"GREAT EXPECTATIONS" Adaptations

 

Charles Dickens' 1861 novel, "Great Expections" is highly regarded as one of the author's best works. Although there have been numerous adaptations, I have seen only three of them. Needless to say, I have mixed feelings about them:




"GREAT EXPECTATIONS" ADAPTATIONS



1. "Great Expectations" (1946) - Directed by David Lean and starring John Mills, this adaptation from 1946 seemed to be regarded as the benchmark all versions of Dickens' novel are compared. And for the likes of me, I cannot see why. Thanks to Guy Green and Robert Krasker's photography, it is a beautiful looking movie. The movie also featured some excellent performances, especially from Jean Simmons, Finlay Currie and Alec Guinness. However, I ended up feeling less than satisfied with the screenplay written by Lean and co-screenwriters Anthony Havelock-Allan and Ronald Neame. I found the movie’s second half rushed and unfulfilling.






2. "Great Expectations" (1999) - Directed by Julian Jarrold and starring Ioan Gruffudd, this television adaptation seemed to be an improvement over the 1946 movie. I thought it did an excellent job of conveying Pip’s obsession with Estella and in becoming a gentleman. And I loved Odile Dicks-Mireaux's costume designs, along with Ian McDiarmid as the attorney Jaggers. I was also impressed by Gruffudd’s portrayal of Philip "Pip" Pirrip. However . . . I thought Charlotte Rampling had been miscast as Miss Haversham. Her take on the character seemed to lack bite. And I did not care for the miniseries' ending. Following a major character's death, the narrative's ending seemed to peter out in a vague manner.






3. "Great Expectations" (2023) - Directed by Brady Hood and Samira Radsi, and starring Fionn Whitehead; this television adaptation was loathed by the critics. I actually enjoyed it, but I had some quibbles that included the heavy and unnecessary use of profanity, the resolution of Magwitch's arc occurring at Miss Haversham’s home, instead of the Thames River; and Pip's fate regarding his profession. On the other hand, I really liked the performances, especially those from Olivia Colman as Miss Haversham and Ashley Thomas as Jaggers. I also liked how the miniseries conveyed Pip's obsession with Estella and in becoming a gentleman, along with how the access of easy money came dangerously close to corrupting him.


But if I must be frank, the above adaptations had failed to knock my socks off. In other words, I have yet to see an adaptation of "Great Expectations" that has impressed me. Considering the numerous adaptations I have yet to see, there is the chance I might come across that exceptional adaptation.

Top Favorite WORLD WAR II Movie and Television Productions

September 1-3 mark the 75th anniversary of the beginning of World War II. 

On September 1, 1939; the German Army invaded Poland on the orders of its leader, Chancellor Adolf Hitler, a week following the signing of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact. While the Polish military struggled to keep the invading Germans at bay, its government awaited awaited expected support and relief from France and the United Kingdom, with whom they had a pact. Two days later on September 3, Poland's two allies declared war on Germany and World War II; which ended up engulfing both Europe, Asia, North Africa and the South Pacific; began.

Below is a list of my favorite movie and television productions about the war.


TOP FAVORITE WORLD WAR II MOVIE AND TELEVISION PRODUCTIONS



1a. "Band of Brothers" (2001) - Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks produced this outstanding television miniseries about the history of a U.S. Army paratrooper company - "Easy Company" - during the war. Damian Lewis and Ron Livingston starred. (tie)





1b. "The Pacific" (2010) - Spielberg and Hanks struck gold again in this equally superb television miniseries about the experiences of three U.S. Marines - John Basilone, Robert Leckie and Eugene Sledge - in the war's Pacific Theater. James Badge Dale, Joseph Mazzello and Jon Seda starred.





2. "Kelly's Heroes" (1970) - Clint Eastwood, Telly Savalas and Don Rickles starred in this memorable war comedy about a group of Army soldiers who go AWOL to rob a bank behind enemy lines. Brian G. Hutton directed.





3. "Inglorious Basterds" (2009) - Quentin Tarantino wrote and directed this excellent alternate history adventure about two plots to assassinate Adolf Hitler in 1944. Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz and Mélanie Laurent starred.





4. "Casablanca" (1942) - Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman starred in this Oscar winning adaptation of Murray Burnett and Joan Alison's un-produced stage play, "Everybody Comes to Rick's". Directed by Michael Curtiz, the movie also starred Paul Henreid and Claude Rains.





