Great Expectations

Rating: *** 1/2
Date Seen: 1998-01-30

In the modern adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic novel, Great Expectations, Ethan Hawke plays Finn (named Pip in the original novel). Finn grows up an orphan in a poor Florida neighborhood, and finds himself in the service of Ms. Dinsmoor (originally Ms. Havisham), a wealthy but vengeful old woman determined to get revenge on all men; her fiance stood her up 22 years earlier at their wedding, and she has lived a life of bitter solitude ever since. She carefully manipulates the situation as Finn falls in love with Estella, the girl in her care. Estella (played by Gwyneth Paltrow) leads him on, but inevitably betrays Finn's affection, abandoning him without a word, leaving him devasted. Several years later, Finn recieves financing from an anonymous source to move to New York and pursue a career as an artist. In true storybook fashion, he bumps into Estella, and weathers her repeated enticements, always to be let down and brushed aside, while at the same time trying to cope with fitting into New York's high society.

I loved the cinematography in this film. A lot of the scenes early in the movie at Ms. Dinsmoor's mansion were unforgettable. Finn, a small child wandering with wonder through the garden filled with decaying wedding furnature, chairs and tables nearly covered with vines; white tablecloths, expensive dishes, and wine glasses, still in place after all those years; what a haunting scene! Estella kissing Finn at the fountain, neither of them more than ten years old, was simultaneously cute and tragic; the innocence of first love, scarred by the already budding seed of cold manipulation, foreshadowed the inevitable betrayals which would later follow.

Alright, time to hit the breaks. When I start writing sentences like that last one, I know it must be getting late. :) So, I'll end this by saying that I found the movie inspiring and thoroughly entertaining. A great love story, and a lot else besides.