Thank goodness he got back there in time. She was on her way to becoming another Miss Havisham. It is one of the most brilliantly conceived emotional film endings of all time.
I totally agree with you!! One of my favorite books. I was so fascinated in high school with the whole business about Miss Havisham. So fascinating. I'm so glad Pip and Estelle got together. I named my cat after Pip!
I first saw the David Lean version in the early 1970s when our high school English Lit class took a field trip to the local arthouse movie theater. Entered the theater a blase 15 year old male, bored by 'literature'... became transfixed by Lean's vision, the acting, staging. 'Great Expectations' (1946) remains one of my personal top 10 favs to this day!
These movies were so beautifully filmed. I love all the Dickens novels and I think the sad version ending in which Pip and Estella do NOT end up together is far more in keeping with the dark themes of the book. And a comment on how life really works. But, this is a movie, and the happy ending works too, I guess.
This clip picks up exactly where Dickens had presented an alternate ending. In the original draft, Pip moves overseas, becomes a successful businessman, and lives with his friend Herbert Pocket and his family and never marries. Years later, on a trip to London, he sees Estella in a crowd, looking sad and older, but doesn't approach her. Great Expectations was published in installments as a magazine serial, and the publication's editor told Dickens the ending would disappoint his readers. Dickens rewrite is captured in this clip, and in the novel's last line Pip says he sees no future where they will ever be separated. So Dickens does leave the possibility open that they may not end up together, I think in recognition of his original ending..
I had a strong feeling I'd read the book-ending describing just this scene - which is why I've always preferred to see it end this way, rather than the played-down, muted, "will they, won't they?" endings that were used in more modern productions of the story.
The final line in the final version, "I saw no shadow of another parting from her," can be taken superficially that they end up together forever. But it really is ambiguous because Pip is narrating his life and the statement is past tense. So it can be taken to mean he is only telling us later in life that at the time they got together he did not see a shadow of another parting, but that does no preclude a parting did occur later in life that he simply has not told us about.
You are right, of course, but that also means that we can choose our own future for them after that point. We don’t know how FAR in his future life that narration was written - but it gives us all the option of choosing the ‘happy ending’ if we prefer - and I think most of us DO prefer to think that!
After first publication, Dickens himself recalled copies of the novel and rewrote the ending, making the story much more about possible happiness than doomed childish romance. He was right to do so. This ending makes me feel alive again. Lean was a pictural genius.
Very often - especially in the 1940s - filmmakers messed around with central characters and storylines when they worked from famous books (a terrible example is Wilkie Collins' "The Woman In White" from 1948, where the hero actually marries the wrong sister at the end!) - but in this instance, I LOVE the way David Lean chose to end this film - makes you all happy and gooey!
A superb film and I preferred this ending to that of the novel. One complaint is that John Miles and Valerie Hobson are too old for their parts. I think Jean Simmons would have been wonderful as the older Estella.
Jean Simmons, as the younger Estella, was only sixteen when the film was made - whereas Valerie Hobson was twenty-nine, while John Mills was thirty-eight. Perhaps they were a little too old for their characters... but they would never have cast a sixteen-year-old Jean Simmons (beautiful though she was) to play the grown-up Estella - that would've gone against their moral codes at the time.
@@djr6876 I am glad someone agrees with me. Simmons was a breathtaking beauty. As she was 16 when this film was made, make-up could have easily made her look 20. Ms. Hobson is an attractive woman, but not in the same league with Simmons. Mills was far too old. Still a great film and I preferred its' ending to that of the novel.
It's a happy Hollywood ending -- but not only not Dickensian, but not remotely believable. Estella has told us throughout that she is incapable of love. Indeed, she's been deeply twisted by Miss Havisham, and is desperately in need of therapy (not invented yet) to overcome the emotional abuse of her childhood. Suddenly at the end, because she had a rough time in her marriage with Drummle (not surprising, considering she can't love anyone), she is suddenly capable of love and goes running off with Pip into the sunlight?? I don't think so.
You should give it at try! This, David Lean production seems to be the most popular dramatisation out of the lot of them. Very well-played and very well put-together.
When films were films. Beautiful mise en scène.
Thank goodness he got back there in time. She was on her way to becoming another Miss Havisham. It is one of the most brilliantly conceived emotional film endings of all time.
I totally agree with you!! One of my favorite books. I was so fascinated in high school with the whole business about Miss Havisham. So fascinating. I'm so glad Pip and Estelle got together. I named my cat after Pip!
I first saw the David Lean version in the early 1970s when our high school English Lit class took a field trip to the local arthouse movie theater. Entered the theater a blase 15 year old male, bored by 'literature'... became transfixed by Lean's vision, the acting, staging. 'Great Expectations' (1946) remains one of my personal top 10 favs to this day!
Nobody & no other film can touch David Lean's version of Great Expectations.Its a Masterpiece . . . 👌
Such a classic ♥️
Has a similar “feeling” to the end of Now Voyager. 👍 Classic.
