Great Expectations (television) Adaptation of Charles Dickens’s classic, airing in three parts as a Disney Channel Premiere Film. Set in the Victorian era, the story follows the fortunes of Pip from his meeting with a convict, Magwitch, to his early adulthood. Thanks to a mysterious benefactor, Pip becomes a young man with “great expectations”—a gentleman who will one day inherit a fortune. In his rise in society, Pip must constantly confront hard lessons about himself, his values, and his own expectations. First aired beginning on July 9, 1989. Directed by Kevin Connor. Stars John Rhys-Davies (Joe Gargery), Jean Simmons (Miss Havisham), Anthony Hopkins (Abel Magwitch), Martin Harvey (young Pip), Anthony Calf (older Pip), Kim Thomson (Estella), Ray McAnally (Mr. Jaggers). 308 min. Released on video in 1990.
