Great Expectations (1998)

Director:

Alfonso Cuarón

Writers (WGA):

Charles Dickens (novel)
Mitch Glazer (screenplay)

Release Date:

30 January 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Let desire be your destiny.

Plot:

Modernization of Charles Dickens classic story finds the hapless Finn as a painter in New York pursuing his unrequited and haughty childhood love.

Plot Keywords:

Love | Dickens | Painter | Gulf Coast | Charles Dickens

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Ethan Hawke	...	Finnegan Bell
Gwyneth Paltrow	...	Estella
Hank Azaria	...	Walter Plane
Chris Cooper	...	Joe
Anne Bancroft	...	Ms. Dinsmoor
Robert De Niro	...	Prisoner / Lustig
Josh Mostel	...	Jerry Ragno
Kim Dickens	...	Maggie
Nell Campbell	...	Erica Thrall
Gabriel Mann	...	Owen (as Gabriel Mick)
Jeremy James Kissner	...	Finnegan at Age 10
Raquel Beaudene	...	Estella at Age 10
Stephen Spinella	...	Carter Macleish
Marla Sucharetza	...	Ruth Shepard
Isabelle Anderson	...	Lois Pope
Peter Jacobson	...	Man on Phone
Drena De Niro	...	Marcy
Lance Reddick	...	Anton Le Farge
Craig Braun	...	Mr. Barrow
Kim Snyder	...	Mrs. Barrow
Nicholas Wolfert	...	Security Guard
Gerry Bamman	...	Ted Rabinowitz
Dorin Seymour	...	Senator Elwood
Clem Caserta	...	Hitman #1
Frank Pietrangolare	...	Hitman #2
Dennis Paladino	...	Hitman #3
Clem Caserta Jr.	...	Hitman #4
Marc Macaulay	...	Cop on Boat
Ana Susana Gerardino	...	Clemma
Francis Dumaurier	...	Waiter
Pedro Barquin	...	Lover
Kendall Williamson	...	7 Year Old Girl
Shobha Jain	...	Singing Indian Woman
Aditi Jain	...	Singing Indian Girl
Margo Peace	...	Anchor Woman
Kimmy Suzuki	...	Waitress
John P. Casey	...	Doorman
Adusah Boakye	...	Taxi Driver
Dyan Kane	...	Gallery Waitress
Anne Ok	...	Gallery Receptionist
Alva Chinn	...	Gallery Guest
G.B. Thomas	...	Gallery Guest
Albert Zihenni	...	Gallery Guest
Fritz Michel	...	Gallery Guest
Lisa Herth	...	Gallery Guest
Nino Pepicelli	...	Gallery Guest
Wills Robbins	...	Gallery Guest
Jewel Turner	...	Gallery Guest
Jim Taylor McNickle	...	Gallery Guest
Martin Alvin	...	Gallery Guest
William Rothlein	...	Gallery Guest
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Paul Neglio	...	Cop #2 (uncredited)
Gary Newton	...	DJ (voice) (uncredited)
Steven Sherman	...	Gallery Guest (uncredited)

Directed by
Alfonso Cuarón

Writing credits (WGA)
Charles Dickens		(novel)
Mitch Glazer		(screenplay)

Produced by
Deborah Lee	....	executive producer
Art Linson	....	producer
John Linson	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Patrick Doyle
Ron Wasserman		(music written and performed by)

Cinematography by
Emmanuel Lubezki		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Steven Weisberg

Casting by
Jill Greenberg

Production Design by
Tony Burrough

Art Direction by
John Kasarda

Set Decoration by
Susan Bode

Costume Design by
Judianna Makovsky

Makeup Department
Vivian Baker	....	makeup artist: Ms. Paltrow
Angel De Angelis	....	key hair stylist (as Angel DeAngelis)
Ilona Herman	....	hair stylist: Mr. De Niro
Ilona Herman	....	makeup artist: Mr. De Niro
Manlio Rocchetti	....	makeup artist: Mr. Hawke
Anthony Veader	....	second hair stylist
Cecilia Verardi	....	key makeup artist (as Cecilia M. Verardi)
Linda Kamp	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Jim Bigham	....	production supervisor: Florida
Deborah Lee	....	unit production manager: Florida
Cheryl Quarantiello	....	unit production manager (as Cheryl Quarantiello Schnitzler)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Kristin Cameron	....	second second assistant director (as Kristen Cameron)
Eric Henriquez	....	dga trainee
Patrick Mangan	....	second second assistant director (as Patrick J. Mangan)
Thomas A. Reilly	....	first assistant director
Nicholas Wolfert	....	second assistant director

