Director: Brian Kirk
Writers: Charles Dickens, Sarah Phelps
Stars: Douglas Booth, Jack Roth, Ray Winstone
Release Date: April 1, 2012
The orphan Pip becomes a gentleman when his life is transformed by a mystery benefactor.
Gillian Anderson, Agent Scully from the X-Files, impregnated by aliens is Miss Havisham. An ex-x-file agent (see what I did there?) playing haunting Miss Havisham, already this mini-series is awesome!
Okay, I got my X-Files geekyness out of me so on word. I was (and still am) halfway through the book when I watched this adaptation of Great Expectations. Despite the fact that I shamefully watched the movie before finishing the book I really enjoyed it. Pip was so cute and whatever when he was young but once he got that inheritance and moved to London, I started to get annoyed with him. I think he got to big for his britches, buying furniture beyond his means, although he did help a friend out so he could marry, I still think his head ballooned.
Pip becomes infatuated with Estella, Miss Havisham’s adopted daughter who was born under mysterious circumstances. He has put himself under the delusion that there is an understanding between the two; but is sadly brought down to Earth after losing to a rival classmate.
The film ends happily with Estella and Pip hooking up, but as the movie concluding my mom went on the oh so dangerous Wikipedia and looked up the book’s plot in which a different ending was revealed. My mom, faining deaf to my protests of not knowing the book’s differences told me of the different ending of the book. Although there was such an outcry at its unfortunate ending that the writers/directors changed it to appease audiences. Knowing what I know now I can only imagine my outcry when finishing Great Expectations as to whether I finding as appeasing as I did the mini-series.
Even better, do you know who advised Dickens to change the ending? Edgar Bulwer-Lytton–he of "it was a dark and stormy night."
The book ending is slightly different from the BBC adaptation, but not that bad. I think Dickens still spare the couple a hope that they might be together in the future. It's different though with the original ending Dickens would have put; thank God he listened to a friend to alter it a bit!
This is my review for the same adaptation: http://klasikfanda.blogspot.com/2012/12/classics-movie-great-expectations.html
I got my X-Files geekiness out through you! I haven't seen an adaptation yet, but really enjoyed the book. Did you like the ending? I found out about the two endings from Oprah's Book Club of all places. I would have preferred that Pip and Estella did not hook up in the end.