read man, and only  became aware of the power of Charles Dickens (qv) story when his  wife Kay Walsh (qv) dragged him along to a theatrical production  of "Great Expectations" in 1939. Incidentally, playing Herbert  Pocket in this production, was a young Alec Guinness (qv), whom  Lean subsequently cast in the same role in the film version. Aside  from bit parts, it was Guinness first major screen role and was  also the first of six films he made with Lean. Martita Hunt (qv)  was also in the stage production, playing Miss Havisham, a role she  reprised in the film.