Great Expectations (1946): cast, story & where to watch
1946 · Film · ★ 7.2
Released in 1946, Great Expectations is a drama, romance and history film directed by David Lean, running about 118 minutes. “From the Vivid Pages of Charles Dickens' Masterpiece!” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. In this Dickens adaptation, orphan Pip discovers through lawyer Mr. Jaggers that a mysterious benefactor wishes to ensure that he becomes a gentleman. Reunited with his childhood patron, Miss Havisham, and his first love, the beautiful but emotionally cold Estella, he discovers that the elderly spinster has gone mad from having been left at the altar as a young woman, and has made her charge into a warped, unfeeling heartbreaker.
Who’s in it. Great Expectations stars John Mills as Pip, Tony Wager as Young Pip, Valerie Hobson as Estella and Jean Simmons as Young Estella, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 7.2/10, Great Expectations has been warmly received by audiences.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on fuboTV, HBO Max Amazon Channel, YouTube TV and Criterion Channel and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and FlixFling. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Great Expectations page.
If you liked it. Fans of Great Expectations tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Great Expectations (1946)?
- In US, Great Expectations is available to stream on fuboTV, HBO Max Amazon Channel and YouTube TV, and rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and FlixFling. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is Great Expectations worth watching?
- Great Expectations holds an audience score of 7.2 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama, romance and history. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in Great Expectations?
- Great Expectations stars John Mills, Tony Wager, Valerie Hobson, Jean Simmons and Bernard Miles.
- When was Great Expectations released?
- Great Expectations was released in 1946, with a runtime of about 118 minutes.