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Author
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Topic: Great Expectations
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Graham Ritchie
Film God
Posts: 4001
From: New Zealand
Registered: Feb 2006
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posted February 11, 2007 05:04 PM
A Cineguild Production / 1946
A scene taken from one of David Lean greatest films where Magwitch "Finlay Currie "confronts Pip "Anthony Wager" in what many consider, one of cinemas best shock effects ever recorded on film.
A very young Jean Simmons, Martita Hunt, and Anthony Wager.
This classic film has been around in Super8 B/W for many years as a full length 6/400ft.feature
Cast John Mills : Pip "grown up"
Valerie Hobson : Estalla "grown up"
Alec Guinness : Herbert Pocket
Bernard Miles : Joe Gargery
Francis L Sullivan : Jaggers
Finley Currie : Magwitch
Martita Hunt : Miss Havisham
Jean Simmons : Estella "a girl"
Anthony Wager : Pip "as a boy"
Great Expectations is the story of young Pip an orphan raised by a married sister and summoned to come "play" at the decaying mansion of eccentric, reclusive Miss Havisham, where he meets and becomes entranced by Estella. Grown up, Pip one day is visited by the lawyer Mr Jaggers who informs Pip that he has come into money from an anonymous benefactor, and must go to London to make his way as a young gentleman of great expectations.
Wrongly assuming that his debt of gratitude lies with Miss Havisham, Pip leaves for the city, where he shares quarters with Herbert Pocket and renews his acquaintance with the now-grown Estella. But his new life in snobbish society is complicated by Magwitch a mysterious stranger who reveals himself as Pip's benefactor, out of gratitude for the night in the graveyard when young Pip brought an intimidating escaped convict food and a file to free him from his irons.
Pip and Pocket try to help Magwitch escape betrayal by an old enemy by rowing him out into the Thames estuary, in an effort to board a steamer but by accident the paddle-wheeled steamer runs down all concerned, Magwitch is seriously injured and with Pip in attendance, dies in prison, after revealing that Estella is actually his daughter. Pip is reunited with his Estella at Miss Havisham's musty home, but unable to prevent the demented old woman's death when a coal from the fireplace ignites her brittle clothes. At the end of the film , Pip discovers that Estella has assumed Miss Havisham's reclusive life in the old house and, with his declaration of love, he rescues her from a similar fate.
A great film the print is good as with the sound the B/W really creates an atmosphere, great direction by David Lean, if you like classic films this is one of the best.
Graham.
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