Great Expectations (The Criterion Collection)
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Bernard Miles, Jean Simmons, John Mills, Tony Wager, Valerie HobsonBrand: Criterion
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 1.0; English (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 1.0
Format: Black & White, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 118 minutes
DVD Release Date: 1999-01-12
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: Criterion
Movie Reviews of Great Expectations (The Criterion Collection)
Movie Review: Keep still, you young devil, or I'll slit your throat!
Summary: 5 Stars
I must admit, this film was brilliant. I have never been so captivated by such powerful acting, intense storytelling, and such beautiful landscapes ... all created in the 1940s. The work that I witnessed in this film could rival that of most modern films today. For once, the acting was perfection. David Lean, the director, has this direct sense of finding the best actors for the roles. It is as if the actors really want to embody their characters. This was an acting driven film. Without strong players, I don't think it would have had such a big impact on me, but everyone involved surprised me. From the larger roles like Pip played by John Mills (flopsy, but filled with charisma and charm), to the smaller roles like Miss Havisham (Martita Hunt) and Mr. Jaggers (brilliant portrayal by Francis L. Sullivan), everyone seemed in tune, prepared, and excited about their part in Lean's masterpiece. You just don't see acting like this anymore. My mind's eye, from reading the books, seemed to even been excited by what they saw. It was nearly as if Lean was reading my mind and casting accordingly. It was impressive, honestly, to say the least.
From my previous adventures into Lean's work with Brief Encounter (a personal favorite of mine) and Blithe Spirit (another immaculate tale), I knew he could tackle the voluptuous story of Great Expectations, but what I wasn't prepared for was the gorgeous scenery and ability to capture the sensation of the film. For many directors today, the lack of proper cinematography can sometimes ruin the themes or feelings of a film, and even sometimes disrupt the power of the actors, but for Lean this was no problem. His eye for filmmaking is unmatched, and his ability to create is on of Hollywood's greatest treats. Lean has this power to pull the right people, the best scenes (even with a black and white structure), and create the most intense themes that will continue to pull you deeper into a picture that you may think that you are not going to enjoy. There has yet to be one David Lean film that I have found distracting or below par. Lean's passion for creation is obvious with the work that he has done, which I think was rather visionary for the time. You can see it in Brief Encounter, and you can especially see it in this film. I cannot speak any higher of Lean because his work speaks for him. If you want to see cinema in its best form, I always suggest a David Lean film.
Finally, this film's structure was exactly what this story needed. While I will agree that it is a love story (and future adaptations would say it was more of a love story than anything else), Lean transformed it more into a story of discovery. This is a story about Pip, and his ability to be a person that many of us long to be. While some would have fled in the sight of an escaped convict, or at least turned them into the police, you see a very humble human going beyond that and reaching out his timid hand to help. This is what will change Pip forever. Even if we think we are going to loose that person throughout the film (when money enters the picture), we eventually see that Pip's honesty is true. Lean develops more of a relationship between Magwitch and Pip than he does Pip and Estella. This worked perfectly for me, because it allowed me to see Pip for who he was, and the heart that he had developed. While I am very happy with the ending to this film, the direction that Lean pushed us was perfect. The balance was never tipped and our foundation never broke, a rarity in cinema today.
Overall, I was more than impressed with this film. David Lean continues to prove that he was a formidable director at his time, and I cannot wait to immerse myself in more of his work. This film wasn't just about Lean though, it was the actors that carried it and built such a solid story. The reason this movie is so enjoyable to watch is because you don't see the actors, but instead the characters that they represent. They carry this film on their shoulders and never let it fall or slip. Whether you have read the story a million times or just once, or even never, this is a film that will capture your attention and excite your mind. I read a review that stated it was "intelligent", and I couldn't agree more. Lean forces you to think and commands your attention. I just wish more films were made like this today. If I could have experienced cinema in the 1940s, I think I would have been a very happy man!
Grade: ***** out of *****
Summary of Great Expectations (The Criterion Collection)
Features include:
?MPAA Rating: UNRATED
?Format: DVD
?Runtime: 118 minutes
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