Oliver Twist (2005)

Amazon.com

If Charles Dickens were alive to see Roman Polanski's faithful adaptation of Oliver Twist, he'd probably give it his stamp of approval. David Lean's celebrated 1948 version of the Dickens classic and Carol Reed's Oscar®-winning 1968 musical are more entertaining in some ways, but Polanski's rendition is both painstakingly authentic (with superb cinematography and production design) and deeply rooted in the emotional context of the story. Both Polanski and Dickens had personal experiences similar to those of young Oliver (played here by Barney Clark) -- Polanski in the Nazi-occupied ghettos of Poland during World War II, and Dickens during his hard-scrabble youth in Victorian London -- and this spiritual kinship lends a certain gravitas to the tale of a tenacious orphan who escaped from indentured servitude in London society and is taken in by Fagin (Ben Kingsley) and his streetwise gang of pickpockets. As the evil Bill Sykes, who exploits Oliver for his own nefarious needs, Jamie Foreman is no match for Oliver Reed (in the '68 musical) in terms of frightening menace, but even here, Polanski's direction hews closer to Dickens, while the screenplay by Ronald Harwood (who also wrote Polanski's The Pianist) necessarily trims away subplots and characters for the sake of narrative economy. All in all, this Oliver Twist rises above most previous versions, and with the benefit of Kingsley's nuanced performance, Polanski arrives at a compassionate conclusion that captures the essence of Dickens' novel in a way that viewers of all ages will appreciate for many years to come. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Roman Polanski directs the classic Charles Dickens story of a young orphan boy who gets involved with a gang of pickpockets in 19th Century London. Abandoned at an early age, Oliver Twist (Barney Clark) is forced to live in a workhouse lorded over by the awful Mr. Bumble, who cheats the boys of their meager rations. Desperate yet determined, Oliver makes his escape to the streets of London. Penniless and alone, he is lured into a world of crime by the sinister Fagin (Academy-Award® winner Sir Ben Kingsley) -- the mastermind of a gang of pint-sized pickpockets. Oliver's rescue by the kindly Mr. Brownlow is only the beginning of a series of adventures that lead him to the promise of a better life.

Customer Reviews:

Childhood Favorite.......2007-08-20

Whenever I'd go to my grandparents' house, my aunt or my grandmother would watch musicals and I'd sing and dance along. I loved every single musical number within "Oliver Twist" the most, specifically "I'd Do Anything." I think the boy who plays Oliver Twist in this movie is adorable, and it breaks my heart to see him go through all of the issues that happened to him as an orphan. In the movie (I have not read the book and judging from other reviewers who have, I think I'll pass), an orphan whose mother has died is put into an orphanage but the owners are cruel. After Oliver makes the mistake of asking for a little bit more food (I can do the "Please, suh, I want some more" impression to a tea), he's kicked out of the orphanage in the winter to find shelter. After a potential owner sees that Oliver won't put up with any comments about his mother, he is shoved into a basement full of coffins. A loose window is discovered and he escapes to London. This is when the fun starts!
He's found friendship in a pickpocket crew full of thieves and crooks, but he's content there. He sees past their "career paths" and embraces the humanity beneath them. They are people who are just trying to get by the same way he is. (As for the reviewers who say children will have nightmares, I saw this movie when I was in elementary school and never had one nightmare about it. I did think I was pretty tight on the dance floor after watching it though, no matter how bad I sucked at their moves. There is murder, domestic violence, theft, and runaways within the film, but every single time something like this happened, there was a lesson to be learned. To be furious with this movie telling some real life situations that happen when a child runs away or in locations full of runaway children should make you want to donate to organizations that try to help these kids; this isn't just a movie. This stuff is really happening.)
Twist ends up going through quite the journey to find a home to call his own, and the film sings his travels through. I loved this movie as a child, and this weekend, I drove to two stores and online shopping before I found it again in the middle of a thunderstorm. I didn't care. I wanted this movie! After rewatching it, although I'm not crazy about the Confederate flags but it's realistic to the times, I still love it just as much. Excellent film.

One of the Better Versions.......2007-07-12

This is one of the better versions of Oliver Twist, the classic novel by Charels Dickens. The casting was fairly good, with such characters as Fagin, "flash" Toby Cratchit, the Artful Dogder, Charley Bates, and Noah Claypole carrying their parts naturally, and Barney Clark was pure genious as Oliver. Dicken's Oliver is a very complex character, and must be very hard to cast, but Clark plays him effortlessly, and you can't help loving him. The Artful Dogder they chose was also execptional. He looked the part, and brought the right attitude to the role, even when managing what appears to be a delicate balencing act between the corrupted youth of the novel, and the more likable fellow of the Disney film. Sikes and Mr. Bumble were a bit of a disapointment, but I can't help comparing them with the actors who filled those roles in the BBC version. I was also very dissapointed that there was no Monks, no Rose, and no Rose's hopeless would-be-lover. This movie had good directing, good acting, great filming, excellent location and the right music, but somehow it's less than Oliver Twist without him coming to peace with where he came from, the evil and the good -- embodied in the persons of Rose, his cousin, and Monks, his half-brother. Also Rose is needed for the viewer to get the full impact of Nancy's plight. Rose was an unfortunate girl who someone helped, and Nancy was an unfortunate girl who someone used. Dicken's was trying to show how far a little compassion goes, that it can ultimately mean the difference between life and death. With such a great cast, it leaves you wishing they could have gone just a little further and made it perhaps the best adaption of the 21st century. But it's still good, particuarly because of Clark's potrayel of Oliver. He is precious without being adorable, resolute wthout being self-rightous, and forgiving without lowering his ideals. The end was very touching. Watch this and you'll be glad you did.