Art Department
David Alban	....	construction foreman: Florida (as David T. Alban Jr.)
James Archer	....	assistant property master (as Jim Archer)
John Balling	....	scenic artist: Florida
Pedro Barquin	....	greens assistant: Florida (as Peter Barquin)
Martin W. Bell	....	gang boss: Florida
Martin W. Bell	....	propmaker: Florida
Will Brantley	....	set dresser: Florida (as Will A. Brantley)
John Brush	....	construction grip
Lauren Buckley	....	art department coordinator (as Judith Lauren Buckley)
Terry Butler	....	greensman: Florida
Curtis Carlin	....	third prop: Florida
Ellen Christiansen	....	assistant set decorator
Francesco Clemente	....	artwork
Susanne Coghlin	....	art department production assistant
Damian J. Costa	....	set dresser
James Covington	....	scenic artist
Bruce C. D'Amico	....	property assistant: Florida
Frank Didio	....	construction foreman
Robert DiGrigoli	....	assistant construction foreman
Braco Dimitrijevic	....	artwork: 'Two painters and a dog'
Stephen P. Durante	....	lead man: Florida
Scott Edinger	....	greens assistant: Florida (as Scott Eddinger)
Dennis Freeborn	....	set dresser
William F. Gambill	....	camera scenic: Florida
Charles Guanci Jr.	....	set dresser: Florida
Vincent Guarriello	....	key construction crew (as Vincent J. Guarriello)
Anthony Itri	....	second construction grip
Frank Itri	....	construction grip
Bret Kane	....	art department production assistant: Florida
Michael F. Kellestine	....	greensman: Florida
Robert Kopp	....	greens foreman: Florida
Beth Kuhn	....	assistant art director
Yuri Makoveychuk	....	scenic artist
Alex Maleev	....	storyboard artist (as Alexander Maleev)
Nicholas J. Mongelli Jr.	....	construction grip
Nicky Mongelli Sr.	....	best boy construction grip (as Nick Mongelli Sr.)
Al Mouradian	....	greensman: Florida (as Albert Mouradian)
Jack Pardee	....	greensman: Florida
Stanley Pasay	....	camera scenic artist (as Stanley E. Pasay Jr.)
Ron Petagna	....	construction coordinator (as Ronnie Petagna)
Christopher Proscia	....	construction grip
Frank A. Raffa Jr.	....	set dresser: Florida
Jeremy Alan Read	....	on-set dresser: Florida
Humberto Recio	....	set dresser
Alan S. Reynolds	....	scenic artist: Florida
Randall Richards	....	assistant art director
Mick Rossman	....	scenic artist (as Elmer Rossman)
Christopher D. Rouse	....	carpenter: Florida
Thomas Saccio	....	property master
Joe Savage	....	property assistant: Florida
Christopher Scheetz	....	construction department coordinator: Florida
Wayne Schneiderman	....	set dresser: Florida
Kevin C. Tressler	....	construction gang boss: Florida
Alan Trumpler	....	scenic foreman (as Allan P. Trumpler)
Chris Vogt	....	set dresser
Robert Vogt	....	set dresser (as Bob Vogt)
Stephanie Waldron	....	greensperson: Florida
Tom Warren	....	assistant art director
Kenneth Weinberg	....	assistant property master (as Ken Weinberg)
Dave Weinman	....	lead man
Michael Zansky	....	scenic chargeman
Byron K. Lovelace	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Ari David Schwartz	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Andrew White	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Joan Winters	....	graphic designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Richard Beggs	....	sound designer
Jessica Bellfort	....	assistant sound editor
Nicole Bugna	....	assistant sound designer
Kevin Cerchiai	....	third assistant sound: Florida
Kyrsten Mate Comoglio	....	sound effects editor
Richard Duarte	....	foley mixer
Sean England	....	machine room operator
Dan Engstrom	....	assistant supervising sound editor
Frank E. Eulner	....	supervising sound editor (as Frank Eulner)
Jonathan Greber	....	digital sound transfers
Marni L. Hammett	....	transfer supervisor (as Marni Katz Hammett)
Nick Hammond	....	boom operator: Florida (as Nicholas Hammond)
Robin Harlan	....	foley artist
Larry Hoki	....	sound re-recordist
Sarah Jacobs	....	foley artist (as Sara Jacobs)
Douglas Martines	....	sound recordist (as Doug Martines)
Barbara McBane	....	dialogue editor
Marilyn McCoppen	....	adr editor
Frank 'Pepe' Merel	....	foley re-recordist
Christian P. Minkler	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Christian Minkler)
Michael Minkler	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Michael L. Minkler)
Al Nelson	....	sound re-recordist
Tom Nelson	....	sound mixer
Jonathan Null	....	assistant sound editor (as Jon Null)
Susan Popovic	....	assistant sound editor
Gary Rizzo	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Gary A. Rizzo)
Steve Romanko	....	machine room operator
Daniel Rosenblum	....	boom operator
Claire Sanfilippo	....	dialogue editor
Dee Selby	....	digital sound transferer
Kevin Sellers	....	foley editor
Michael Semanick	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tony Sereno	....	sound mix technician (as Tony Serrino)
Steve Slanec	....	assistant sound editor
Kent Sparling	....	sound mix technician
Greg Steele	....	adr mixer: Los Angeles
David E. Turner	....	machine room operator (as David Turner)
Hugh Waddell	....	adr editor
Karen G. Wilson	....	adr editor (as Karen Wilson)
Gwendolyn Yates Whittle	....	dialogue editor
Paul J. Zydel	....	adr mixer: New York
Tod Scott Brody	....	sound effects (uncredited)
Fred Clemons	....	machine room operator (uncredited)
Fred Clemons	....	sound re-recordist (uncredited)
John Lajvort	....	sound editorial engineer (uncredited)
Ronald G. Roumas	....	sound re-recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Russell Berg	....	special effects (as Russell J. Berg)
Mark Bero	....	special effects
Carmen Campolo	....	special effects
Steven Kirshoff	....	special effects coordinator (as Steve Kirshoff)
Fred Kramer	....	special effects
Manlio Rocchetti	....	special effects makeup

