London. 1839. A young man walks along a bridge with a rope. He ties the rope onto the bridge, then around his neck, and jumps off.

Seven years earlier. Gravesend, December 24.

A young boy, Pip, recites Shakespeare to himself while working with his blacksmith brother-in-law, Joe. Pip's sister, Sara, calls them in for supper. Pip lingers, collecting the day's money.

On the prison ship Retribution, a guard makes his rounds. Two prisoners argue, unhappy about having their cells next to each other. The guard tells them they'll be side by side until they reach Australia.

One of the prisoners fashions himself a fire. As the blaze grows, the prisoner calls for help. The guard releases him from the burning cell. The prisoner strangles the guard and kills him.

The other prisoner -- Magwitch -- calls for help, but the escaped prisoner leaves him locked up to burn. Magwitch frees himself, still in chains, breaks open the door to his cell, and leaps off the side of the boat.

Magwitch swims until he reaches the shore.

Young Pip heads home and sneaks in the upstairs window. Smoke from the burning boat can be seen in the distance.

Pip brings Sara holly to decorate the house for the holidays, but she is unhappy with his un-Christian contribution and burns it. Sara and Joe remark on Pip's verbosity.

Sara serves them sauce with supper, and Joe says that despite Sara's harsh words, she loves them. They laugh together and eat their supper.

The three of them hear a loud cannon go off from outside.

Magwitch continues to run. There is a search party with torches and dogs after him. Magwitch hides.

The cannon fire continues. Sara remarks that she won't let in any escaped convicts. Joe tells Pip about the horrors of Australia. Pip asks if any convicts would come up their way. Joe remarks that they'd probably be frozen already.

Pip says he will go to see his parents. Joe advises against it. Though Sara tells Pip that it's the end of the discussion, Pip insists -- after all, it's Christmas.

As he heads to the door, Sara grabs a switch, intent on beating him if he disobeys. Joe tries to calm the tension. Pip heads upstairs. Joe tells Sara if she beats Pip again, he will run away.

Magwitch trudges through the marshes. His chains weigh heavy on him.

Pip lies in bed. Outside the bedroom door, Joe calls goodnight, and Pip responds. Pip quietly sneaks out of bed and out the window into the cold. The cannons continue to fire. Pip heads to the graveyard.

Magwitch hears dogs barking in the distance.

Pip visits the graves of his parents and little brothers and sisters.

Magwitch grabs Pip from behind, demanding to know who he's talking to, and Pip assures him it's just his dead family. Pip discerns that Magwitch is the cause of the cannon fire, and Magwitch says he is one of two.

Magwitch demands help and food as a Christian man. Pip gives Magwitch the bread in his pocket, which Magwitch eats, though he bites down on a nail. Pip explains that he works with a blacksmith.

Magwitch asks Pip to meet him by the twisted trees in the marsh at first light, to bring him food and strong drink, and tools to cut his chains. Magwitch threatens Pip, saying if he turns him in, he'll kill him, along with his sister and the blacksmith.

Pip runs away. He reaches home and climbs in his window.

Magwitch waits in the marshes, hearing dogs in the distance. Pip awakens at dawn. He packs food and drink, then hides as Sara descends the stairs. She lights a fire, breaks the switch, and tosses it in the fire.

Pip runs to the shop to fetch the tools, then heads to the marshes, where he meets Magwitch. Magwitch drinks and eats. Pip assures Magwitch he won't turn him in.

Magwitch orders Pip to cut his shackles. Pip takes the file and gets to work on them. Magwitch asks if Pip has seen anyone else with shackles.

When Pip asks if the other prisoner is a friend -- Magwitch says he'd rather kill him. Pip asks why. Magwitch says some men have dark souls. He asks Pip's name. Pip tells him.

Dogs bark in the distance. Magwitch takes the file and orders Pip to run.

Pip comes across the other prisoner (the one who set the fire) in the marshes. The prisoner says he heard two voices in the marsh.

Pip plays the fool, but the prisoner sees through him. He moves to attack, but he is still shackled, and Pip runs all the way to the church.

The church bells ring, and Pip hears singing coming from the church. Pip picks some flowers and finds Joe and Sara inside. Sara angrily tells him she was worried, but Pip gives her the flowers to apologize.

