Great Expectations (1946)

User Rating:

8.2/10   

Director:

David Lean

Writers:

Charles Dickens (novel) and
Anthony Havelock-Allan (adaptation)
(more)

Release Date:

26 December 1946 (UK)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

From the Vivid Pages of Charles Dickens' Masterpiece !

Plot:

A humble orphan suddenly becomes a gentleman with the help of an unknown benefactor.

Plot Keywords:

Benefactor | Orphan | Galley | Lawyer | Caning

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 3 nominations

Cast

John Mills	...	Pip
Tony Wager	...	Young Pip (as Anthony Wager)
Valerie Hobson	...	Estella
Jean Simmons	...	Young Estella
Bernard Miles	...	Joe Gargery
Francis L. Sullivan	...	Mr. Jaggers
Finlay Currie	...	Abel Magwitch
Martita Hunt	...	Miss Havisham
Alec Guinness	...	Herbert Pocket
Ivor Barnard	...	Mr. Wemmick
Freda Jackson	...	Mrs. Joe Gargery
Eileen Erskine	...	Biddy
George Hayes	...	Convict
Hay Petrie	...	Uncle Pumblechook
John Forrest	...	The Pale Young Gentleman
Torin Thatcher	...	Bentley Drummle
O.B. Clarence	...	The Aged Parent
John E. Burch	...	Mr. Wopsle
Richard George	...	The Sergeant
Grace Denbigh Russell	...	Mrs. Wopsle (as Grace Denbigh-Russell)
Everley Gregg	...	Sarah Pocket
Anne Holland	...	Relation
Frank Atkinson	...	Mike
Gordon Begg	...	Night Porter
Edie Martin	...	Mrs. Whimple
Walford Hyden	...	The Dancing Master
Roy Arthur	...	Galley Steersman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Howard Lang	...	Man sitting next to Pip at Magwitch's Trial (uncredited)
Ernie Pratt	...	Police officer in boat (uncredited)

Directed by
David Lean

Writing credits
Charles Dickens		(novel)
Anthony Havelock-Allan		adaptation
David Lean		adaptation
Cecil McGivern		adaptation
Ronald Neame		adaptation
Kay Walsh		adaptation

Produced by
Anthony Havelock-Allan	....	executive producer
Ronald Neame	....	producer

Original Music by
Walter Goehr

Cinematography by
Guy Green		(photographed by)

Film Editing by
Jack Harris

Casting by
Pat MacDonnell		(uncredited)
Adele Raymond		(uncredited)
Maude Spector		(uncredited)

Production Design by
John Bryan

Art Direction by
Wilfred Shingleton

Costume Design by
Sophie Devine		(as Sophia Harris of Motley)

Makeup Department
George Blackler	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Ernest Gasser	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Norman Spencer	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
George Pollock	....	assistant director
Eric Braun	....	third assistant director (uncredited)
Philip Shipway	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Victor Wark	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
John Elphick	....	chief assistant art director (uncredited)
T. Hopewell Ash	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
William Hutchinson	....	assistant art director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Stanley Lambourne	....	sound recordist
Gordon K. McCallum	....	sound recordist
Winston Ryder	....	sound editor
Bill Daniels	....	dubbing crew (uncredited)
John Dennis	....	production sound mixer (uncredited)
Desmond Dew	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
Charles Knott	....	maintenance engineer (uncredited)
Gordon K. McCallum	....	sound mixer (uncredited)
John W. Mitchell	....	sound effects recordist (uncredited)
George Paternoster	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Jack Slade	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)
J.B. Smith	....	dubbing crew (uncredited)
C.C. Stevens	....	production sound mixer (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Les Bowie	....	matte painter (uncredited)
Syd Howell	....	back projection (uncredited)
Douglas Woolsey	....	models (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Robert Huke	....	camera operator (as Nigel Huke)
Jim Body	....	focus puller (uncredited)
Peter Davies	....	music sound camera (uncredited)
John Godar	....	focus puller (uncredited)
Tony Hermes	....	clapper loader (uncredited)
Alan Hume	....	second camera operator: second unit (uncredited)
Arthur Ibbetson	....	camera operator: second unit (uncredited)
Skeets Kelly	....	second camera operator (uncredited)
Robert Krasker	....	director of photography: second unit (uncredited)
Henry Slagter	....	clapper loader (uncredited)
Cyril Stanborough	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Ernest Steward	....	director of photography: second unit (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Margaret Furse	....	assistant costumer

Editorial Department
John Cook	....	second assistant editor (uncredited)
Margery Saunders	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Walter Goehr	....	conductor
Roy Douglas	....	additional orchestrator (uncredited)
Roy Douglas	....	orchestrator: title sequence (uncredited)
John Huntley	....	music technician (uncredited)
Kenneth Pakeman	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)

Other crew
Suria Magito	....	dance arranger
J. Arthur Rank	....	presenter (as J.Arthur Rank)
Maggie Unsworth	....	continuity (as Margaret Sibley)
John Alderson	....	location manager (uncredited)
Yvonne Axeworthy	....	script supervisor: second unit (uncredited)
Vicky Fuggle	....	production secretary (uncredited)
Martita Hunt	....	voice: cow (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Cineguild

Distributors

• General Film Distributors (GFD) (1946) (USA) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures (1947) (USA) (theatrical)
• Criterion Collection, The (1995) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Criterion Collection, The (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Koch Media (2003) (Germany) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• British Film Institute (BFI) (2006) (UK) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Státní Pujcovna Filmu (194?) (Czechoslovakia) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1975) (USA) (TV) (network premiere)

Other Companies

• National Symphony Orchestra  music played by (as The National Symphony Orchestra)

Runtime:

118 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Australia:G | Germany:16 | Sweden:15 | South Korea:15 (2003) | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) | Finland:K-16 | UK:PG (re-release)

Filming Locations:

Denham Studios, Denham, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Cineguild

Trivia:

First cinema feature of Howard Lang.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Joe drops his hat into a saucer during his visit with Pip and Herbert Pocket, the hat is crushed slightly and leaning towards Pip. In the next shot, the hat is in its original condition and is leaning towards Herbert.

Quotes:

Magwitch: Keep still, you young devil, or I'll slit your throat!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Good Eats: Crepe Expectations (#5.3)" (2001)

Great version of the Dickens novel...beautiful B&W photography...

The Dickens novel is given classic treatment in David Lean's "Great Expectations". The opening scene is so atmospheric it sets the tone for the convoluted story to follow. The earlier scenes with young Pip are the most enjoyable for me--especially those involving Estella (Jean Simmons) and Miss Havisham (Martita Hunt).

Brilliant performances from all concerned. John Mills is wholly satisfying as the adult Pip and Valerie Hobson as the adult Estella--but it is Martita Hunt's Miss Havisham, sitting among the ruined finery of a wedding that never took place, everything exactly the way it was on that fateful day--and waging war on men ever since--that lingers in the memory.

Some of the best black and white photography seen until that time and an absorbing story with twists and surprises that have logical explanations. Compares favorably with the other great British film, "Oliver Twist" and, by all means, recommended viewing.

Not only worthy of its Best Picture nomination, it should have won over "Gentleman's Agreement" which now seems preachy and artificial.