Great Expectations (1998)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

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 | Gulf Coast | New York City | Florida

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 - Age 10
Stephen Spinella	...	Carter Macleish
Marla Sucharetza	...	Ruth Shepard
Isabelle Anderson	...	Lois Pope

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:

While sharing the title with the 1861 Charles Dickens novel, it is only loosely based on it.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Finn is yelling up at Estella's apartment after his show, his bottle of wine switches hands from the left to the right and then back to the left.

Quotes:

Estella - Age 10: It's not poisoned.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Gwyneth Paltrow/Barenaked Ladies (#24.12)" (1999)

Soundtrack:

Walk This Earth Alone

Just what I expected.

I went into Great Expectations with high hopes. The story has always been one of my favorites and I couldn't wait too see what they had done with it. The film is beautiful. It is very rich in color and scope. The cinematography was outstanding and the direction was solid. The acting was brillant all around. Robert De Niro is in the movie only briefly, but brings respect to a role that could be just a flash in the pan for anyone else. Ethan Hawke and Gwyneth Paltrow are great and Chris Cooper turns in a very subtle but powerful performance as Finn's guardian. The film left me feeling good, what more could you ask for in a movie?