Don't compare Polanski's Oliver to Lionel Bart's........2007-05-18

This is obviously much darker than the musical, and therefore closer to Dickens. Where affection could be developed for Ron Moody as Fagin, I found Polanski's Fagin competely repellant; leering corruption -if that was what the actor was trying to convey, full marks to him.

It was a worthwile watch and Rachel Portman's score was delightful.

Highly Underrated -- Kingsley is King!.......2007-05-08

This little-noticed gem came and went quickly from our screens. It deserves another look. Polanski has teased out a faithful, compelling retelling of the Twist story, and has populated the film with memorable characterizations.

Particularly wonderful is Leanne Rowe as Nancy, and of course Ben Kingsley really steals the movie as the nuanced, deeply conflicted Fagen.

The camera work is superb, London is recreated in all its tawdry, highly stratified glory, and the brisk pace moves this film along much better than earlier versions of the Dickens' classic.

I love this film; it is surprisingly entertaining and a fine entry in the Polanski canon.

Pretty good...but not the best.......2007-04-13

Not bad. It's nice to see some of the details of the novel rendered clearly on film. The character of Nancy is particularly well done and wholly believable. But David Lean's version is superior as film making and much more watchable. It's a better film. Be sure to see it too. Why anyone likes the musical made from this story is beyond me!

The Charles Dickens Collection (Oliver Twist / Martin Chuzzlewit / Bleak House / Hard Times / Great Expectations / Our Mutual Friend)

Average customer rating:

The Charles Dickens Collection
Dickens Package 1
Dickensian Delights
opinion
lovely , region 1 only

The Charles Dickens Collection (Oliver Twist / Martin Chuzzlewit / Bleak House / Hard Times / Great Expectations / Our Mutual Friend)
Starring: Ben Rodska , Scott Funnell , Eric Porter , Frank Middlemass , and Lysette Anthony
Director: Gareth Davies , Pedr James , and Ross Devenish
Manufacturer: BBC Warner
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0009PVZMS
Release Date: 2005-09-06

Amazon.com

As can be clearly seen from the care lavished on these six BBC adaptions of Charles Dickens' novels, the British love their Dickens! And why not--Dickens is ideally suited to television, with his elaborate but vigorous plots, each a compendium of comically odious personalities (and one or two nice folk, just to keep things from getting too awful). Actors dig into these meaty roles with zeal, delighting in the hairpin turns from macabre horror to sweet sentiment. The more popular (and most frequently adapted) of the books at hand--Great Expectations and Oliver Twist--are the most conventional. The 1981 mini-series Expectations (in which young Pip learns the pitfalls of wealth through his relationship with the rich and bitter Mrs. Havishamand and her warped ward, Estella) is dutiful to its source but not adapted with much inspiration. Twist, from 1985, fares better; it's a zippy treatment of this tale of childhood deprivation and juvenile delinquency, and the horrors of Victorian orphanages will raise your hackles. The adaptation is capable but a little flat--still, any story where an undertaker observes, "Every tear is another shilling in the till," is clearly not lacking in wicked wit.

Fortunately, the others are considerably juicier: Martin Chuzzlewit, a lesser-known but richly satirical book, has a star-studded production from 1994, featuring Paul Scofield, Tom Wilkinson, Pete Postlethwaite, and Julia Sawalha, among others. The wealthy Martin Chuzzlewit, deeply suspicious of all mankind due to being hounded by greedy, grasping relatives, threatens the happiness of his ward Mary and his namesake grandson. In addition to the sterling and energetic cast, Chuzzlewit has outstanding production values, as does the 1998 version of Our Mutual Friend, which goes to great lengths to evoke the textures of life in Dickens' London. The mysterious death of a man about to inherit a great fortune sets in motion a complex plot that intertwines two love stories (it's one of Dickens' most romantic works), social scheming, and murderous obsession. The names aren't quite as famous (such as Paul McGann, Timothy Spall, Anna Friel, and Keeley Hawes), but the performances are top-notch and the script is particularly dynamic.

Bleak House, a Kafka-esque story of young innocents caught in an all-consuming, multi-generational lawsuit, cultivates a rich and potent Gothic horror; the 19th century seems like an unnerving alien world, through which lawyers and policemen stride like cruel predators. Diana Rigg is the most famous face in this 1985 production, but strong performances abound. The final component of this box set is the most curious: A 1994 version of Hard Times starring Alan Bates and Richard E. Grant, which turns this dark story--about a schoolmaster/politician who raises his children on reason at the expense of all feeling and finally reaps the bitter rewards--into a compact, theatrical feature film that's so swift it's almost jaunty. Adapted and directed by Peter Barnes (writer of The Ruling Class), it's the most stylized production of the bunch, and while lacking the depth and narrative detail of the others, it effectively cuts to the essence of Dickens. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

The Charles Dickens Collection .......2007-08-31

Great condition. brand new! Wonderful product and great stories.

