Great Expectations (Film) - 1946

One of the earliest adaptations of Charles Dickens' Great Expectations was directed by David Lean in 1946. It starred Anthony Wager as Pip, Finlay Currie as Magwitch, Jean Simmons as Estella and Martita Hunt as Miss Havisham. The character's appearances in this film do not change as obviously or drastically as some of the more modern movies but I still found this adaptation extremely interesting to see a more simplistic design for Miss Havisham.

At this point in Martita Hunt's career, she would've been around 50 herself so there was not much need for any drastic ageing makeup effects. Throughout the film it seems as though her face was heavily powdered which gave her skin a chalky look, almost adding to the dust-infested environment surrounding her. Although not completely historically accurate, the eyebrows are quite heavily drawn on which fits more so in with the trends of the decade. This adds a more stylistic approach as it is incorporating the trends of the time with a period drama. As well as that, the hairstyle does not correspond with the styles of the Victorian era but shows the distressed and uncoordinated aspect of Miss Havisham's character.

Overall, this design of Miss Havisham is a very interesting one to me as it takes a different view on how she can be interpreted. Although it not is very historically accurate, the dramatic aesthetic the makeup designer chose to create adds a more theatrical element to the film. This adaptation allows me to explore how subtle or crazy I want to make my design!