Visual Effects by
Craig Barron	....	visual effects supervisor: Matte World Digital
Cosmas Paul Bolger Jr.	....	digital visual effects producer: Digital Filmworks
Gilbert De La Garza	....	film recording and scanning: Digital Filmworks
Krystyna Demkowicz	....	visual effects producer: Matte World Digital
Christopher Evans	....	chief digital matte artist: Matte World Digital (as Chris Evans)
Christopher Leone	....	2D lead artist: Digital Filmworks (as Christopher M. Leone)
Martin Matzinger	....	effects editorial: Matte World Digital
Peter W. Moyer	....	digital visual effects supervisor: Digital Filmworks
Brett Northcutt	....	digital matte artist: Matte World Digital
Marco S. Paolini	....	2D lead artist: Digital Filmworks
Edward Quirk	....	3D lead artist: Digital Filmworks (as Edward J. Quirk)
Paul Rivera	....	digital composite supervisor: Matte World Digital
Ken Rogerson	....	production assistant: Matte World Digital
Todd Siechen	....	match mover: Matte World Digital
Todd R. Smith	....	digital compositor: Matte World Digital (as Todd Smith)
Rich Thorne	....	visual effects supervisor
Morgan Trotter	....	CG animator: Matte World Digital
Eric Grenaudier	....	digital compositor: Digital FilmWorks (uncredited)
Rich McKay	....	camera assistant (uncredited)
Steve Strassburger	....	digital artist (uncredited)

