Grandes Expectativas

As a Dickens tragic I am well aware that adapting his novels for dramatic performance, whether on stage, TV or on film, will always pose problems, but there have been some triumphant successes. David Lean's being notable, but also the more recent examples: Bleak House -(sublime) and Little Dorrit (brilliant - twice). I have a set of earlier BBC attempts at other Dickens novels on DVD and some of them are toe-curlingly embarrassing - and prove that a good screenwriter is the most important ingredient for success. This production of Great Expectations was good - just. Ray Wintone was born to play Abel Magwitch, and whilst I initially stepped back in amazement at Gillian Anderson's performance as Miss Havisham, I was finally convinced that she was right; her child-like approach fits in with the psychology of a young bride jilted and bitter - excellent. My problems were not particularly with the cast, most of whom were very good, but with the liberties taken with Dicken's plot. The "brothel" scene was unnecessary - why insert "new stuff" when you have left out some old stuff. Much of the dialogue lacked 19th Century authenticity - why tinker about with an aspect of Dicken's writing which has always been seen as one of his greatest strengths? Do the producers think that we are not clever enough to understand? I hope the production of Edwin Drood is better.

The film is a decent adaptation based on Charles Dickens's novel, being very fine directed by Brian Kirk. In the movie there's drama, a love story , emotion, tragedies and results to be pretty enjoyable. The TV miniseries deals with an orphan child called Pip (Douglas Booth) meets on the dark moor an escaped convict hiding out in the Victorian English countryside called Magwitch (Ray Winstone) and helps him. A kindness that will change the course of Pip's life, though he doesn't realize it . Magwitch escapes and is aided by young orphan Pip; then Magwitch discovers a fortune. Later on, at a musty mansion Pip meets an old woman, Miss Havershan (Gillian Armstrong), and a beautiful girl called Stella (once grown-up Vanessa Kirby) who has been raised by the eccentric Miss Havershan. Pit suddenly becomes an elegant gentleman with the support of an unknown benefactor and his advocate. But his enemies would like to get Pip's inheritance for themselves . Meanwhile , Pip befriends Herbert Pocket (Harry Lloyd) and Dolge Orlick (Jack Roth). Everything can change in a heartbeat !.

The miniseries in three episodes is an alright adaptation based on Charles Dickens's novel, being pretty well directed by craftsman director Brian Kirk (The day of Jackal (2023), 21 Bridges (2019), Game of Thrones (2011) and Luther (2010)). In the movie there is dramatic events, romance and betrayals, though I has more style than substance. The images and settings are compelling and really luxurious, though the filmmaker should have learned that beauty on the surface isn't all essential. This is a respectable but sometimes slow-moving recounting about notorious novel, being competently performed, splendidly staged with adequate sets, stunning visuals and interesting drama of a well known story . Brian Kirk's professional retelling of Dickens tone but easily dwarfed by the classic 1946 David Lean's version. Well-acted by all , but especially by Gillian Armstrong's slightly pathetic and mad Miss Havishan decided to wreak havoc on the male gender. Douglas Booth's enjoyable acting as starring, he's romantic , friendly , attractive but also vulnerable and memorable. And David Suchet as lawyer Jaggers is top notch, as well as a large and fine secondary cast, such as Jack Roth, Tom Burke, Paul Rhys, Shaun Dooley, Mark Addy, Harry Lloyd, Charlie Creed-Miles, Susan Lynch, Paul Ritter, Perdita Weeks, Frances Barber. Special mention to Ray Winstone as the unknown benefactor who becomes himself a wealthy man with a big fortune, which he decides to use to make good purports. It contains glamorous as well as colorful cinematography by Florian Hoffmeister. Evocative and sensitive musical score by Natalie Holt and Martin Phipps. Rating : 7/10. Above Average . Well worth seeing for Charles Dickens lovers .

There are many adaptations about this famous novel, they turn out to be the following : ¨Great expectations¨ (1934) by Stuart Walker with Phillips Holmes , Henry Hull , Jane Wyatt , Florence Reed. ¨Great expectations¨ (1946) by David Lean considered to be the greatest version of the Charles Dickens novel with impressive black and white cinematography by Guy Green, starring John Mills, Alec Guinness, Jean Simmons, Finlay Currie, Anthony Wager. ¨Great Expectations¨(1974) by Joseph Harvey with Michael York, Sarah Miles, James Mason. ¨Great Expectations¨ (1998) recent rendition by Alfonso Cuarón with Ethan Hawke as Pit , Gwyneth Paltrow as Stella and Anne Bancroft as Miss Havershan, it is deemed average. ¨Great expectations¨ (2012) by Mike Newell with Ralph Fiennes, Ewen Bremner , Olly Alexander , Sally Hawkes , Holliday Grangier, Jason Fleming. And several TV adaptations and miniseries such as : 1981 with Bratford Jones and John Hickson ; 1987 The untold story with John Stanton , Sigrid Thornton , Anne Louise Lambert , 1989 by Kevin Connor with Anthony Hopkins , Jean Simmons , John Rhys Davies , 1999 by Julian Jarrold with Ioan Gruffudd, Justine Waddell, Charlotte Rampling, Bernard Hill .

maybe it is not the best adaptation. but it has the flavor of novel. Douglas Booth is , maybe, a too modern Pip, more interesting as Romeo or Lancelot but almost strange for this role. the good part - Gillian Anderson who is the inspired choice for Lady Havisham and a huge surprise for many viewers. a series who is more than seductive or beautiful. it is not exactly an adaptation but useful support for remember parts from book. that is its basic virtue - a film like a travel. not just extraordinary but special. not only for atmosphere but for a kind of flavor who is not only part of a great cast or script innovations. a film for remember. that could be the definition. beautiful and correct.