The lesson to both is - relieved of their "great" expectations, they are free to have a greater expectation together in freedom.
These movies were so beautifully filmed. I love all the Dickens novels and I think the sad version ending in which Pip and Estella do NOT end up together is far more in keeping with the dark themes of the book. And a comment on how life really works. But, this is a movie, and the happy ending works too, I guess.
Fabulous - thank you!
Incredible.
How wonderful. Of course Savid Lean.
This clip picks up exactly where Dickens had presented an alternate ending. In the original draft, Pip moves overseas, becomes a successful businessman, and lives with his friend Herbert Pocket and his family and never marries. Years later, on a trip to London, he sees Estella in a crowd, looking sad and older, but doesn't approach her. Great Expectations was published in installments as a magazine serial, and the publication's editor told Dickens the ending would disappoint his readers. Dickens rewrite is captured in this clip, and in the novel's last line Pip says he sees no future where they will ever be separated. So Dickens does leave the possibility open that they may not end up together, I think in recognition of his original ending..
I had a strong feeling I'd read the book-ending describing just this scene - which is why I've always preferred to see it end this way, rather than the played-down, muted, "will they, won't they?" endings that were used in more modern productions of the story.
"no future where they will ever be separated" means they will always be together. Love this ending 🤍
The final line in the final version, "I saw no shadow of another parting from her," can be taken superficially that they end up together forever. But it really is ambiguous because Pip is narrating his life and the statement is past tense. So it can be taken to mean he is only telling us later in life that at the time they got together he did not see a shadow of another parting, but that does no preclude a parting did occur later in life that he simply has not told us about.
You are right, of course, but that also means that we can choose our own future for them after that point.
We don’t know how FAR in his future life that narration was written - but it gives us all the option of choosing the ‘happy ending’ if we prefer - and I think most of us DO prefer to think that!
I had never seen this: very effective.
Try to watch the whole film if you can - it's actually available on UA-cam! It's a great story!
This is much better than the ending in the book.
The perfect ending!
After first publication, Dickens himself recalled copies of the novel and rewrote the ending, making the story much more about possible happiness than doomed childish romance. He was right to do so. This ending makes me feel alive again. Lean was a pictural genius.
This ending was so much better than the ending in the book.
Very often - especially in the 1940s - filmmakers messed around with central characters and storylines when they worked from famous books (a terrible example is Wilkie Collins' "The Woman In White" from 1948, where the hero actually marries the wrong sister at the end!) - but in this instance, I LOVE the way David Lean chose to end this film - makes you all happy and gooey!
FULFILLED !!
A superb film and I preferred this ending to that of the novel. One complaint is that John Miles and Valerie Hobson are too old for their parts. I think Jean Simmons would have been wonderful as the older Estella.
Jean Simmons, as the younger Estella, was only sixteen when the film was made - whereas Valerie Hobson was twenty-nine, while John Mills was thirty-eight.
Perhaps they were a little too old for their characters... but they would never have cast a sixteen-year-old Jean Simmons (beautiful though she was) to play the grown-up Estella - that would've gone against their moral codes at the time.
Agree. I always thought them too old and miss Hobson not pretty enough as the adult Estella especially when compared to Jean Simmons. IMO
@@djr6876 I am glad someone agrees with me. Simmons was a breathtaking beauty. As she was 16 when this film was made, make-up could have easily made her look 20. Ms. Hobson is an attractive woman, but not in the same league with Simmons. Mills was far too old. Still a great film and I preferred its' ending to that of the novel.
Come in Pip
❤
Like pulling someone from Plato's cave, to see reality.
Just a tiny bit creepy, but a great movie though. Perfect for a rainy Sunday afternoon.👍
Read this, along with “The Scarlet Letter” while in the fourth grade.
Relationships have been a challenge
What a difference good skin care makes ... Pip is looking at least 20 years older than Estella.
Graffiti at 4:18. Ha ha!
OMG - I think I saw "Kilroy"🤣
Frankly I miss the fire ending
What fire ending?
@@elsie900 In one of the later film versions, the house is accidently set on fire at the end, forcing Estella to escape with Pip.
@@EricDurrant-k5z that's wild. Almost like they thought, "our ending's not interesting enough, let's yoink the one from Rebecca."
Not even close to either ending in the book.
It's a happy Hollywood ending -- but not only not Dickensian, but not remotely believable. Estella has told us throughout that she is incapable of love. Indeed, she's been deeply twisted by Miss Havisham, and is desperately in need of therapy (not invented yet) to overcome the emotional abuse of her childhood. Suddenly at the end, because she had a rough time in her marriage with Drummle (not surprising, considering she can't love anyone), she is suddenly capable of love and goes running off with Pip into the sunlight?? I don't think so.
Apparently Pip was 20 years old when he was born.
I have never seen the film because I had to read the book in high school and hated it so much.
You should give it at try! This, David Lean production seems to be the most popular dramatisation out of the lot of them. Very well-played and very well put-together.
You lack culture
@@Chuckyboy85 And you lack civility.
@@deniseeulert2503 ok Karen