THE ASTOR REVIEW

Yet another wonderful Dickens study of what really makes someone great. The lesson in all his stories is that humanity cannot be measured from without, that heaven often tests us on this by disguising our greatest leaders to be in costumes that to the naked (or ignorant) eye seem un-befitting of greatness. Only the compassionate shall inherit the earth. David Lean’s treatment makes this crystal clear. David Lean Tribute

IMDB SYNOPSIS

Pip, a good-natured, gullible young orphan, lives with kind blacksmith Joe Gargery and his bossy, abusive wife 'Mrs. Joe'. When the boy finds two hidden escaped galley convicts, he obeys under -probably unnecessary- threat of a horrible death to bring the criminals food he must steal at peril of more caning from the battle-ax. Just when Pip fears to get it really good while they have guests, a soldier comes for Joe who takes Pip along as assistant to work on the chains of escaped galley-convicts, who are soon caught. The better-natured one takes the blame for the stolen food. Later Pip is invited to became the playmate of Estelle, the equally arrogant adoptive daughter of gloomy, filthy rich Miss Havisham at her estate, who actually has 'permission' to break the kind kid's heart; being the only pretty girl he ever saw, she wins his heart forever, even after a mysterious benefactor pays trough a lawyer for his education and a rich allowance, so he can become a snob in London, by now 'ashamed' of simple Joe. Only after years in idle wealth, Pip learns Havisham is not his benefactor as he assumed, and both her story and those of his real sponsor and Estelle...