P. Marlowe--

I'm going to have to look at the book again, but I could've sworn Great Expectations had marshy, swampy fens... I agree with you that Miss Havisham is one of the most fabulous creations, ever. Dickens had a way with characters and characters' names (remember Uriah Heep?) that is unparalleled. Too bad he was such a wordy little sucker (there's an easy 6,000 words that could be shaved out of Our Mutual Friend) but he's such a great, old-fashioned NOVELIST, it's always a pleasure to read him.

Shamefully enough, I've never read "The Mystery of Edwin Drood," although I keep meaning to do so...

I saw the latest adaptation of Great Expectations and cannot describe my rampant hatred of that movie. NO dialogue, no script, loud music in the place of any plot development... although the ending of the movie was true to the book, I agree with that. And you could've thrown a rock out a window and hit two people with more acting ability than Gwyneth Paltrow (who I think is usually a pretty good actress) and Ethan Hawke in that film. UGH.

Brigid.

I get a slight impression that you didn't care very much for the latest version of "Great Expectations". Now I have to say that it hasn't lingered in my mind too much but I found it passed a couple of hours harmessly enough.(Now that's a wishy washy endorsement for you).

You're right the original novel was set partly in the Kentish marshes.

Darn! I hate that I'm so easy to read ;) I did think that Anne Bancroft was great as Miss Havisham, tho.

My problem with the movie is that the whole inability to cross societal boundaries which is so pivotal in Great Expectations was really poorly translated in the movie. Oh yeah, and hating the acting, the direction, the choppy film editing...

I don't know if I've seen the original GE movie. Who's in it?

There have been a few versions. The must see one is the 1946 British movie directed by David Lean and starring John Mills, Valerie Hobson and Jean Simmons. It does take a few liberties with the plot but the period detail is superb.

There was a new version of "Great Expectations" on PBS on May 8th and 9th. I missed it. Did anyone see it? Charlotte Rampling played Miss Havisham (Charlotte Rampling how time flies!)

When I was a kid I always got Charlotte Rampling and David Bowie mixed up-- something about the androgyny.

Sorry I missed that production of Great Expectations. It had to be better than the horrid movie that came out of it recently.

Just wondering if anyone has read "A Child's History of England". If not, try it. It's extremely funny in some parts. Very much British humour which is exactly my kind of humour!

I thought the Great Expectations movie with Gwynneth Paltrow, etc. was pretty awful. Still, if you're going to update a classic that's set in England and put it in America instead, then I guess it's not going to be the same!

Most movies with Gwynneth Paltrow are a bit abomniable for me. She just doesn't do much for me yet everyone raves. I must be getting old, now I do like her mother a lot.

P Marlowe - Shakespeare in Love was great, unfortunately she wasn't, and definitely didn't deserve the academy award for it.

Brigid - you prob know this, but there was a very important financial reason Dickens was so wordy - each chapter was published monthly in a magazine, and he got paid per chapter. That is why there is a 'cliffhanger' at the end of each chapter, and why some things are just sooooo drawn out.

I prefer William Thackeray and Wilkie Collins to Dickens, although some stories are ok - Great Expectations, David Copperfield, Bleak House - even Nicholas Nickleby! Just wish they weren't so long in places :-)

Diva - which is why Dickens works better if you only read one chapter a month :o)

I read that there used to be crowds waiting on the quayside in New York, on the days when the steamer carrying the latest issue of the Dickens' magazine was expected...