5. "The Winds of War" (1983) - Dan Curtis produced and directed this excellent 1983 television adaptation of Herman Wouk's 1971 novel. The miniseries starred Robert Mitchum, Jan-Michael Vincent and Ali McGraw.





6. "Hope and Glory" (1987) - John Boorman wrote, produced and directed this 1987 excellent comedy-drama about his own childhood experiences during World War II. Sarah Miles, David Hayman and Sebastian Rice-Edwards starred.





7. "A Bridge Too Far" (1977) - Sir Richard Attenbourgh produced and directed this darkly fascinating adaptation of Cornelius Ryan's book about the Operation Market Garden campaign. The all-star cast included Dirk Bogarde, Sean Connery, Ryan O'Neal and Gene Hackman.





8. "Valkyrie" (2008) - Bryan Singer directed this detailed and first-rate account of Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg's plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler in July 1944. The movie starred Tom Cruise, Tom Wilkinson and Bill Nighy.





9. "The Longest Day" (1962) - Darryl Zanuck produced this all-star adaptation of Cornelius Ryan's book about the Normandy invasion. The cast included Robert Mitchum, Richard Beymer, Robert Wagner and John Wayne.





10. "The Bridge on the River Kwai" (1957) - David Lean directed this Oscar winning adaptation of Pierre Boulle's 1952 World War II novel. The movie starred William Holden, Oscar winner Alec Guinness and Oscar nominee Sessue Hayakawa.





Honorable Mention: "Empire of the Sun" (1987) - Steven Spielberg produced and directed this excellent adaptation of J.G. Ballard's semi-autobiographical novel about a British boy's experiences in World War II China. The movie starred Christian Bale, John Malkovich, Miranda Richardson and Nigel Havers.

Top Favorite WORLD WAR I Movie and Television Productions

July 28 marked the 100th anniversary of the beginning of World War I. Below is a list of my favorite movie and television productions about the war: 


TOP FAVORITE WORLD WAR I MOVIE AND TELEVISION PRODUCTIONS



1. "Paths of Glory" (1957) - Stanley Kubrick directed Kirk Douglas in this highly acclaimed anti-war film about French soldiers who refuse to continue a suicidal attack. Ralph Meeker, Adolphe Menjou and George Macready co-starred.





2. "Lawrence of Arabia" (1962) - David Lean directed this Oscar winning film about the war experiences of British Army officer T.E. Lawrence. The movie made stars of Peter O'Toole and Omar Sharif.





3. "All Quiet on the Western Front" (1930) - Lew Ayres starred in this Oscar winning adaptation of Erich Maria Remarque's 1929 novel about the experiences of a German Army soldier during World War I. Lewis Milestone directed.





4. "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles" (1992-1993) - George Lucas created this television series about Indiana Jones' childhood and experiences as a World War I soldier. Sean Patrick Flannery and Corey Carrier, George Hall
and Ronny Coutteure starred.





5. "Gallipoli" (1981) - Peter Weir directed this acclaimed historical drama about two Australian soldiers and their participation in the Gallipoli Campaign. The movie starred Mark Lee and Mel Gibson.





6. "The Dawn Patrol" (1938) - Errol Flynn and David Niven starred in this well made, yet depressing remake of the 1930 adaptation of John Monk Saunders' short story, "The Flight Commander". Directed by Edmund Goulding, the movie co-starred Basil Rathbone.





7. "La Grande Illusion" (1937) - Jean Renoir co-wrote and directed this highly acclaimed war drama about French prisoners-of-war who plot to escape from an impregnable German prisoner-of-war camp. Jean Gabin starred.





8. "Shout at the Devil" (1976) - Lee Marvin and Roger Moore starred as two adventurers in this loose adaptation of Wilbur Smith's novel, who poach ivory in German controlled East Africa on the eve of World War I. Directed by Peter Hunt, the movie co-starred Barbara Parkins.





9. "Biggles: Adventures in Time" (1986) - Neil Dickson and Alex Hyde-White starred in this adventure fantasy about an American catering salesman who inadvertently travels through time to help a British Army aviator during World War I. John Hough directed. 





10. "A Very Long Engagement" (2004) - Jean-Pierre Jeunet wrote and directed this very long romantic war drama about a young French woman's search for her missing fiancé who might have been killed in the Battle of the Somme, during World War I. Audrey Tautou starred.