A must see and definitely "family friendly".

Dickens Package 1.......2007-06-27

This collection is an embarassment of riches. Each story is divided into several episodes which take time to view and absorb. So far we have only viewed "Bleak House" and "Our Mutual Friend". Both are excellent and capture the steamy world of Dicken's London. I think I am constantly amazed at the attention to detail that the Brits recreate in historical drama. And of course there is the wealth of character playing for which Britain has always been famous. A really excellent series.

Dickensian Delights.......2007-06-02

This collection is wonderful, you can "watch" these novels over and over, faithful to Dickens in tone, plot and spirit -- Highly recommended.

opinion.......2007-06-02

I've just bought the collection, I've seen 3 movies so far, they're great, faithful to the books I've read. They come with cc(closed caption)so it helps the understanding. I watch a film and read the book. They're perfect for those who are really into literature. I highly recommend them.

lovely , region 1 only .......2007-05-08

The dark stories about the impossible lives of the unfortunate makes it a kind of films that will glue anyone to the chair. BBC serieses are not like any other film, and I simply escape to anothr world every time I watch.
Had to watch it in my computer though, since it was not my region( not even after I changed the region in my "region free" DVD player ) which also means I had no subtitles either. A good computer screen is needed for that purpose.

Average customer rating:

Kitchen fun with all your mates
Totally Mesmerising!
Perfect for cooks of any level
No matter who you are.....you'll LOVE this DVD!
just a fan

Oliver's Twist 2
Starring: Jamie Oliver
Director: Brian Klein
Manufacturer: Capital Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000A0D1JW
Release Date: 2005-09-06

Description

Whether making a classic Irish dish or an authentic Brazilian feijoada, Jamie Oliver shows us how to shop for the freshest ingredients then it's back to his flat where he rustles up some tasty dishes for his friends. Let the party begin.

Customer Reviews:

Kitchen fun with all your mates.......2006-12-21

If you liked Steve Irwin (RIP), you're gonna love cookin' with Jamie. He fills the kitchen with the same sort of exuberance, but more youthful. No question that he is a likable bloke with passion and talent, but to me, his TV shtick - "Hey, I'm gonna meet some of my mates down at the pub, and we're gonna to do some gourmet cooking while skateboarding" -- is a little phony.

Television cooking has had a few wooden characters whose skill and precision were more intimidating than inspiring. But that seems to me hardly the rule. It is not like Jamie is filling a huge need to show people how to loosen up and have some fun in the kitchen.

Jamie is subliminally appealing to the common conceit of youth that all that is needed for art (culinary art, or any other worthy accomplishment) is the chaos of youthful enthusiasm. I know that Jamie is a very successful chef and restauranteur. I do not believe for one moment that he has achieved that success without some adult seriousness.

Unfortunately, Jamie's insistence on his scooter-riding, fun-loving persona gets in the way of teaching much of anything about food. The show is fast-paced and chaotic, much more about Jamie's madcap style than about the food itself.

Because he does convey what I believe is a genuine passion, and perhaps genius, for cooking, and is likable and amusing, I give him more stars than I could ever justify if the criteria were closely tied to the DVD's value as a teaching/learning tool.

Totally Mesmerising!.......2006-08-23

Day off, time on my hands, this DVD just arrived. Popped it into the Dell computer and was totally enchanted and entertained all day! By the end of the first episode I was just craving some good food! I don't know why I waited until now to start buying Jame Oliver's cookbooks and DVDs. I guess I saved the best for last. I now have virtually everything on amazon with Jamie's name on it. Really looking forward to his new Italian cookery book for sure. I always loved watching his shows on Food Network. It's even better in the comfort of your own home. I was astonished at all of the handy-dandy (or easy-peasy) cooking tips he gives on these episodes. Be sure and have a pencil and pad by your side as you watch each segment because you are going to want to jot these down for future cooking experiences. Fish, veggies, meat, herbs, cheeses, you name it, he's got it. So simple. All the food is affordable and easy to cook. Of course you'll notice some products we can't get here in the US but there are equally good substitutes available. So simple, so easy to follow, so very entertaining. Want to just give him a big hug! I just ordered the first DVD. Can't wait!

Perfect for cooks of any level.......2005-09-20

I am a chef and was interested in this DVD because I believe that Jamie Oliver is not only talented but inspiring in a way. I don't usually buy cooking shows on DVD but decided to give this one a chance, and I'm thrilled that I did.

It's not just the recipes that Jamie takes us through that makes this DVD so valuable, but it's the WAY in which he approaches cooking. He's a proponent of buying local, organic food and cooking it in fresh, fast and interesting ways. Sure, he has a certain charm about him, but that charm, I believe, comes from his love of what he does (more than the way he looks). That love of food and cooking is infectious, and that is what gives this DVD power.

I think that this DVD would be a lovely gift for anyone who is interested in cooking. (I bought it as a gift for myself and have thanked me repeatedly!) This has certainly changed my mind about cooking DVDs and I'll now be purchasing the rest of the Jamie Oliver catalog as well!

