Great Expectations (1934 film)
Encyclopedia
Great Expectations is a 1934
adaptation of the Charles Dickens
novel of the same name
. Filmed with mostly American actors, it was the first sound version of the novel and was produced in Hollywood by Universal Studios
and directed by Stuart Walker. It stars Phillips Holmes
as Pip
, Jane Wyatt
as Estella
and Florence Reed
as Miss Havisham
.
It is notable for featuring Francis L. Sullivan
, who reprised the role in the classic 1946 version
, as Jaggers. However, critics consider the 1934 version far inferior to the 1946 one, directed by David Lean
.
The film differs somewhat from the novel in making Miss Havisham more eccentric than insane. Unlike the novel, she does not wear her bridal veil constantly, does not seem to have really engineered all of Pip's misfortunes with Estella, and dies offscreen of natural causes rather than in a fire.
1934 in film
-Events:*January 26 - Samuel Goldwyn purchases the film rights to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz from the L. Frank Baum estate for $40,000.*February 19 - Bob Hope marries Dolores Reade...
adaptation of the Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
novel of the same name
Great Expectations
Great Expectations is a novel by Charles Dickens. It was first published in serial form in the publication All the Year Round from 1 December 1860 to August 1861. It has been adapted for stage and screen over 250 times....
. Filmed with mostly American actors, it was the first sound version of the novel and was produced in Hollywood by Universal Studios
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
and directed by Stuart Walker. It stars Phillips Holmes
Phillips Holmes
Phillips Holmes was an American film actor who appeared in 44 films between 1928 and 1938. His credits included Grumpy, An American Tragedy, Broken Lullaby, Dinner at Eight, and Great Expectations....
as Pip
Pip
-Biology and medicine:* Phosphatidylinositol phosphate* Prolactin-induced protein* Proximal interphalangeal joint* Patient intelligence panel-Business and finance:* Percentage in point , a currency exchange rate fluctuation...
, Jane Wyatt
Jane Wyatt
Jane Waddington Wyatt was an American actress perhaps best known for her role as the housewife and mother on the television comedy Father Knows Best, and as Amanda Grayson, the human mother of Spock on the science fiction television series Star Trek...
as Estella
Estella Havisham
Estella Havisham is a significant character in the Charles Dickens novel Great Expectations....
and Florence Reed
Florence Reed
Florence Reed was a stage, screen and television actress. She is remembered for several outstanding stage productions, including The Shanghai Gesture, The Lullaby, The Yellow Ticket and The Wanderer. Her best remembered movie role was as Miss Havisham in the 1934 production of "Great Expectations"...
as Miss Havisham
Miss Havisham
Miss Havisham is a significant character in the Charles Dickens novel Great Expectations . She is a wealthy spinster, who lives in her ruined mansion with her adopted daughter, Estella, whom she has sent to France, while she herself is described as looking like "the witch of the place."Although she...
.
It is notable for featuring Francis L. Sullivan
Francis L. Sullivan
Francis Loftus Sullivan was an English film and stage actor. He attended Stonyhurst, the Jesuit public school in Lancashire, England whose alumni include Charles Laughton and Arthur Conan Doyle.A heavily built man with a striking double-chin and a deep voice, Sullivan made his acting debut at the...
, who reprised the role in the classic 1946 version
Great Expectations (1946 film)
Great Expectations is a 1946 British film which won two Academy Awards and was nominated for three others...
, as Jaggers. However, critics consider the 1934 version far inferior to the 1946 one, directed by David Lean
David Lean
Sir David Lean CBE was an English film director, producer, screenwriter, and editor best remembered for big-screen epics such as The Bridge on the River Kwai , Lawrence of Arabia ,...
.
The film differs somewhat from the novel in making Miss Havisham more eccentric than insane. Unlike the novel, she does not wear her bridal veil constantly, does not seem to have really engineered all of Pip's misfortunes with Estella, and dies offscreen of natural causes rather than in a fire.
Cast
- Henry HullHenry HullHenry Watterson Hull was an American character actor with a unique voice, most noted for playing the lead in Universal Pictures's Werewolf of London .-Life and career:Hull was born in Louisville, Kentucky...
as Abel Magwitch - Phillips HolmesPhillips HolmesPhillips Holmes was an American film actor who appeared in 44 films between 1928 and 1938. His credits included Grumpy, An American Tragedy, Broken Lullaby, Dinner at Eight, and Great Expectations....
as Pip - Jane WyattJane WyattJane Waddington Wyatt was an American actress perhaps best known for her role as the housewife and mother on the television comedy Father Knows Best, and as Amanda Grayson, the human mother of Spock on the science fiction television series Star Trek...
as Estella - Florence ReedFlorence ReedFlorence Reed was a stage, screen and television actress. She is remembered for several outstanding stage productions, including The Shanghai Gesture, The Lullaby, The Yellow Ticket and The Wanderer. Her best remembered movie role was as Miss Havisham in the 1934 production of "Great Expectations"...
as Miss Havisham - Alan HaleAlan Hale, Sr.Alan Hale, Sr. was an American movie actor and director, most widely remembered for his many supporting character roles, in particular as frequent sidekick of Errol Flynn. His wife of over thirty years was Gretchen Hartman , a child actress and silent film player and mother of their three children...
as Joe Gargery - Rafaela OttianoRafaela OttianoRafaela Ottiano was an Italian-born American stage and film actress.-Early life:Born in Venice, Italy, she emigrated with her parents to the United States, and was processed at Ellis Island in 1910.-Career:...
as Mrs. Joe - George BarraudGeorge Barraud-Selected filmography:* The Wolf Man * Bellamy Trial * Woman to Woman * Peacock Alley * The Return of Raffles * Great Expectations * Charlie Chan in London * Mystery Woman...
as Compeyson - Francis L. SullivanFrancis L. SullivanFrancis Loftus Sullivan was an English film and stage actor. He attended Stonyhurst, the Jesuit public school in Lancashire, England whose alumni include Charles Laughton and Arthur Conan Doyle.A heavily built man with a striking double-chin and a deep voice, Sullivan made his acting debut at the...
as Jaggers - Douglas Wood as Wopsle
- Forrester HarveyForrester HarveyForrester Harvey was an Irish-born film actor. He appeared in 117 films between 1922 and 1946, including two films directed by Alfred Hitchcock.He was born in County Cork, Ireland and died in Laguna Beach, California....
as Uncle Pumblechook - George P. Breakston as Pip, as a Child (*billed Georgie Breakston)
- Harry Cording as Orlick
- Eily MalyonEily MalyonEily Malyon was an English character actress in the 1930s and 1940s.Born as Eily Sophie Lees-Craston in London in 1878 or 1879. Her mother, Agnes Thomas, was also an actress...
as Sarah Pocket (* billed Eily Malyan) - Anne HowardAnne Howard (actress)Anne Howard , was an American actress. She is the grandmother of Rachel Snow.Anne Howard was born on March 18, 1925 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. She was married to Leonard Caulfield and they had one daughter, Vicki Caulfied. Anne retired from acting in 1966, then became active in civic affairs...
as Estella, as a Child - Walter ArmitageWalter ArmitageWalter Armitage was a South African playwright, stage and film actor.-Selected filmography:* Potiphar's Wife * The Love Habit * Bombay Mail * The Dover Road * Great Expectations...
as Herbert Pocket