CLICK ON CAROLINE. Dear Caroline Film Reviews: http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Studio/7066
Great Expectations
Dear Caroline --
As an English teacher, I'm sure this is one film you've been waiting for. Like "Clueless" and "Romeo & Juliet," "Great Expectations" is another modern update of a classic novel. I think, however, this is the far weaker effort of the three.
The story somewhat follows Charles Dickens' 19th century classic, right down to the happy ending. But like the other two films, this version is aimed at the Gen X set, who will end up thinking of this as the version of record rather than the original on their must-read book list in high school English class.
My freshman English teacher, Ms. Weinstock, may not like this version either, barely reminiscent of David Lean's traditional classic 1946 film. This is the fourth feature film version of "Great Expectations," but the memorable names have all been changed for some reason by screenwriter Mitchell Glazer. I remember Ms. Weinstock spent an entire class demonstrating the importance of Dickens characters' names as irony. I wish Glazer attended that class.
Dickens' protagonist Pip, which means small seed, made sense since the novel follows Pip's growth into manhood. The mysterious Miss Havisham, conniving and misleading, is literally Having-a-sham against young Pip.
Throw all of that out the window here. Ethan Hawke plays Finn Bell (Pip), Anne Bancroft is Ms. Nora Dinsmoor (Miss Havisham), Chris Cooper is Joe Coleman ("Uncle" Joe Gargery) and Robert De Niro is Arthur Lustig (Abel Magwitch), an escaped convict who befriends Pip, ahem, Finn as a 10 year old. Only Finn's love interest, Estella, has the same name with Gwyneth Paltrow starring. Even attorney Mr. Jaggers has become Mr. Ragnow.
The focus is clearly on the alluring combination of Hawke and Paltrow as they exchange glances between a pounding Patrick Doyle score and songs by Tori Amos and Pulp. "Great Expections' " greatest contribution will be in CD sales, rather than book sales.
Director Alfonso Cuaron's second American feature is also his second consecutive remake. That's originality for you. Cuaron debuted in 1995 with "A Little Princess," the remake of "The Little Princess" with Shirely Temple in 1939.
In this version, orphan Finn Bell (Jeremy James Kissner, at 10) is startled one day while drawing along the Florida Gulf coast. Lustig rises out of the water and threatens Finn's life if he doesn't return with food and bolt cutters for his shackled legs.
The next day Finn is called to the mansion of Ms. Dinsmoor, an eccentric old hermit who was jilted on her wedding day. Dinsmoor's niece is the beautiful, young Estella, a bossy snob,who calls Finn, "the gardener." Finn makes regular visits to the broken-down Dinsmoor mansion.Finn falls in love.
As revenge, Dinsmoor has taught Estella how to be the ultimate tease, a real man killer. The worst kind of woman in my book, the type that knows they're gorgeous, uses it, and then dumps all over you when you show the least bit of interest. A black widow spider comes to mind, without the culminating murder.
When a grown-up Finn is approached by a lawyer, preparing to make all of Finn's wishes come true, Finn is led to believe that his secret benefactor is Ms. Dinsmoor.
Suddenly, Finn is flying to New York City to make his entry into the high-profile art world. Estella has already left for school in Europe.
Cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki tries hard, but too often Finn is running or walking through downpours along Big Apple sidewalks. At least he looks good, but there is little chemistry between Finn and Estella and for all the beautiful shots, the film lacks charm, energy and heart.
Lean's film version won a best cinematography Oscar for Guy Green.
A needless voice-over narration provided by Hawke's Finn doesn't help. Hank Azaria enters the picture as stiff-shirt Walter, Estella's boyfriend, replacing Dickens' Bentley Drummle from the novel.
You'll have to judge for yourself, though, just so you know what your students are talking about in class.
Rating: Two stars
Thinking of you, Geo. M. Wilcox
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