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Meet the Classics

Great Expectations: book vs. movie

Great Expectations is one of the most filmed Dickens novels, with famous British films, several BBC series, a modern American remake and a dark new FX and BBC series. Some versions are gentle and old-fashioned, while others are moody, frightening or made only for adults. This page compares the best-known versions, flags the scary scenes for 6–9 year olds, and helps you decide what to watch together now and what to save for the teen years.

Which version should we watch?

There is no screen version truly made for 6–9 year olds, so the best first step is reading the book together in a children’s retelling. If your child wants to see it after that, try the opening of the 1946 David Lean film with a grown-up close by, since the churchyard scene is scary but short, and the rest is gentle.

Save the 2012 film the 1999 BBC film and the 2011 BBC series for ages 11 and up, and keep the 1998 film and the 2023 series for older teens and adults. Children who know the story first will enjoy spotting Joe, Miss Havisham’s stopped clocks and the wedding cake.

The film and TV versions

  • Great Expectations (2023)

    TV seriesRated TV-MALoosely based

    A six-part BBC and FX series written by Steven Knight, with Olivia Colman as Miss Havisham and Fionn Whitehead as Pip.

    For families: Rated TV-MA, with strong violence, language and adult themes. For adults only.

  • Great Expectations (2012)

    FilmRated PG-13Mostly faithful

    Directed by Mike Newell, with Jeremy Irvine as Pip, Helena Bonham Carter as Miss Havisham and Ralph Fiennes as Magwitch.

    For families: Rated PG-13 for some violence and disturbing images, including a fire. Best for children 11 and up.

  • Great Expectations (2011)

    TV seriesMostly faithful

    A three-part BBC series with Gillian Anderson as a ghostly Miss Havisham, Douglas Booth as Pip and Ray Winstone as Magwitch.

    For families: Dark and atmospheric, with frightening scenes on the marshes. Better for older children.

  • Great Expectations (1999)

    FilmVery close to the book

    A feature-length BBC TV film with Ioan Gruffudd as Pip, Charlotte Rampling as Miss Havisham and Bernard Hill as Magwitch.

    For families: Faithful and fairly calm, though the convict scenes are tense. Long, so it may work best split over two evenings with older children.

  • Great Expectations (1998)

    Modern retellingRated RModern retelling

    Alfonso Cuarón moves the story to Florida and New York, with Ethan Hawke as Finn, Gwyneth Paltrow as Estella and Robert De Niro as the convict.

    For families: Rated R for some sexuality and language. Not for children.

  • Great Expectations (1946)

    FilmMostly faithful

    David Lean’s black-and-white classic, with John Mills as Pip, Jean Simmons as the young Estella and Alec Guinness as Herbert Pocket. It won Oscars for its art direction and photography.

    For families: The opening graveyard scene is famously scary for young children. About two hours long and best for patient viewers 9 and up.

How the movies differ from the book

Orlick is left out
David Lean’s 1946 film cuts Orlick, the surly worker at Joe’s forge who causes great harm in the book. This makes the story shorter and less frightening.
A much shorter second half
The 1946 film squeezes Pip’s years in London into a few scenes. Many smaller characters and side stories from the book are trimmed or cut.
Estella’s engagement
In the 1946 film, Estella’s engagement to Bentley Drummle is broken off. In the book she marries him and has an unhappy life before she and Pip meet again.
Letting in the light
The 1946 film ends with Pip finding Estella at Satis House, tearing down the old curtains and letting sunlight in before they leave together. The book’s ending is quieter and takes place years later in the ruined garden.

Questions about Great Expectations movies

Is Great Expectations OK for kids?
The story itself can be shared with children in a retelling. Most screen versions are better for ages 10 and up because of the frightening convict scenes, and the 1998 film and 2023 series are for adults.
What is the best Great Expectations movie?
David Lean’s 1946 film is widely called the best, and it won two Oscars. The 1999 BBC version is one of the most faithful to the book.
Is Great Expectations the movie the same as the book?
No version is exactly the same. The 1946 film cuts Orlick, shortens Pip’s London years and gives Estella a different path before a more dramatic ending.
Is the 2023 Great Expectations series for kids?
No. It is rated TV-MA and adds strong violence, language and adult themes that are not in the book.

Ratings are shown only where we could confirm them. Check current ratings and streaming details before watching.