Great Expectations

Though David Lean’s 1946 version of Charles Dickens' novel remains definitive, screenwriter Tony Marchant’s adaptation — though abridged — is extremely faithful to the novel.
In an isolated riverside section of 19th-century England, orphaned Pip (Gabriel Thomson) lives with his resentful sister, Mrs. Joe (Lesley Sharp), and her kindly husband, blacksmith Joe Gargery (Clive Russell). While visiting his parents’ graves in the marshland, Pip encounters Abel Magwich (Bernard Hill), an escaped convict from a nearby prison ship. Pip goes behind his stingy sister’s back to feed Magwitch, who vows to someday repay the child's kindness. Mrs. Gargary is re...