Great Expectations Quotes

  • Uncle Joe: Nothing harder than being given your chance. At least, that's what I hear.

  • Finn: I'm not going to tell the story the way it happened. I'm going to tell it the way I remember it.

  • Ms. Nora Digger Dinsmoor: She'll only break your heart, it's a fact. And even though I warn you, even though I guarantee you that the girl will only hurt you terribly, you'll still pursue her. Ain't love grand?

  • Estella: We are who we are, people don't change.

  • Finn: What's it like not to feel anything?

    Estella: Let's say there was a little girl, and from the time she could understand, she was taught to fear... let's say she was taught to fear daylight. She was taught that it was her enemy, that it would hurt her. And then one sunny day, you ask her to go outside and play and she won't. You can't be angry at her can you?

    Finn: I knew that little girl and I saw the light in her eyes, and no matter what you say or do, that's still what I see.

    Estella: We are who we are. People don't change.

  • Finn: Seven years passed, I stopped going to Paradiso Perduto, I stopped painting. I put aside the fantasy and the wealthy, and the heavenly girl who did not want me. None of it would happen to me again. I'd seen through it. I elected to grow up.

  • Finn: The night all of my dreams came true, and like all happy endings,It was a tragedy, Of my device, for I succeeded. I had cut myself loose from Joe, from the past, from the gulf, from poverty I had invented myself. I'd done it cruelly, but I had done it. I was free!

  • Finn: if this isn't love, I don't think I can handle the real thing

  • Finn: It's my heart, and it's broken.

  • Finn: Everything I have ever done, I've done for you.

  • Finn: I did it! I did it! I am a wild success! I sold 'em all, all my paintings. You don't have to be embarrassed by me anymore. I'm rich! Isn't that what you wanted? Aren't we happy now? Don't you understand that everything I do, I do it for you? Anything that might be special in me, is you.

  • Estella: I do love the way you dance.

    [after sleeping with Finn]

  • Ms. Nora Digger Dinsmoor: [Watches young Finn and young Estella dance] Smile, Smile, Smile, Smile...

    [to Finn]

    Ms. Nora Digger Dinsmoor: Okay, don't smile.

  • Finn: Estella?

    Estella: Finn? Is that you?

    Finn: Is that your little girl?

    Estella: Yes. I had to bring her. I wanted to show her this place.

    Finn: Have you been back often?

    Estella: No.

    Finn: Me either.

    Estella: So... I hear all about you. You're doing great.

    Finn: I'm doing okay.

    Estella: Things have been... different for me. For a long time, I kept...

    Finn: What?

    Estella: I think about you. A lot lately.

    Finn: I'm glad.

    Estella: Can you ever forgive me?

    Finn: Don't you know me at all?

  • Finn: That's a big cat! That's the biggest cat I've ever seen! What do you feed it?

    Ms. Nora Digger Dinsmoor: Other cats.

  • Prisoner: You bite your nails? It's a bad habit. People always tell you that the eyes are the windows to the soul. Bullshit. It's your hands, that's the sign of a gentleman.

  • Estella - Age 10: It's not poisoned.

Great Expectations

Director: Alfonso Cuarón

Language: English,French,Portuguese Release date: January 30, 1998