No matter who you are.....you'll LOVE this DVD!.......2005-09-15

This DVD set is packed full of wonderful recipes and of course, Jamie Oliver's infectious style. He's out and about on his moped in London, stopping off at shops and cooking for all kinds of people. My daughter always sings along to the theme song when I play this DVD. To sum up, this is a fun, colorful and informative DVD. There are some great tips and the recipe cards included are a bonus. For anyone that has never watched one of Jamie's show, or if you just wish they'd show more on Food TV, this DVD is a money well spent!

just a fan.......2005-08-12

If this is anything like the first one, which I am sure it is, it will be most brilliant, the dishes fantastic, and simply entertaining from start to finish! We put this on when we have friends over to get their mouths watering before we serve one of Jamie's dishes for dinner!! Cheers!

Oliver Twist (1948) - Criterion Collection

Average customer rating:

Dissapointed
Oliver Twist
A Gift Purchase
THE GENIUS OF DAVID LEAN
The best version of Dickens' immortal story on film.

Oliver Twist (1948) - Criterion Collection
Starring: Robert Newton , Alec Guinness , Kay Walsh , Francis L. Sullivan , and John Howard Davies
Director: David Lean
Manufacturer: Criterion
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ASIN: B00000F17A
Release Date: 1999-01-12

Amazon.com

David Lean's 1948 version of Charles Dickens' classic novel begins with a bang: the young hero's pregnant mother fighting her way through a storm, a perfect metaphor for Oliver's difficult road ahead. Set in a world of slums in the shadow of Victorian England, the story traces the boy's life in a workhouse and then with a gang of little pickpockets. A stark but good-looking film shot around some impressive sets, Lean's immortal adaptation is perhaps best known for Alec Guinness's remarkable (and slightly controversial) performance as Fagin, the old mentor to the gang of boy thieves. --Tom Keogh

Description

Expressionistic noir photography suffuses David Lean's Oliver Twist with a nightmarish quality, fitting its bleak, industrial setting. In Dickens' classic tale, an orphan wends his way from cruel apprenticeship to den of thieves in search of a true home. Here Alec Guinness is the quintessential Fagin, his controversial performance fully restored in Criterion's new digital transfer.

Customer Reviews:

Dissapointed.......2007-09-07

Ever since I saw the BBC version of Oliver Twist, I've been searching for a faithful adaption that I could watch in one night. Judging by the overwhelming popularity of the David Lean film, I thought this might be what I was looking for. Dissapointed. In this nearly two hour film, Oliver has almost no lines at all, and his personality is lamentably underdeveloped. (Sweet and naive was all I got). Rose, Harry, Mrs. Maylie, and their family Docter were left out, and Monks -- a fascinating, eccentric character from the book and the BBC film -- was poorly potrayed and given altogether only about ten minutes of screentime (!) I WAS impressed by Mr. Lean's directing ability and how gracefully he paced the movie . . . no jumping around, no boring lags, etc; etc. Eceptionally good interpretations of Sykes, Fagin, and the Artful Dodger also add interest, and this Mr. Brownlow was the best I've seen in any Oliver Twist movie. Nancy was good, but has such a small part that I couldn't get "attatched" to her. All in all, however, I feel like I wasted my money. Too many of my favorite characters and parts were either left out or watered down. David Lean should have called it "Fagin's Gang" and made Oliver a subplot character.

Oliver Twist.......2007-06-25

This masterful adaptation of a Charles Dickens novel was the second for Lean, who abridged the author's long-winded story about a young orphan's changing fortunes in Victorian England into a beautifully paced two-hour film. Among a splendid cast, Guinness and Robert Newton are truly exceptional, respectively playing the captivating Fagin and his evil accomplice, Bill Sikes, with gusto. Also fun to watch is young Anthony Newley as the Artful Dodger. Essentially a tale of triumph in a world of degrading poverty and repellent class bias, "Oliver Twist" is a first-rate drama brimming with hope, pathos, and fury, from opening shot to last.

A Gift Purchase.......2007-06-01

I purchased this for my son-in-law's birthday. He is very happy with it and consideres it the best version of "Oliver Twist" that he has ever seen!

THE GENIUS OF DAVID LEAN.......2007-04-25

David Lean is best known for his super epics, like Lawrence Of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago and Bridge On The River Kwai. But earlier in his career, he did some outstanding films based on the plays of Noel Coward (like Brief Encounter) and on the works of Dickens (like Great Expectations). His film Oliver Twist, from 1948, is an early masterpiece.

You can see the genius of Lean in every frame; but there is one scene in particular that stands out. It is the one in which Bill Sikes is beating Nancy to death for giving the names of him and the rest of their gang to Mr. Brownlow. Lean doesn't show the actual beating, but he shows the reaction to it by someone else in the room: Bill Sike's dog. All you hear are the girl's screams and all you see is the dog, terrified, frantically trying to get out of the room by clawing his way through the door. It is one of the most terrifying scenes I've ever watched, and yet you don't see one bit of violence. It is incredible.

Eventually, Sikes lets the dog out, and he leaves in a panic. Later, Sikes finds the dog in the streets, and he cowers before his master. I've never seen a dog tremble like he does in this scene. It, too, is incredible, and the dog should have gotten an Oscar.

Genius finds new and more effective ways to accomplish things that would normally be considered distasteful or inappropriate.

The other scene that stands out to me is near the end, when the crowd is coming to get Sikes. It is the climax of the film, and it is powerful. I've never seen a crowd scene more spectacular, or a climax more suspenseful. There's also never been a more terrifying villain than Bill Sikes (played menacingly by Robert Newton), especially in the eyes of a boy. He contrasts nicely with Oliver Twist (played by John Howard Davies) and his innocence.

