobweb-ridden wedding banquet hall, but my favourite is the scene where Magwitch returns through the stormy night to reveal the terrible truth to Pip. I have one complaint however, which is the unnecessarily altered ending - in the movie Pip and Estella escape to start a romance afresh, whilst in the book Estella marries the rich oaf, has a miserable time until he dies, then meets up with Pip again, but they both agree too much time has passed and too much has transpired for them to feel the same way about each other - a far richer, more melancholy resolution. That aside though, this is a great romantic Victorian melodrama and the script (by Lean, producer Ronald Neame and three other writers) sensibly retains Dickens' memorable characters and profound insight into human nature. Ever the best of friends, eh old chap ?
I find I can usually sum up the plot of most movies in two sentences, but the above synopsis doesn't even begin to describe the terrific story and memorable characters of one of Charles Dickens' best and much-admired novels. This film is arguably the best screen adaptation of his work (the closest contender being Lean's subsequent Oliver Twist), which benefits chiefly from fabulous photography by Guy Green and a truly marvellous cast. Mills and Hobson are excellent in the leads, but the honours go to Currie as the terrifying yet honourable Magwitch and Hunt as the doomed Miss Havisham. In strong support are Sullivan as bombastic lawyer Jaggers and Barnard as his assistant Wemmick, and don't miss very early performances by Simmons and Guinness. There are several justly famous sequences in this movie; notably the ultra-spooky opening in the graveyard and the cobweb-ridden wedding banquet hall, but my favourite is the scene where Magwitch returns through the stormy night to reveal the terrible truth to Pip. I have one complaint however, which is the unnecessarily altered ending - in the movie Pip and Estella escape to start a romance afresh, whilst in the book Estella marries the rich oaf, has a miserable time until he dies, then meets up with Pip again, but they both agree too much time has passed and too much has transpired for them to feel the same way about each other - a far richer, more melancholy resolution. That aside though, this is a great romantic Victorian melodrama and the script (by Lean, producer Ronald Neame and three other writers) sensibly retains Dickens' memorable characters and profound insight into human nature. Ever the best of friends, eh old chap ?