The last BBC Dickens' dramatisation broke "Bleak House" down into half-hour soap-opera size elements for easy digestion and to sort of tie-in with the original publication of the story in instalments, but here the format reverted to the more traditional one-hour episodes shown over three consecutive nights.You pays your money and while I welcomed the 30 minute novelty was happy this time to sit for longer and take in the master's story over a shorter period.

There have been so many previous adaptations that any new production has to offer something different, particularly in the scenes meant to grab the viewer's attention, like Pip's first meeting with Magwich and his first visit to Miss Havisham's mausoleum of a house. Both are done very well, particularly Ray Winstone's Magwich rising from the depths of the marshland to confront the terrified youngster while the set-dressing for Satis House certainly conveys the requisite decay and obsolescence of the dwelling-place of its jilted, cold-hearted owner.

It's really only necessary to film the story here to succeed, so great is the narrative Dickens provides, with his adeptness at furnishing a circular story-line, where nothing and no-one is missed out in the resolution as everyone gets more or less their just desserts. Nevertheless the story-telling is enhanced with excellent performances by its big names, Winstone and Gillian Anderson (who was also in "Bleak House"), although the production is less starry than "Bleak House", with only David Suchet as the very correct Jaggers perhaps claiming marquee status. That said the rest of the cast are mostly excellent, playing their well-known characters with aplomb, particularly the portrayals of Pip's shrewish sister, redoubtable Joe Gargery and loyal Herbert Pocket. However I sensed some weakness in the casting of the adult Pip and Estella, the former not imposing enough (in fact I preferred the acting of the young Pip), the latter not glacial or even beautiful enough, but they don't fatally wing the story.

The cinematography is superb, utilising washed-out, almost monochromatic shots to suggest the bleakness of the Dartford Moors and the Thames at the conclusion, while the depiction of the London Gentleman's Clubs as well as the afore-mentioned Satis House are superbly realised. There are many memorable scenes, with Gillian Anderson's inevitable self-immolation perhaps staying longest in the memory. My only other carp would be the occasional "modern" vulgarisation of aspects of the story, for example Drummle's taking Pip to a brothel, as if this wonderful story needs "sexing-up" in some way, which of course it doesn't.

Nevertheless with the promise of a new version of "Edwin Drood" to come, this was a very good and occasionally memorable version of a classic story.

While I have read 'Great Expectations' probably about three times in my life and am blown away every single time I do- I find that I have yet to find a film that captures the importance and reverence that the book generates. I understand that film is not suppose to replace the book- but interpret for the screen, it becomes troublesome when certain aspects are not done properly and therefor the story suffers- this occurs in books, just as is does in film. The BBC adaptation is not a disappointment, necessarily, but it lacks in certain areas that cannot be over looked.

I start with what was good- First, the scenery and cinematography was spot on, from the home of childhood Pip, to the streets of London, it was close to what I experience when I read the book. Miss Havisham's home was perfect. It was a ghost of a home, just as she represents a ghost of a woman. There was just enough creepiness and sorrow with a dash of destruction. It may seem silly, but the scene- is almost a character in film- there is a deep impact or lack that can come from how something is represented visually.

Everything from Pip's transformation from blacksmith to gentlemen was well done. Douglas Booth's (Pip) physical appearance did not change, but using clothes, there is a reality to his progression that is necessary to the story and was handled well. I am constantly blown away with regard to BBC Masterpiece Theaters ability to take me to a different place and time so masterfully and 'Expectation' was no different.

Second, Jillian Andreson's Miss Havisham was great. I thought she captured how love is a true destroyer well. When she was in any scene she was the center- she hold the audience with her use of voice and appearance. It was amazing. Shaun Dooley was also very good as Pip's uncle and teacher, Joe Gargery. I thought that he played the 'father figure' well and when he confronted Pip about his behavior and new life-he demanded attention to not only Pip's choices, but as the book captures so well, the deeper themes of social class struggles, family versus money and honesty all took center stage. His performance was a joy to watch. The minor characters, such as Able Magwitch (Ray Winstone), Herbert Pocket (Harry Lloyd) and Jaggers (David Suchet) were also very good and fit nicely into their individual roles.

The bad was really not all that bad for all intensive purposes, but I felt that a few things just brought down the film adaption.

Pip. Oh, Pip. Played by Douglas Booth, who is perfectly wonderful to look at was flat. I never felt the passion that he carried for Estella, which is suppose to be the center of the tale. At its foundation 'Expectations' is a story about love and desire, and I do not think that it was captured here. Since it was clear early on in this adaptation that Estella and Pip encompassed the main theme, it was on the shoulders of Booth to carry the film and he struggled. Perhaps he was too young of a choice to play Pip, while he is close to the actual age of Pip in the book, but he seemed to struggle with how to emphasize his desire, his call for greatness. Booth's performance was not terrible, but it was not great and that was what it needed to be.

The same problem occurred with the female lead, Vanassa Kirby, who played Estella. I understand that she is mean to be a destroyer of men, but she came off as if she was a robot. Seriously, there was nothing to her and that is NOT how she is suppose to be. Ugh, I just do not even want to think about it.

Overall, this adaption was not bad, but it failed where it mattered and left me skeptical of how many more Dicken's classics will be interpreted. Keep the cinematography guys, the music, the costume, the adult actors- but find young actor who can act- not just look the part, but be the beloved character.