Oliver Twist was banned in this country (it's British) when it came out in 1948 because the Film Board felt Alec Guinness' portrayal of Fagan was anti-Semitic. It is over-the-top, especially the nose. But Guinness is genius. Kay Walsh as Nancy, Francis L. Sullivan as Mr. Brumble, Henry Stephenson as Mr. Brownlow and Anthony Newly as the Artful Dodger are also outstanding.

Waitsel Smith

The best version of Dickens' immortal story on film. .......2006-07-12

This film of Dickens' "Oliver Twist" from 1948 is still the best that has ever been done. The choices made to tell the story in two hours are quite amazing in the detail and sub plots and choice dialogue from the book that they still keep in. David Lean can do all this because of his masterful work with the camera. The scenes are so evocative of London Dickens paints in the novel. There is faceless barren despair in the workhouse, smoke and decay in London slum near St. Paul's Cathedral, and the light and beauty of Clerkenwell (that was back then) where the wealthy Mr. Brownlow lives.

The black and white filming actually adds to the light and shadow of the story and helps evoke the right moods as much as any musical score. I think it is actually a plus for this film even though it is a bit of a chore getting young people to cue in on the contributions of black and white over color pictures. Still, my youngest son could clearly see why this was a great telling of the story.

Here we have a thirty-three year old Alec Guinness made up in a way that probably would not work nowadays and emphasizes Fagin's Jewishness, but doesn't make Fagin out to be anything more than he is as a person. Guinness does NOT make Fagin out to be bad because he is a Jew, but rather that he is a miserly criminal who happens to be Jewish. It is a fine portrayal of Fagin and masterfully acted.

Robert Newton is very threatening as the monster Bill Sikes. He pulls the job off quite well and we get a very complex picture of his attitudes towards Fagin, Nancy, and the world. As an aside, Newton was a very popular actor who harmed his career and shortened his life with drink, as did Oliver Reed who portrayed Sikes so well in "Oliver!". Just a strange coincidence.

Kay Walsh does a fine job with Nancy, who is portrayed more as she is in the book rather than the heroine she is made to be in the musical and in some sloppy versions on film or for TV. She was married to Lean at the time although they divorced in 1949. John Howard Davies really does look the part of the small and slight Oliver Twist and acts out the role quite well. He had a fine career but mostly as a director and producer including Monty Python's Flying Circus in 1969.

We also get to see the young Anthony Newly (all of sixteen) as the Artful Dodger and many other wonderful character actors as well as a huge cast of extras. Remember, this was only a couple of years after World War II and there were a lot of people grateful for any kind of work for any length of time.

This is an immortal story that millions still love to read, hear, and see. This is a telling of the story that is awfully good. While I still recommend the book most of all, if you are going to watch a film version, this is the one I would start with and recommend most highly.

Average customer rating:

Jamie's Brilliant!
Going to London
Love the theme song!
Fantastic! Step Aside Emeril and Wolfgang!!!
Oh My God

Jamie Oliver - Oliver's Twist
Starring: Jamie Oliver (II)
Director: Patricia Llewellyn
Manufacturer: Shout Factory
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000C0FMW
Release Date: 2003-10-14

Amazon.com

One could do worse than be a part of Jamie Oliver's life. His daughter's babysitters are treated to the young chef's gourmet-chocolate tiramisu, his hard-partying mates drag themselves to morning-after fry-up feasts and Bloody Mary pitchers, and his band (London's Scarlet Division) fill up on exquisite vegetarian cuisine. This collection of seven Oliver's Twist episodes, originally broadcast in America on the Food Network, are enormous fun, grounded in the gregarious star's daily life of family, friends, mentors, suppliers--even the local cops. Absolutely everyone parades through Oliver's surprisingly modest kitchen to dine on lovingly prepared masterworks fusing tradition with improvisational brilliance. Whether the menu calls for high tea, a Bollywood theme night, or a gorgeous health-food breakfast, Oliver's affection for his work and his people makes for addictive viewing. --Tom Keogh

Description

Jamie Oliver (The Naked Chef) knows the best places to buy food in London. In this DVD, Oliver's Twist, Jamie takes us to his favorite stores, and then it's back to his place to cook up fantastic food for family and friends. In Jamie's unique style he gives culinary advice and great tips as he grills, grinds, roasts and fries. And with food on the table, let the good times roll! This DVD contains 7 classic episodes from his Oliver's Twist TV series as seen on the Food Network.

"I think that the show's success is down to me being me - an ordinary bloke who's just passionate about good food - and people can relate to that. Even now, blokes who've never done more than open a packet come up to me and tell me that they've started cooking. That's the best result ever as all I ever wanted to do was to make food accessible to everyone; to show that you can make mistakes - I do all the time - but it doesn't matter." -Jamie Oliver

EPISODES
1) World Cup Breakfast: After a big night out what better way for Jamie and his mates to recover than a morning watching soccer with a full Oliver breakfast.
2) Scarlet Division: Jamie drums up some vegetarian tukka as he gets together with his band for a jamming session.
3) The Bill: When Jamie pays a visit to his mates on the set of The Bill, three cops are delighted to accept his invitation to dinner.
4) Wild City: Horseradish outside your house? Rocket by the roadside? Jamie and his mentor Gennaro show how, even in the middle of a city, Mother Nature does provide.
5) Tiger: Jamie's grandmother, Tiger, and her friends are in London for a day out, so Jamie invites them over for afternoon tea.
6) Bollywood: Jamie goes Indian as he hosts a Bollywood night with all the trimmings.
7) Chocolate: As a bribe for babysitting Poppy, Jamie offers the girls the one thing they can't resist chocolate, and lots of it.

