Charles Dickens is considered the greatest English writer after William Shakespeare. His work is sometimes attributed to the heights of the era of realism. For the domestic reader, he may be familiar from such iconic works as Oliver Tweets and David Copperfield. Many people associate Dickens’ name with children’s literature. However, of course, in his work there were more mature novels, for example, as “Great Expectations”, which was filmed more than seven times, but the most reliable by many critics is the British film of the end of 1946.
In the rural hinterland of southeastern England lives a boy named Pip. His parents died when he was still very young, and now he is raised by his fussy older sister, who from time to time beats the boy. Pipa, as he can, protects sister Joe Gargery's husband. One day, during a visit to the grave of his parents, Pip accidentally stumbles upon a fugitive convict who, under pain of death, demanded that the boy bring him food and a file to cut off the shackles. Terrified Pip secretly collects the knot and transfers the parcel to the convict, not assuming how this act will change his life.
The film is distinguished by the participation of real stars of British cinema. John Mills played a grown-up Pip, a young gentleman whose life is a series of amazing accidents that gave the characters both joy and sorrow, but he himself, despite everything, managed to keep a good heart. Valerie Hobson played the role of adult Estella, Pip’s first and only love, who, without even knowing it, became the tool of her aunt, who actually broke her niece’s life. Bernard Miles played the role of Joe Gargery, a good giant, strong in body, but too weak in character. Finlay Curry played one of the key characters of Magwich, the fugitive convict who changed the life of the main character. Finally, mention should be made of Martita Hunt as Miss Havisham, an elderly lady once betrayed by her fiancé, who sacrificed her own life and the life of her niece for revenge on all the men on Earth.
David Lin is considered one of the greatest British directors. After all, it was in his honor that the nomination for directing at the BAFTA award was named. In the case of Great Expectations, David Lean had a very strong film adaptation in which he decided to show the close relationship between man and the world around him. Before the viewer unfolds the story of a small man who did not have a high mind, strong character, decent manners. His only strength was a good heart. At the same time, despite the vicissitudes that occur in his life, the main character does not give up and does not stop in place, but continues to move forward and enters into a full-fledged struggle for love, in which he wins.
Among other things, “Great Expectations” is the most reliable adaptation of the novel of the same name. Of course, in the plot of the film there are certain flaws and inconsistencies with the content, but all these are only minor trifles that do not violate the overall plot. The action is carried out on behalf of the main character named Philip, or Pip, as he called himself as a child, because he could not pronounce his name in its entirety. Pip lives in a rural outback in the southeast of England. His parents died when he was still a baby, and the boy remained in the care of his older sister. The older sister is a terrible man, humiliating husband Joe Gargery and stabbing Pip. The film begins with Pip visiting his parents’ grave. Suddenly, he stumbles upon the fugitive convict Magwich. He requires the boy to bring him in the morning “graves and file”, otherwise he will cut and eat his heart and liver. Frightened Pip, despite his sister’s strict behavior, secretly collects a knot and brings it to Magwich. However, Magwich still falls into the hands of the police, but does not give the boy away, but instead saves himself by taking the blame for stealing food and tools. After Pip gets into the service of old Miss Havisham, who was once robbed and abandoned by the groom right on the wedding day, after which she devoted her life to a lonely longing in a wedding dress among dusty and web-covered jewelry. Pip was to become a companion for her niece Estella, who became a tool in the hands of Miss Havisham, as she must seduce men and then break their hearts. So Estella's doing it to Pip. Years pass, Pip grows up, and suddenly Mr. Jaggers, a lawyer, comes to him, who claims that Pip has a patron who will provide him with everything he needs to get out in the people. From this moment, Pip’s life changes dramatically, because he turns from a villager into an aristocrat, not knowing who is hiding behind the mask of a secret patron.
The result of “Great Expectations” is not bad in itself, although the modern viewer may seem a little confusing and boring. Just in the plot of the film, like the novel, a number of seemingly unrelated events occur. However, during the development of the plot, it becomes clear that everything is interconnected and led to what led to. That's why I recommend it.