Great Expectations

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

• Director:David Lean
• Genre:Drama
• Runtime:118 minutes

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

An orphan, Phillip “Pip” Pirrip, lives with his shrewish older sister and her kind-hearted blacksmith husband, Joe Gargery. One day, Pip runs into an escaped convict, Abel Magwitch. Magwitch intimidates the boy into getting him some food and a file for his chains. However, the man is caught when he attacks another escapee he hates and taken back to prison.

Later, Miss Havisham, a rich, very odd spinster, arranges to have the boy come to her mansion regularly, to provide her company and to play with a cruel but beautiful teenage girl, Estella, who mocks his coarse manners at every opportunity. Pip quickly falls in love with her. Once, he meets one of Miss Havisham’s relations, Herbert Pocket, a boy about his age, whom he first describes as “the pale young gentleman”. Pip also bumps into Mr. Jaggers, Miss Havisham’s lawyer. The visits come to an end when Pip turns 14 and begins his apprenticeship as a blacksmith. Estella is leaving also, to learn to become a lady.

Six years later, Mr. Jaggers shows up and tells him that a mysterious benefactor has offered to turn Pip into a gentleman, one with “great expectations”. Pip naturally assumes that it is Miss Havisham. He is taken to London where Mr. Jaggers arranges for Pip to stay with a grownup Herbert Pocket, who will teach him how to behave like a gentleman. From Herbert, Pip learns that Miss Havisham is embittered and her mind warped at being left at the altar many years ago; she is determined to gain revenge against all men. Estella is her instrument of vengeance, a heartless creation to break men’s hearts. Pip refuses to believe it. Read more

Watch full Great Expectations online streaming for free