Customer Reviews:

Jamie's Brilliant!.......2006-04-12

I love all his shows especially Oliver's Twist. Love the theme song, the concept of inviting friends to enjoy his food, and absolutely loved Jamie's kitchen interior in Oliver's Twist. I love his style of cooking where you don't have to be an expert to create a delightful dish. Everything he does is just magic :D

Truly recommended!

Going to London.......2005-08-09

My fiance is just learning to cook and moving to London ... this DVD was the perfect gift since it gives the vibes of British culture while at the same time teaching how to shop and cook on the London streets. Great buy! She loved it.

Love the theme song!.......2003-11-15

I first noticed Jamie Oliver after hearing the catchy theme song - by Leigh Haggerwood - that begins the 'Oliver's Twist' rollercoaster ride. This DVD contains the best episodes from the first series, full of Jamies enthusiasm and British charm. The recipes are mouth watering, and with all the vibrant colours and London life, it's a joy to watch from beginning to end. My particular favourite is the episode where his band Scarlet Division perform the theme song out on the street and Jamie gives it some on his drum kit. I think everyone will enjoy this DVD!

Fantastic! Step Aside Emeril and Wolfgang!!!.......2003-10-19

Jamie Oliver, hands down, is the most entertaining chef on broadcast television. I was completely entertained by this DVD. It allowed me to navigate from recipe to recipe, which was so nice to use when preparing some of his amazingly delicious and simple recipes. After watching this DVD I feel as though I could prepare any gourmet meal for any number of guests. And did I forget to mention how freaking adorable he is. I will admit the first time I watched it I could only focus on his adorable features and charisma and then I watched again and observed his unbelievable uncomplicated style of gourmet cuisine. Oh, and the recipes were great - basically fresh and healthy ingredients with a dash of this and dash of that - thatýs it. I keep hearing that he is known, as the ýnaked chef ýNews Flashý sexy chef would be a more appropriate term. He has amazing energy and charisma. My only concern now is - WHEN WILL THE NEXT DVD BE RELEASED!!!!!

Oh My God.......2003-10-18

Jamie Oliver, hands down, is the most entertaining chef on broadcast television. I was completely entertained by this DVD. It allowed me to navigate from recipe to recipe, which was so nice to use when preparing some of his amazingly delicious and simple recipes. After watching this DVD I feel as though I could prepare any gourmet meal for any number of guests. And did I forget to mention how freaking adorable he is. I will admit the first time I watched it I could only focus on his adorable features and charisma and then I watched again and observed his unbelievable and uncomplicated style of gourmet cuisine. Oh, and the recipes were great - basically fresh and healthy ingredients with a dash of this and dash of that - that's it. ...

Charles Dickens Collection (David Copperfield / Oliver Twist / Great Expectations)

Average customer rating:

Charles Dickens DVD Collection
Charles Dickens Collection
Showcasing three popular classics by the acclaimed and popular English author Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens Collection (David Copperfield / Oliver Twist / Great Expectations)
Starring: Emilia Fox , Pauline Quirke , Maggie Smith , John Normington , and Daniel Radcliffe
Director: Simon Curtis , Renny Rye , and Julian Jarrold
Manufacturer: WGBH BOSTON
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000A7DW94
Release Date: 2005-10-25

Description

This deluxe DVD set features three classic Charles Dickens stories- David Copperfield (starring Daniel Radcliffe of Harry Potter), Oliver Twist (starring Sam Smith as Oliver and Robert Lindsay of Horatio Hornbloweras master thief Fagin), and Great Expectations (starring Ioan Gruffudd of Horatio Hornblower and Charlotte Rampling of Swimming Pool).

Customer Reviews:

Charles Dickens DVD Collection.......2007-01-04

The TV scripts are not as well written as some movie versions of the past. This version of Great Expectations (for example) is too dark for my taste.

Charles Dickens Collection.......2007-01-04

Excellent love all of the videos a great present for any Dickens fan.

Showcasing three popular classics by the acclaimed and popular English author Charles Dickens.......2005-11-08

The Charles Dickens Collection is a DVD boxed set showcasing three popular classics by the acclaimed and popular English author Charles Dickens: David Copperfield; Oliver Twist; and Great Expectations. These British television productions are enhanced with some of the best set designed and some of the most accomplished actors British theatre has to offer. The costuming is simply outstanding, the adaptations of Dicken's novel for the screen are superb, and the DVD format brings the viewer a true "theatre in the home" experience. With a total running time of 720 minutes, The Charles Dickens Collection is a five disc boxed set would make an enduringly popular addition to any community library DVD collection -- and should be considered "must see TV" by anyone who appreciates the high production values of these timely and timeless stories.

Average customer rating:

Very good... just a bit drawn out at times.
Dickens Classic with Dickensian Details!
One of the best films about this classic.
the ultimate version!

