Figure 1.--This still shows Pip when he first Miss Haversham. It is from the David Lean version. Anthony Wagner played Pip in his first film role.

The classic, richly textured film version of Great Expectations is generally considered to be the David Lean English version in 1946. Most critics believe this to be the finest adaptation of the Dickens novel. Unfortunately the fine old black and white films are known primarily by film buffs and not the general public. CThe cast included John Mills, Alec Guinness, and Valerie Hobson. Anthony Wager played Pip. Young Kip is beautifully played as a sweet, innocent boy by Anthony. The costuming seems reasonavly accurate Pip came from humble circumstances and would have been dressed very plainly as a boy. The film is true to the Dickens novel, beginning verbatim narration of the books first two pages, "My father's family name being Pirrip, and my Christian name Philip, my infant tongue could make of both names nothing longer or more explicit than Pip. So, I called myself Pip, and came to be called Pip. ...." The visual impression of Miss Havisham's grand but decrepit house filled with cobwebs is stunning. Lean's depiction was extremely relevant in 1946. Dickens was a noted critic of Victorian society and the social inequities. Britain after VE Day had defeated Churchill and elected a Labour Government and in 1946 was in the process of remaking British society. This film is not meerly the best film adaption of Great Expectations, but some film critics put it on the list of the greatest films. HBC would not go that far, but it ceratinly is a fine film.

Filomology

There have been four major film adaptations of Charles Dickens' Great Expectations. The classic, richly textured film version of Great Expectations is generally considered to be the David Lean 1946 English version. Most critics believe this to be the finest adaptation of the Dickens novel. Unfortunately the fine old black and white films are known primarily by film buffs and not the general public. The visual impression of Miss Havisham's grand but decrepit house filled with cobwebs is stunning. This film is not meerly the best film adaption of Great Expectations, but some film critics put it on the list of the greatest films. HBC would not go that far, but it ceratinly is a fine film.

Cast

The cast included John Mills, Alec Guinness, and Valerie Hobson. Anthony Wager in his first film role played Pip as a boy.

Anthony Wager (1932- )

Young Kip is beautifully played as a sweet, innocent boy by Anthony. It was Anthony's first film role. Anthony also played in "The Guinea Pig" (1948), another important Britsih film.

Costuming

The costuming seems reasonavly accurate Pip came from humble circumstances and would have been dressed very plainly as a boy. In the still here note the jacke with padded shoulders and narrow ribbon tie.

Dicken's Novel

The film is true to the Dickens novel. Pip is both the central character and narrarator of Dicken's masterpiece Great Expectations. No author has created more classic boy characters as Dickens. He narriates the book through the eyes of the adult Pip, even though Pip is a young boy at the beginning of the book. As a boy, Pip was strongly influenced by his guardians, Joe Gargery and his wife, Mrs. Joe. Joe instills a sense of honesty, industry, and friendliness in Pip, while Mrs. Joe does a great deal to contribute to his desires and ambitions through her constant emphasis on pomp and property . The film begins with a verbatim narration of the books first two pages, "My father's family name being Pirrip, and my Christian name Philip, my infant tongue could make of both names nothing longer or more explicit than Pip. So, I called myself Pip, and came to be called Pip. ...."

Social Issues

Lean's depiction was extremely relevant in 1946. Dickens was a noted critic of Victorian society and the social inequities. Britain after VE Day had defeated Churchill and elected a Labour Government and in 1946 was in the process of remaking British society by building a welfare system. It was at this timr that a national healthcare system was created and major industries were natioanlized. Although natioanl healtcare and other social maeasures proved to be a great success, the natioanlized industries proved a serious economic drag. They were reprivitized by Prime Minister Thatcher in the 1970s and 80s.

Reader Comments

An Australian reader writes, "Anthony Wager was brilliant as the child Pip. I watched this film at my school when I was only 8 years old and both Magwitch and haggard old Miss Havisham scared the wits out of me. It is still a grand treat to watch this great 6 star film. It is a brilliant piece of scripting and acting too." A British reader writes, "This version of Great Expectations is one of my all time favourite films, with the fight scene when he meets Herbert Pocket for the first time at Miss Havershams being a particular delight."

Created: March 11, 2003
Last updated: March 12, 2003