GREAT EXPECTATIONS
US, 1998, 111 minutes, Colour.
Ethan Hawke, Gwyneth Paltrow, Hank Azaria, Chris Cooper, Anne Bancroft, Robert De Niro, Josh Mostel, Kim Dickens, Nell Campbell.
Directed by Alfonso Cuaron.
While Shakespeare has been set in modern times, his poetry remains. With Dickens, it is just the plots - which are interesting in themselves with their character interactions, their coincidences and their social comment. But the dialogue is modern and the success of the adaptation rests on this. So, a Florida-New? York contemporary Great Expectations?
The makers have kept the best of the plot and made it plausible and contemporary (though do we have secret patrons and sponsors these days?). Ethan Hawke is a too stolidly earnest hero. Dickens' Estella was coiffuered and begowned superiority, but Gwyneth Paltrow's Estella becomes undressed petulant superiority, quite mundane. Anne Bancroft is embalmed eccentricity and is all she seems. Robert de Niro's casting makes for an exciting Magwitch adaptation but in his early scenes (a scary but physically impossible watery equivalent of the graveyard) he is more Cape Fear than Dickens. However, he is quite moving at the end of the film. Expectations and peculiar fulfilment.
1. The popularity of Dickens’ novels? Their plots, characters, themes?
2. A modernisation and adaptation, to the US, the parallels with the novel? Differences? The names? The strength of Dickens’ prose – and this kind of modernised screenplay, with the crass touches?
3. Florida and the marshlands, the coastal story? New York City and the parallels with London of the 19th century for Pip and for Finn?
4. The atmosphere, Florida and the sea, fishing? New York City, apartments, the art world, socialites? The musical score?
5. Finn, his experience with the prisoner, fear, helping, bringing things from home? In the boat, the coastguard and Lustig going overboard? Finn seeing on television that he had been caught? At home, with Joe, support of Joe? Maggie, being her brother, her care – but leaving? His growing up in this fisher community?
6. The gardens job, Paradise Lost? Meeting Estella, the puzzle? His age, bewilderment at going to the house? Meeting Miss Dinsmoor? His not being able to dance, offering to draw?
7. Estella and leading him on? His drawings of Estella? With Miss Dinsmoor and Estella, the many visits? Estella and her fascination for Finn? The years passing? The teens, her being rescued at the party when he was not allowed in? The sudden going abroad? Her being trained to be a tease by Miss Dinsmoor? Miss Dinsmoor and her own story, jilted at forty-two, her bitterness against men? Her style, madness, clothes, dancing, music?
8. The passing of the years, Finn growing up? The appearance of Ragno? Offering to fulfil all Finn’s dreams? His going to see Miss Dinsmoor? Assuming she was the benefactor? The ambiguous answers given by Miss Dinsmoor? That Estella was in New York? Her suggestions that he go? Talking about his art?
9. At the airport, with Joe, flying to New York, Ragno, the money, going to the gallery, life in the art world, the director and her urging him to draw? Meeting Estella? Her social company, meeting Walter Plane? The discussions at the table? Estella and the possibility of her marrying Walter? Coming to his apartment, posing for his drawing, the nudity, the drawings? Walter coming for Finn’s advice? Estella disappearing with Walter?
10. Finn and his apartment, his work, life in New York City? The gallery, his suggestions for the media promotion? The kind of people that he met, his becoming more worldly, worldly-wise, worldly-foolish? The exhibition?
11. Joe coming, his awkwardness and Finn’s reaction?
12. Going to his apartment, Lustig’s reappearance, Lustig’s pride in Finn’s achievement? Praising him, Finn’s edginess? The criminals downstairs? The casual emergence of the truth? Finn’s realisation of what had happened? His feeling humiliated? His understanding of Lustig, taking him out the side way, in the subway, the confrontation with the criminals, in the train, Lustig’s death?
13. Finn and his going to see Estella, her absence, Miss Dinsmoor present, her apology to Finn?
14. Going to Paris, his success, the return? Meeting Joe, Joe’s welcome? His new wife and baby? Going to the house, going to the water, seeing Estella and her daughter? A future?
15. Finn, his journey through life, the expectations? The benefactor? His learning his lesson?
