Review of Oliver Twist

Oliver Twist is my favourite novel. I love it to bits. It is a dark, moody, hart hitting gritty kind of story, considered to be one of the most famous and popular by Charles Dickens. And I think that I am one of the very few teenagers who love Dickens's work. This 1948 British version of the great novel still stands out as the definitive version. Directed by the great Sir David Lean (wwho in my opinion is the greatest director ever), this film has some absolute quality acting in it. It stars Robert Newton as the brutal Bill Sykes, who is just brilliant in the role. He is terrifying in the role. If you have read the book, you will realise that he is exactly how Bill Sykes should be. Robert Newton makes him a dark, scowling, psychotic, frightening man who commands your attention every time you see him. Oliver Reed, who played him in the 1968 musical version of this story, was fine as Bill Sykes but gives a much more light weight performance than Newton does. The rest of the cast was top stuff as well, Kay Walsh gave an appealing, sympathetic performance as the tragic Nancy, clearly sick of the criminal life that she is involved in. The scene where Nancy is eaten to death by Sykes could make you turn away it is that horrible (even though we don't see it, we just see the dog trying ton escape and hear her screaming). A young John Howard Davies gives a fine performance as the title role of Oliver Twist, he made you feel a lot more for him than other child actors do. He doesn't force himself upon us and that is what makes you feel for him, because he doesn't try to make you feel for him, you just do. The rest of the excellent cast is great, Anthony Newly as the Artful Dodger, creating just the right essence for him, he is a rude, imcopetent little bully, not a character you are supposed to really feel anything for. Henry Stephenson as the kindly old gentleman Mr Brownlow, Francis L Sullivan as the pompous and idiotic beadle Mr Bumble, Gibb McLaughlin as the cruel undertaker Mr Sowerberry, Ralph Truman as the fraud Mr Monks, Kathleen Harrison as the sadistic Mrs Sowerberry, Amy Veness as the kindly old Mrs Bedwin, Mary Clare as Mrs Corny/Bumble, Graveley Edwards as Mr Fang, Michael Dear as the sadistic Noah Claypole, Diana Dors (in her first major film role) as Charlotte and Peter Bull, in a cameo role as the landlord of the 'Three Criples' pub. But...(and I deliberately saved him until the end) Sir Alec Guiness's immortal performance as Fagin is the best best performance in the show. David Lean wasn't sure about whether to cast him as Fagin, but it worked brilliantly. He steals the entire film, playing the character to absolute perfection from the book. He is soft spoken but at the same time a nasty, spiteful, evil old man. Ron Moody's acting of Fagin in the musical makes him out to be a crafty, pantomime villain who everyone loves...HELLO! DICKENS WANTS YOU TO HATE THIS CHARACTER!. Everyone in this film give absolute 'star A' performances in this film, making it hugely enjoyable and truly Dickensian. Of course, can only be done properly by the British.

While this film is near perfect, it does have quite a lot of scenes left out from the book, but I don't quarrel with it here because it brings the spirit of Dickens original into it. It would have made the great author proud. Dickens would have un-doubtedly hated 'Oliver!' the musical version of this book. Please, watch this before you watch the musical, please. Then watch the musical for second choice. This film is a true British classic and deserves all the praise it gets.

Hope this was useful. Derek