Stunts
Peter Donald Badalamenti II	....	stunt player
Joe Manuella	....	stunt player (as Joseph Manuella)
John Polce	....	stunt player (as John J. Polce)
Lee Perkins	....	precision driver (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
John J. Begley	....	generator operator (as John Begley)
Jerry Bertolami	....	best boy grip: Florida
John Bolz	....	company grip
Jeremy Braben	....	aerial camera operator: Spacecam
Michael Burke	....	best boy electric: Florida
Patrick Capone	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Michael Caracciolo	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Joe Carroll	....	rigging grip
Phillip V. Caruso	....	still photographer
Don Chiara	....	rigging grip: Florida (as Donald Chiara)
Ken Connors	....	rigging gaffer (as Ken Conners)
Doug Dalisera	....	best boy electric
Howard Davidson	....	company grip
Tom Durkin	....	grip (as Thomas J. Durkin)
Glen Engels	....	best boy grip
Russell Engels	....	gaffer (as Russell W. Engels)
Richard Falk Jr.	....	electrician: Florida (as Richard Falk)
Thomas M. Farmer	....	grip
Walter Fricke Jr.	....	generator operator
Kenneth Fundus	....	dolly grip (as Kenneth J. Fundus)
Rodrigo García	....	camera operator
Richard Guinness Jr.	....	key grip
Joe Humphreys	....	generator operator: Florida (as J. Humphreys)
Mai Iskander	....	camera trainee
Nils Johnson	....	video assist operator
Billy Kerwick	....	key rigging grip (as William Kerwick)
Jamie Klein	....	rigging grip: Florida
Michael Klimchak	....	Steadicam assistant (as Mike Klimchak)
Marvin Lee	....	camera loader: Florida
Michael Logan	....	best boy rigging grip: Florida (as Michael A. Logan)
Neal Luberda	....	rigging grip
James Mah	....	electrician
Sean Malone	....	company grip
Bobby Mancuso	....	first assistant camera
Tim McAuliffe	....	electrician
Harold J. McClean	....	rigging electrician (as Harold McLean)
Jim McConkey	....	Steadicam operator
Bill McGavin	....	best boy rigging gaffer
Patrick McGrath	....	company grip (as Pat McGrath)
Charles Meere III	....	electrician (as Charlie Meere Jr.)
Patrick K. Meng	....	grip
Richard A. Montgomery	....	shop house electrician
Dell Moody	....	electrician: Florida (as Dell G. Moody)
Mark A. Noble	....	rigging grip: Florida
Tim Norman	....	second assistant camera
Ronald Paul	....	electrician (as Ron Paul)
Peter Perez	....	rigging grip: Florida (as Peter E. Perez)
Noah Prince	....	electrician
Robert Reedy Jr.	....	electrician: Florida (as Robert S. Reedy Jr.)
John Seakwood	....	still photographer
Scott Short	....	grip: Florida (as Scott David Short)
Joseph Trammell	....	24 frame video operator (as Joe Trammell)
Joe Valle	....	rigging grip
John Verardi	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera (as John F. Verardi)
Joseph Viano	....	best boy rigging grip (as Joseph A. Viano)
James C. Walsh	....	rigging electrician (as James Walsh)
Rory Walsh	....	rigging grip
Gary Ware	....	rigging gaffer: Florida (as Gary B. Ware)
Joe Williams	....	rigging grip
Kevin P. Williams	....	rigging grip (as Kevin Williams)
Mark Witzen	....	video assist operator: Florida
Don Zappia	....	rigging grip
Dylan Goss	....	aerial camera operator (uncredited)
Greg Patterson	....	grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Natalie Ebeid	....	casting assistant: Florida
Karen E. Etcoff	....	extras casting
Judie Fixler	....	extras casting
Barbara Harris	....	adr voice casting
Lauri Hogan	....	casting assistant
Kathy Laughlin	....	extras casting: Florida
Melody Nichols	....	extras casting assistant
Bill Tripician	....	extras casting assistant
Beth Bowling	....	casting assistant (uncredited)
Nina Henninger	....	search casting (uncredited)
David H. Kramer	....	adr voice casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Kate Edwards	....	set costumer
Sarah Edwards	....	assistant costume designer
Sharon Globerson	....	wardrobe shopper (as Sharon E. Globerson)
Marcia Patten	....	wardrobe supervisor
Ingrid Price	....	wardrobe supervisor: Florida
Barnaby Smith	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Jennifer Apel	....	associate editor
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
Rick Derby	....	first assistant editor
Abdul Franklin	....	apprentice editor
Mark Ginsberg	....	color timer
Gershon Hinkson	....	second assistant editor (as Gershon F. Hinkson)
David Orr	....	color timer
Carrie Puchkoff	....	apprentice editor (uncredited)
Arnold Shuster	....	negative matcher (uncredited)
Patricia Sztaba	....	negative matcher (uncredited)
Stan Sztaba	....	negative matcher (uncredited)