Sara, Joe, and Pip receive guests for Christmas dinner, including Mr. Pumblechook.

Sara describes the pork pie she made special for the occasion. Pip realizes this is the pie he took to Magwitch. Sara asks Pip to get rosemary from the garden, which he does.

A girl named Biddy says hello to Pip. He asks what she's doing, and she tells him she's avoiding going home due to the Christmas guests.

Pip confides in Biddy that he has helped an escaped convict. Biddy doesn't believe him. He tells her that he'd immediately leave this house if he had money. Sara comes out and orders him in.

Mr. Wopsle, the church clark, says how he would do things differently if he were allowed to speak and says he would do a sermon about pigs -- a warning against gluttony.

Sara orders Pip to eat. Pip says he will abstain as a pronouncement against gluttony. Sara laughs. Pip needs to get some air. Mr. Pumblechook explains that he is a go-between between uptown (the well-to-do) and downtown (poor people).

Pumblechook tells them of Miss Havisham, who is looking for a male friend for her adopted daughter.

Pumblechook explains that since they could not find a boy of equal social standing, they decided to go with the most intelligent -- Pip.

Sara asks how much Havisham will pay. Joe says he needs Pip in the shop. Pumblechook assures Sara that Pip will fetch a good price, and asks about the pork pie.

Sara gets the pie dish and brings it to the table. She is about the lift the lid when three soldiers burst in, demanding all able-bodied men must do their duty to the king and help in the search for the two escaped prisoners.

Magwitch continues to file his shackles. The other prisoner hears the sound of the filing.

The soldiers order men to form a human chain and stand ten yards apart. Pip wants to tell Joe something, and Joe assures him he won't let Miss Havisham take him.

A soldier orders them apart, and then men march through the marshes.

In the mist, Magwitch attacks the other prisoner, and they fight in the mud.

As they walk, Pip tells Joe he doesn't want to be a blacksmith and take over the shop. Joe is speechless.

Magwitch and his enemy fight, getting muddier. Magwitch gets the better of him, but the soldiers come upon them. They separate the prisoners.

The soldiers ask how Magwitch got free of his shackles, and Magwitch tells them he broke into a blacksmith's and stole a file, a pork pie, brandy, and bread.

The soldiers take him away. Mr. Pumblechook starts to discuss the Havisham arrangement with Pip.

Magwitch and the other prisoner are chained back on a boat.

Joe works in his shop.

Pip reads and stares out at the prison boat.

Pip comes upon Biddy, collecting kindling. She says he will make the most of his opportunity and forget his origins. He assures her it's a financial arrangement, and he might be able to help Joe retire with the money.

Pip tells Biddy of his plans to gain employment in London -- he wants to be a gentleman.

Pip sketches. Joe calls him. Pip puts down his book and gets in the carriage with Mr. Pumblechook. They head off.

Pumblechook tests Pip on his arithmetic. Pumblechook reminds Pip that he has been sold as a prodigy and mustn't disappoint everyone.

They arrive at Satis House. Pip asks Pumblechook about Miss Havisham. Pumblechook says he's never met her and she conducts all her business through a Mr. Jaggers.

A young, well-dressed girl, Estella, emerges from the house and meets them at the gate. She is unimpressed with Pip's appearance but opens the gate to let him in, leaving Mr. Pumblechook out in the cold.

Estella shows Pip into the large house and up the stairs.

Pip wonders if it's haunted, but Estella says ghosts would be afraid to come.

She knocks on one of the doors, telling her mother that Pip has arrived, then takes her leave of him.

Pip heads into the room, introducing himself as Mr. Pumblechook's boy. The older lady, Miss Havisham, is dressed lavishly in jewels and a veil over her face. She orders him closer, and he obeys. She lifts her veil.

Havisham tells him her heart is broken. She asks why he is here. He says he will be here as company for the girl. She corrects his grammar. She tells him to call Estella. He obeys. Estella appears.

Havisham asks Estella what she thinks of Pip. Estella says he is a smelly stable boy. Havisham asks what Pip thinks of Estella. He says she is proud.

Havisham prods him, getting him to agree that Estella is pretty. Havisham says she will watch them play.