Member review

"Great Expectations" is an atmospheric and masterfully directed film. It's balance of humour and melodrama, joy and sadness makes this film a true classic.

Over 70 years old, it is a tribute to the filmmakers that it is still as good as it is! It gets even better when compared to the mediocre 2012 adaptation, which though more faithful to the book lacked the artistic flair or atmosphere that makes the original so special.

The film is a visual delight! From the rich sets and costumes to the magnificent lighting and cinematography, the fantastic visuals of the movie cannot be understated! All of the locations and characters seem to have leapt out of Charles Dickens classic book.

"Great Expectations" may be my favourite black and white film to date (excluding the monochrome re-release of "Logan" from 2017.) The lack of colour combined with the outstanding lighting gives the movie a very unique visual style.

This is one of the most atmospheric movies that I have seen, the scenes set in Satis House with Miss Havisham are very creepy and the opening scene in the graveyard is spooky and ominous!

The cast is phenomenal! Every actor brilliantly portrays their character faithfully, whilst also making them their own. My personal favourite is Martita Hunt as Miss Havisham. She emits waves of madness and cold cruelty and is the most memorable charcter in the story. My other favourites are Alec Guinness as Herbert Pocket (before he became a "Sir"), Finlay Currie as Abel Magwitch and Bernard Miles as Joe Gargery.

John Mills gave a great performance as Pip, he effectively captured Pip's arc, from hopeful youth, to a snob and finally to a more humble man. Valerie Hobson as Estella was passable but I didn't feel she had good chemistry with John Mills, making Pip and Estella's complex relationship not particularly engaging.

However, I do have some issues with "Great Expectations." Firstly, the film often deviates from the book. The final scene loses all subtly and is replaced with an over-the-top sequence with bombastic music that almost falls into self-parody.

Secondly, as previously mentioned, the film tends to become overly dramatic. Each track from the score is exciting and fast-paced, however in my opinion the music often doesn't fit in some scenes. For example, during a scene where 2 characters have a conversation on a horse and cart, the score is so loud and over-blown that it seems to suggests that they are being pursed by an army! In addition to this the scene is laughably sped up so the characters move like hyperactive toddlers!

Many scenes in the film appear to have been sped up, I'm not sure whether or not this was supposed to be funny. Regardless, it is absolutely hilarious! I do find "Great Expectations" very entertaining, I just take issue with the more cartoonish scenes.

Overall, "Great Expectations" is a fantastic movie with great performances and a gothic atmosphere. It isn't perfect but is definitely worth a watch!