Music Department
Lawrence Ashmore	....	orchestrator
John Bell	....	additional orchestrator
James Carter	....	musician: featured tenor saxophone
Pietro Cecchini	....	assistant music editor
Cyrus Chestnut	....	musician: featured piano
Tonia Davall	....	music contractor
Ben Georgiades	....	music mixing assistant
Ben Georgiades	....	music recording assistant
Paul Hulme	....	music mixer
Paul Hulme	....	music recordist
Claire Lewis	....	music mixing assistant
Claire Lewis	....	music recording assistant
Roy Prendergast	....	music editor
Nic Ratner	....	music editor (as Nicolas Ratner)
Maggie Rodford	....	music supervisor
James Shearman	....	additional orchestrator
David Snell	....	conductor: orchestra
Tony Stanton	....	music preparation
John Williams	....	musician: featured guitar
Laura Ziffren	....	music supervisor
Geoff Foster	....	score recordist (uncredited)
Steve Parr	....	music mixer (uncredited)
Steve Parr	....	music recordist (uncredited)
Natasha Shneider	....	musician: keyboards (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Nelson Antinori	....	transportation co-captain: Florida
Clay Bartholomew	....	transportation coordinator: Florida (as Clayton Bartholomew)
Richard F. Diez	....	transportation captain: Florida
Steven R. Hammond	....	transportation captain (as Steven Hammond)
Eugene O'Neill	....	transportation co-captain

Other crew
James C. Anderson Jr.	....	paramedic: Florida
Simona Aranda	....	assistant production coordinator: Florida
Julie Arenal	....	choreographer
Laura Berning	....	assistant location manager
Maria T. Bierniak	....	location manager
Michael Boonstra	....	production coordinator
Susannah Brengel	....	post-production accountant
April L. Brooks	....	production secretary (as April Brooks)
Jackie Campbell	....	craft service
Marcus Canty	....	first assistant production accountant: Florida
Ann Caprio	....	accounting assistant
Salvatore Carino	....	first assistant production accountant: Florida
Augie Carton	....	location assistant
Al Cerullo	....	helicopter pilot: Florida
Robin Chambers	....	executive assistant: Mr. De Niro
Michele Clark	....	assistant: Ms. Lee and Ms. Bancroft
Katherine Cohn	....	assistant production coordinator (as Katherine M. Cohn)
Kelley Cribben	....	assistant: Mr. Cuarón
Robert Destolfe	....	projectionist (as Robert A. de Stolfe)
Ruth Dibble	....	assistant: Mr. Cuarón
Mina Dye	....	production assistant: Florida
William A. Ermatinger	....	marine production assistant: Florida
Paul D. Fischer	....	office production assistant (as Paul Fischer)
Gonzalo García Barcha	....	title designer
Kent Griffin	....	mariner: Florida
Shawn Griffith	....	key set production assistant
Jinx Harding	....	location manager: Florida
Doris Hellmann	....	post-production accountant
Margie E. Holmes	....	second assistant accountant
David Holt	....	air conditioning technician
Lisa Katcher	....	script supervisor
Stacy Katz-Krebs	....	craft service: Florida
Erica Kay	....	office production assistant (as Erica Kay Fertig)
Chanda Kochie	....	assistant: Ms. Paltrow
Justin Leach	....	office production assistant: Florida
Neil Lewis	....	set production assistant
Joseph Lombardi	....	payroll accountant
Kali Londono	....	assistant: Mr. Hawke
Barbara Lucey	....	production accountant: Florida
Melanie Lynch	....	location scout
Ian MacGregor	....	location scout
Michael Maguire	....	marine coordinator: Florida
Darren Mark	....	production intern
Steve McAuliff	....	animal trainer
Brian McCulley	....	talent searcher
Frank McKenna	....	craft service
Julia Morgan	....	set production assistant
Lee Morse	....	production coordinator: Florida
Fred Moyse	....	key paramedic
Fred Moyse	....	lead diver
Kristen Neary	....	production secretary: Florida
Stacy Pagac	....	accounting assistant: Florida
Julie K. Philips	....	production intern
David Ramsey	....	production assistant: Florida
Sonny Ritscher	....	production accountant
Patti Roberts-Nelson	....	executive assistant: Mr. Linson (as Patti Roberts Nelson)
Burke P. Robinson	....	location assistant: Florida
M. Ross-Michaels	....	first assistant production accountant (as Ross Michaels)
Ian Roumain	....	set production assistant
Lin Saunders	....	location scout
Brad Scheel	....	production assistant: Florida
William D. Schultz	....	production assistant: Florida
Diane Sterling	....	accounting assistant: Florida (as Diana Sterling)
Lauren Beth Strogoff	....	unit publicist (as Lauren Strogoff)
John Torrijos	....	video services
Joe Violante	....	dailies advisor
Casandra Voltolina	....	office production assistant: Florida
Christian von Burkleo	....	video services
Pamela Lyn Weiss	....	production assistant: Florida
Andreas Zachai	....	assistant location manager: Florida
Nina Axelrod	....	talent searcher (uncredited)
John Ian Briody	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Maria K. Chavez	....	location scout (uncredited)
Aria Noelle Curzon	....	adr artist (uncredited)
Tom Garrett	....	production services (uncredited)
John Leeward	....	pheonix crane operator (uncredited)
John Mingalone	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Lee Perkins	....	photo double: Chris Cooper (uncredited)
Karen Radzikowski	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Sally Jo Sousa	....	animal trainer: pigeons (uncredited)
J.R. Von Schondorf	....	assistant location manager (uncredited)