Oliver Twist (BBC, 1985)
Starring: Ben Rodska , Scott Funnell , Eric Porter , Frank Middlemass , and Lysette Anthony
Director: Gareth Davies
Manufacturer: BBC home video
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ASIN: B0009PVZLY
Release Date: 2005-09-06

Description

The classic story of the poor orphan, Oliver experiences the terror and brutality of the criminal world with his companions: a pickpocket, a thief, a prostitute, and a fence. Born and raised in the appalling deprivation of the workhouse, the orphan Oliver escapes only to fall in with a gang of child thieves. Oliver's rescue by the kindly Mr. Brownlow is only the beginning of a series of adventures that lead him to an incredible discovery.

Customer Reviews:

Very good... just a bit drawn out at times........2006-08-12

Very good rendition... a few segments are a bit drawn out at times... and a number of the shots are very dark (lighting)... I guess to simulate the pre-electric point in time. Made it difficult to "see" some of the details in the scenes though. Well worth the sale price that I was able to obtain.

Dickens Classic with Dickensian Details!.......2006-03-09

This version of Oliver Twist was a real pleasure! While a dramatization that stays fairly close to the original, the producers did this one right by giving it the time it needed. While the cast is of people little-known in the US, fans of classic literature should sit up and take notice of this one.

Ben Rodska does a wonderful portrayal of Oliver Twist that really brings home just how difficult life was in the workhouse. Dickens' book brought the plight of the poor into the public light in Britain, causing the dismantlement of the workhouse system and the poor laws. The actors and acresses in this episodic telling of the story convincingly prove to the viewer just how bad life could be in the early-to-mid 1800s.

Bill Sikes is frighteningly well played. Fagin is absolutely disreputable. Nancy is pitiable and trapped in a life filled with misery--and knows it.

Performed in twelve half-hour episodes, Oliver Twist has a simple musical score that enhances the rich visual imagery. People and places abound. This is the England of 1825 you long to see.

Oliver says it best: "Please, sir. I want some more!"

One of the best films about this classic........2005-11-21

I want to compare CBS version with other film versions I saw:

Oliver Twist 1933 One of the first versions. Too brief, but a regular edition, even it was very deteriorated by the time.
Oliver Twist 1945 One of the best version with Barrymore.
Oliver Twist (Disney Version) Too dark, images have too shadows. Regular version, Faggin was not the best characterization as other versions.
Oliver! This Musical was one triumph! Carol Reed was the Director won an Oscar, the film too, and other nominations.
The Music was excellent. The characterization of Faggin, one of the best ever.
Oliver Twist 2005 - To be seen and reviewed soon.

the ultimate version!.......2005-09-06

I have been waiting for this version, as it is , in my opinion, vastly superior to many of the newer version. The characters stay with you for a long time to come, and I have found myself using this a the yardstick to measure others with. It is funny touching, absorbing, gripping and a highly satisfactory production. To praise one character over the rest of the cast is not fair. Eric Porter, of course, is welknown, whereas the rest are fairly unfamiliar, but everybody does a splendid job.
If you don't know this version! You are in for a treat!

Oliver Twist (Masterpiece Theatre, 1999)

Average customer rating:

great film
supernal
An ersatz production of a dickens masterpiece
A fine drama, but you must not call it Dickens
A good adventure.

Oliver Twist (Masterpiece Theatre, 1999)
Starring: Sam Smith (III) , David Ross , Julie Walters , Roger Lloyd-Pack , and Ger Ryan
Director: Renny Rye
Manufacturer: WGBH BOSTON
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ASIN: B0001WTUJE
Release Date: 2004-04-13

Description

In this extraordinary production, storyteller Alan Bleasdale broadens the scope of Charles Dickens' classic tale of an orphan in 19th century England—and the characters who influence his destiny.

Oliver's mother, Agnes, struggles against the tragic circumstances that ultimately leave Oliver a penniless orphan. At the Parish Workhouse, he is forced by other boys to ask for more food, and as a result, is sold as an apprentice to a miserly undertaker. He runs away and is taken in by master thief Fagin, who is in league with a murderous pair determined to see that Oliver never inherits the fortune he deserves. Life twists and turns again and again for Oliver, landing him in alternately dangerous and hopeful circumstances.

Oliver Twist is a drama of dark comedy, astonishing vivacity and soaring imagination, but ultimately, it is a story that celebrates the resilience and triumph of a little boy's spirit.

Special DVD features include: materials and activities for educators; a link to the Masterpiece Theatre Web site; closed captions; and described video for the visually impaired.

On three DVD5 discs. Region coding: All regions. Audio: Dolby stereo. Screen format: Letterboxed.

Customer Reviews:

great film.......2007-05-23

i'v seen oliver twist before,bur never so good and,whit great actors like this.fans off dickens must really see this one.and of corse Michael Kithen
in a brilliant rool,but he is a very good actor and my favorit

supernal.......2007-05-14

Having no life, I make a point of trying to see every "Masterpiece Theatre" or BBC-type historical drama that I can.

And I would have to say, this is probably the best I've ever seen. It's just so shattering, so beautiful, so emotionally exhausting to watch. It's one of those movies that are so good that you forget you're really watching a bunch of actors, with lights, cameras, clapboards, etc. You find yourself totally immersed.

