Great Expectations (DVD)

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Still, the actors who most convey the essence of true Dickensian characters are Francis L. Sullivan as the lawyer, Mr. Jaggers (maybe he had an advantage in playing the same part in an earlier film version of the story); and Finlay Currie as the convict, Magwitch. Not even Dickens himself could have hoped for two more perfect realizations of these roles.

In any event, the film is as much about atmosphere as it is about people. Classic scenes include the opening shots of the marshes and the graveyard, which set the tone for the rest of the picture, and the inside of Miss Haversham´s decrepit old house. Who can forget that dark, antique dinning room with its long table and wedding cake, all covered in dust and cobwebs? Lean´s use of light and shade has been imitated a hundred times from these two scenes alone. Then there are Lean´s recreations of early eighteenth-century London, from its stately buildings and grand facades to its narrow, eerily lit passageways. They build in the mind images not soon forgotten.

Video:
But no matter how good a film is, it isn´t worth its salt marsh if it doesn´t show up well on the home screen, and here Janus Films do a job worthy of the movie. They went back to the original master, naturally, and obtained a fine-grain print that looks splendid on DVD, with only occasional instances of wear. It´s a film that would surely lose much of its dark appeal in anything but black and white.

Audio:
The sound is not quite so good as the picture, however, because sound technology in 1946 had not yet caught up to the standards of photography. The sound on the DVD is undoubtedly as good as it was on the master, with a limited frequency and dynamic range and a degree of background noise noticeable in quieter passages. Be that as it may, midrange clarity is outstanding, and dialogue is clear and natural.

Extras:
There is a booklet essay included in the case and a theatrical trailer and scene selection menu on the disc itself, but there are no other bonus items. I would have liked additional supplementary materials, especially something more on the making of the film, but as it is, it´s a movie that must stand on its own merits. Fortunately, it´s a film that can do exactly that.

Parting Thoughts:
David Lean´s "Great Expectations" is a faithful adaptation of the Dickens classic, well acted, beautifully produced, and lovingly shot. It´s not widescreen, multi-channel extravagance; it´s genuine, unpretentious, and unsurpassed filmmaking.

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