Thanks
Gabriel Orozco	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Art Linson Productions
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• 20th Century Fox of Germany (Germany)
• Columbia TriStar Egmont Film Distributors
• Filmes Castello Lopes (Portugal)
• Gativideo (Argentina) (video)
• Hispano Foxfilms S.A.E. (Spain)
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (Argentina)
• UGC-Fox Distribution (UFD) (France)

Special Effects

• Digital Filmworks (visual effects)
• Matte World Digital (3-D matte painting)

Other Companies

• 2020 Casting  extras casting
• Air Studios  music recorded and mixed at (as Air Studios, Lyndhurst Hall, London)
• Animal Actors  animals provided by
• Atlantic Records  soundtrack available on
• Cartier  jewels provided by
• DeLuxe Laboratories  prints
• Gala Gathering  catering
• John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art Foundation  thanks
• Kodak  film stock
• Match Cut Film Services  negative cutting
• Movie Movers  cast trailers
• Movie Movers  transportation
• New York City Mayor's Office of Film, Theater & Broadcasting, The  thanks (as New York City Mayor's Office)
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• Panavision  filmed in
• Panavision  lighting equipment provided by (as Panavision, New York)
• Panavision  technocrane provided by (as Panavision, New York)
• Skywalker Sound  post-production sound services
• Spacecam Systems  spacecam aerial camera provided by
• Take One Catering  catering: Florida
• Technicolor  color
• The Donna Karan Company  Ms. Paltrow's wardrobe provided by
• Twentieth Century Fox  presents

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some sexuality.

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:L | USA:R (certificate #35333) | Philippines:PG-13 | South Korea:15 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Belgium:KT | Canada:14A | Chile:18 | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Germany:12 (w) | Hong Kong:IIB | Mexico:B | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:M18 | Singapore:PG (cut) | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Astor Place, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Art Linson Productions

Trivia:

Real life painter Francesco Clemente created Finnegan Bell's artwork for the movie.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: When Finn enters the Borough Club to see Estella, Walter is talking about Michaelangelo's artwork, but his lips aren't moving.

Quotes:

Estella: We are who we are, people don't change.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Sex and the City: Great Sexpectations (#6.2)" (2003)

Soundtrack:

Success

A Creative "Attempt" at a Literary Masterpiece

Hollywood and the movie industry have made many bold moves over the past decade in bringing to life old classics. None however have been done more boldly than the remoulding of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, and Charles Dicken's Great Expectations. Both are daring attempts to rebirth a storyline from the distant past, as a tale told in our modern times. I say attempt because in both cases, as good a job the cast and crew did, there was something lacking in these new renditions. Great Expectations, the movie, lacks many qualities that make the novel a success. It cannot be said to be a total loss, the basic elements are intact, it is only the embellishments Charles Dickens developed in the novel to make the story more realistic that are missing.

One success, I must admit that I observed while watching the film was the rich visual setting. Although not taking presented in the same place, or era Great Expectations, the movie, is a feast for the eyes. It captivates the mind with beautiful shots of the rural Florida coast life, and yet still retains the jumbled, rundown atmosphere that is described of Pip's small birthplace in a small English town. These qualities of squalor are evident in the impoverished coastal fishing village of the movie. The best achievement in cinematography, is the in-depth views of Pardiso Perduto, a sister mansion to the decaying Satis house of the novel. Even the scenes of New York, the city of "expectations" for our youthful protagonist, Finn, has contrasting aspects of rich beauty and unsightly slums that the London of the nineteen century demonstrated. This is the most major achievement for the film; to capture on film a most ingenious modern equivalent of Charles Dicken's astute descriptions.

Unlike some attempts to revamp literary successes the movie at least retains some of the dignity of Dicken's work. The core of his novel is intact within the screenplay. Also many ingenious ideas were used in some plot changes, and cinematography. Overall it is not a bad representation of the novel.