Great Expectations BBC One 9pm Sunday

[CrossPurposes]

Yet another version begins tonight: https://www.bbc.com/mediacentre/articles/2023/great-expectations-steven-knight

I agree with all your points, @JemimaTab , and as I said upthread, making Pip a Shakespeare reciting moody adolescent, already dissatisfied with his life is to fundamentally damage the essence of the story. He's a naïve little boy, not yet an apprentice, drawn into a world which makes him dissatisfied with the blacksmith's forge, and worse, embarrassed by Joe. Those feelings were not already in place.

I totally agree @JemimaTab I’m pro colourblind casting and I think swearing would have been included in the book had that been acceptable at the time. The omissions and inaccuracies in the story are the things which puzzle me. Why give Mrs. Joe a new name and change her character? Dickens made a huge deal of Pip being held upside down by Magwitch in the book. Magwitch was unaware Compeysey was on the marshes until Pip told him. It’s too different.

About swearing. I don't think people necessarily did swear as much as people claim. My grandparents, all born at the end of the 19th century, and working class, NEVER swore.

Yes @Sausagenbacon i agree but people like Magwitch, who is the one who swears in this adaptation would have.

Yes.

I only vaguely remember the book - I read it when I was quite young and Pip and Estella being children really made it come alive for me. Their initial relationship felt very real - haughty vs humble... Maybe it passed me by, but I never got any 'pervy' vibes from their initial meeting - yet now they are cast as teenagers, when Miss Havisham said at the end of the episode she wanted to watch them 'play' I was like eurgh..... it seemed like a sledgehammer to crack a nut kind of thing.

Also, I love Olivia Coleman and her being in it was what drew me to watching in the first place, but honestly? Her wedding dress looked like it had been fitted for her figure now. I imagine Miss H to be emaciated, dusty and withered - so her dress still fitting as if on her wedding day would make sense.

Also it was all very grey.....

Exactly. Directed by David Lean, nothing will top it, particularly in terms of atmosphere and cinematography. Even just thinking about the fog shrouded marshes, prison ships and Magwitch appearing in the graveyard sends shivers down my spine. It's so brilliantly done, that all other versions fall short, and then some.

Oops - that was me. Sorry!

I've just seen it's Stephen Knight. Explains a lot

It's ok! You're a Dickensian, like me - I can tell!

I didn't like to say but I was most put out.

@MissHavishamsMouldyOldCake
😂😂😂😉

people did used to start having babies earlier but yes this does seem a bit much - I suspect you may have been paying more attention than the producers

first kid at 13 - last kid at 33 a bunch in the middle that don't make it

people did used to start having babies earlier

That's a bit of a myth. Historical research has shown that average age of first marriage for women was early twenties, for men a couple of years older. Mrs Joe was the eldest child, Georgians was probably around 23 when s

Oops - page glitched and posted before I'd finished and edited. Georgiana was likely around 23 when Mrs Joe was born, 43 when Pip was born and she died. Pip's father probably mid forties when he died.

Legal marriage age was 21 at the end of the 1700’s/beginning of 1800’s.
I just think that the props department stuffed up with the headstone in episode one by giving the father’s age as 33 (this happens more than you’d think). In fact they’ve gone to town a bit by giving the cause of death and father’s occupation as well.
Whereas in the 1940’s film, the headstone is very simple, and gives no more details than are in the book.

@CeliaNorth yes sorry I didn't phrase well I didn't mean everyone or on average but there was then as now a range, the age of consent was 12, and certainly in London plenty of "working girls" were absolutely girls.

But I was agreeing it was a mistake

I have to admit, I've never read the book
I started watching on Sunday night, I'm hooked!
I've read a couple of posts on the thread but I've skipped through as I don't want any spoilers ( I know I'm late to the party on a Dickens novel.
I saw someone mention that the Gillian Anderson version is better
Shall I stick this out or watch that version
Or any other versions.
Thanks

https://unherd.com/2023/03/great-expectations-has-violated-dickens/
This is an excellent essay on the failings of the adaptation in Unherd

I really loved it! Can’t wait until next week. It was beautifully shot. I was happy to have some time on the Magwitch story. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with retelling a story as fantastic as this again and again. I love Olivia Coleman playing a baddie an unhealthy amount (just think of the stepmum in Fleabag) and I think she will be fabulously sinister as Miss H.

The acting is atrocious

Miss H must stink to high heaven if she's worn the dress for several years

WTF.

Yes wtaf

What? This wasn't in the book was it?