A-

The standout is... David Lean. Great great job directing this so tightly, really entertaining and charming for most of its running time, and beautiful cinematography. The acting and writing is all very sharp, you love Estella just as Pip does. Mill, Hobson, Alec Guiness(!), Hunt, Currie all work greatly together.

However, I've never been a huge fan of the Great Expectations resolution. I always found the last act web revealing Estella to be the convict's daughter and the lawyer setting it all up, along with the scarface revenge guy, and the planned escape/charge, etc. all to be a bit much. I've never read the book so maybe it flows better there, but regardless in general I prefer the first half with the simplicity of Pip growing up and hanging out in that house and moving to London to distinguish himself.

Still though, very very solid, and very well done.

I think the 1935 A Tale of Two Cities has a better lead performance and is more emotionally deep as a whole, while the direction and script is stronger here. I prefer that film slightly though.

8/10 -> B

Great costumes, sets. Great directing. Very funny. But the story is predictable and a bit of a bore, like any other Dickens story.