Another Great Expectations. Why?

We are revising sentimental ideas of what established London as a very wealthy city. The new edition of GE addresses Britain's leading role in the slave trade and the part Britain played in the opium trade. It also discusses the machinery by which individuals get rich ( i.e. became "gentlemen" )by dining on the bodies and souls of others.

While previous editions of the story were great plots, acting, decor, and dialogue they all to some extent avoided the historical fact that London's wealth is sordid.

Charles Dickens!

I was really looking forward to watching GE from Charles Dickins. Forced myself to watch the 3rd ep. but no more, it is absolute crap & does not depicted London in the 1800 at all.

I hope the original will be put on over the Easter holidays, so I can watch & enjoy that.

Chestnut

I have recently ordered my favourite version which is the 6 part mini-series from 1989 starring Anthony Hopkins and Jean Simmons. This was widely acclaimed as being the best version ever made, and the closest to the book. It's over 5 hours long which allows for greater exploration of the characters, and how can you go wrong with Anthony Hopkins as Magwich and the wonderful Jean Simmons as Miss Haversham (see picture). She plays her as bitter but vulnerable, and with kindness at the core. This was a lovely touch as she was Estella in the 1946 version.

This has never been released on DVD except in German, but if you change the language back to English then hey presto! It's 5 hours of pure relaxation, no dark fantasies and CGI, just real people with real emotions.
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I've just discovered this is available in English free on You Tube. Just search for 'Great Expectations 1989'. So I ordered the German DVD for no reason! 🤦‍♀️ Still, I'm pleased this is available for people to see because it's so good.

Pip's education being undertaken by Miss Havisham doesn't add an interesting dimension, it skews the whole plot. Pip grows up believing that his future is being mapped out by Miss Havisham when, in fact, Magwitch is behind it all. Hence his horror when he finds out the truth. Up until that point there has actually been little sign of any innate kindness and decency either.

What is the benefit, if any, of reproducing the original story?

If Pip's education is undertaken by Miss Havisham does this add an interesting dimension? Will Pip's innate kindness and decency see him safely through Miss Havisham's cynicism?

Last week I thought it was an interesting adaptation but now having seen the second week’s adaptation I have changed my mind. I do not like it. They have changed it to Peaky Blinders/Stephen King etc. Pip dealing opium! Miss Haversham arranging sex for Pip. The changes went on and Pip looked all of thirty and not the young vulnerable boy that Dickens gave us. By the end I was not entertained just angry.

I loved the book. I also loved Peaky Blinders. I just wish we could have kept them apart.

Just spotted this. Nick Knowles is no fan and is not watching any more. (quote) 'Why do we sex up period dramas?' Nick Knowles slams 'car crash' BBC adaptation of Great Expectations saying it's 'unnecessarily salacious'
Full article here

Chestnut

Well maybe fiction, but it's nice to think there is some resemblance to reality, which this version doesn't have.

I shall continue to watch my favourite 1989 version which I mentioned Sun 02-Apr-23 14:59:54. It's set in England in the 1800s. And Estella speaks very nicely too (Kim Thomson).

I agree, some of it bears no resemblance to England in the early to mid 1800s.

Well maybe fiction, but it's nice to think there is some resemblance to reality, which this version doesn't have.

I shall continue to watch my favourite 1989 version which I mentioned Sun 02-Apr-23 14:59:54. It's set in England in the 1800s. And Estella speaks very nicely too (Kim Thomson).

Ps, I shall whisper this very quietly Chestnut -
None of it is real, the book was a work of fiction too, shhh, don't tell anyone.

Chestnut

Joseanne

Why has Estella got a London accent - she was supposed to be 'upper-class'?
There's another question I'd like to ask here, but won't bother!

As none of it bears any resemblance to reality I don't think her accent is even worth mentioning. It is all just an exercise in weirdness.

As good an answer as any 😂😂😂

Joseanne

^Why has Estella got a London accent - she was supposed to be 'upper-class'?^
There's another question I'd like to ask here, but won't bother!

As none of it bears any resemblance to reality I don't think her accent is even worth mentioning. It is all just an exercise in weirdness.

Thought that it ended up being ridiculous, a sort of parody. Not bothering with any more episodes.

Why has Estella got a London accent - she was supposed to be 'upper-class'?
There's another question I'd like to ask here, but won't bother!

Loving it!

The casting is all wrong. A Muppets version would have been better. Knight would extract sex and violence from the Teletubbies. All rather pathetic,in order to entice a young and ethnically diverse viewer (as if).
If you want quality drama, Britbox have the wonderful Smiley's People with perfect asting and marvellous actors.

I am not enjoying the new GE. It makes me think and revise my prejudices about casting. This revision was long overdue for my part, and I admit I usually watch dramas for sheer entertainment, so the new GE makes me work.

Also the new GE has the main theme of the morally bankrupt society founded on slave trading and similar profiteering on human misery. Hardly the stuff of light entertainment .

Why am I watching it?

Well, I'm not really, but DH is and I'm supposedly concentrating on my craft project in the same room!

Joseanne

I know from Tale of Two Cities that Dickens was interested in France and the French language, but I don't remember any of that learning French stuff in Great Expectations?

It's so long since I read it but no, I don't remember either.

Why has Estella got a London accent - she was supposed to be 'upper-class'?

It's used all the time now especially by Hollywood, and I can't stand it. It's obviously easy and cheap to use instead of filming in actual places using proper scenery and real people.

I know from Tale of Two Cities that Dickens was interested in France and the French language, but I don't remember any of that learning French stuff in Great Expectations?

CGI is computer generated images, which is all the crappy dark fake scenery you see everywhere which looks so unreal.

I’ve only seen the trailers. It was hyped up on one of morning news programmes, and I was not impressed by what I saw, it looked so far removed from the novel, so didn’t bother watching it.
As an aside what is CGI an abbreviation for?