One thing you should know is that, whether you get this movie on DVD or on VHS, there are three parts, each about 2 hours.

Surprisingly, though, only the second and third parts are, strictly speaking, adapted from Dickens's novel. The first part is the prequel: in the novel, the exact circumstances of Twist's provenance are left murky. The first part of this series, made only for this "Masterpiece Theatre" production, is a two-hour spelling out of where he came from. They've definitely taken some license there.

But incredibly, the first part -- the one not based directly on Dickens's writings -- is for me the most gripping and well-written of the three! I can't believe how good it is. Fits right in and then some.

One other note: I'm probably not giving away anything by announcing that in the end, everything is set right and just desserts are apportioned to all. Yet so crushing and infuriating is the Hell through which the waif Oliver must pass, that one is left to wonder if, even though the bad guys do get what's coming to them, the horrors we have seen are really made up for.

To tell you the truth, notwithstanding my regard for this production, I find myself unable to sit through it a second time. The actors playing Monks, Bill, and Fagin do such a convincing, harrowing job of being evil to Oliver, that I simply can't take it, even though I know everything will be all right in the end. It's just too much for me.

I also find this true of the book. It's probably the only work of Dickens that leaves me with the feeling, when I put it back on the shelf, that the moral universe is still fundamentally out of whack.

An ersatz production of a dickens masterpiece.......2007-04-11

I was thoroughly disappointed in both Masterpiece Theater and its production of Oliver Twist. The lengthy first disk contained virtually nothing out of the original Dickens novel. The characters behaved and spoke their lines as if they acting in a contemporary period made-for-TV melodrama. Oliver's father's wife seemed to trying out her lines for a voiceover as Disney's Cruella Deville. As far as a realistic portrayal of early Victorian life, viewers should remember that any man who took an umarried middle class woman's virginity was not, and never could be, a gentleman. The prtrayal of the Beadle and the other characters in the workhouse scenes were farcical. I ceased to watch at this point. For a classic depiction of the novel on film watch the 1948 British production directed by David Lean.

A fine drama, but you must not call it Dickens.......2007-03-11

I greatly enjoyed this DVD series for what it was -- a fine drama. The production values are high and the acting is uniformly good. (Andy Serkis is especially loathsome as Bill Sykes.) However, the television "adaptation" merely borrows some characters and situations from the novel. All of the first 90 minute episode takes place before the novel even begins. It's interesting, and entertaining, to see what the script writer has made of the pre-history of young Oliver Twist. But after he enters on the scene in the second episode, the drama strays farther and farther from the story Dickens wrote. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as the story this film tells is a good story, and well told. It's just not Dickens. It bears a resemblence to Dickens, but only such resemblence as chicken soup bears to the roasted fowl. Whilst wholesome and tasty, it's not the same thing.

Enjoy this for what it is, but look for the older BBC dramatisation for a truer representation of Dicken's novel.

(Note: my review is based on the ITV version as released in the UK. I'm not sure if the programme was broken into the same episodes for US television.)

A good adventure........2006-08-19

Oliver Twist is a great adventure story of the struggles of a poor boy in England in the 1800's. The characters are realistic, interesting, people you don't meet everyday. Never a dull moment. I have seen five versions of Oliver Twist, and liked them all. You are taken to another time and place of adventure.

Other great period, adventure movies are "Tom Brown's School Days 1935", "David Copperfield 1940 & 2000", "The Prince & the Pauper", "At Swords Point 1952", "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer 1938", "The Three Musketeers 1939", and "The Scarlet Pimpernel 1935".

Average customer rating:

An interesting double-feature
Oliver Twist
Lon Chaney is on the cover but this is Jackie Coogan's film
Great silent adaptation of Dickens' classic

Oliver Twist (1922)
Starring: James A. Marcus , Aggie Herring , Jackie Coogan , Nelson McDowell , and Lewis Sargent
Director: Frank Lloyd
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
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ASIN: 6305944563
Release Date: 2000-08-29

Amazon.com

Jackie Coogan had made his name as the spunky waif in Chaplin's The Kid when he took on the role of Charles Dickens's plucky orphan hero in Oliver Twist. It's dream casting: wide-eyed Coogan is an innocent with a heart of gold dropped into a den of thieves, notably Lon Chaney's Fagin, a heartless conniver with long whiskers, a hook nose, rotten teeth and skeletal fingers. The entire production is peopled with perfect types--a rotund bulldog of a Mr. Brumble, a barrel-chested bully of a Bill Sykes, a ragged dandy of an Artful Dodger--but it rather misses the point of Dickens. "I know of two kinds of boys: good and bad," sniffs one high-society gentleman, and sure enough, director Frank Lloyd gives us heroes and villains without the energetic, colorful portrayals of the Dodger (who has little dramatic presence) and Fagin that enrich later versions of the novel. The entire novel is packed into 74 breakneck minutes, but the lavish production is richly atmospheric and beautiful to look at, and Coogan's cute, sprightly performance keeps the story bouncing along. The print is well worn and in places quite damaged, but it's presentable, nicely tinted, and accompanied by an organ score by John Muri.

This disc also includes Lon Chaney in The Light of Faith (an abridged version of Clarence Brown's The Light in the Dark). Chaney plays a thief who, inspired by the story of the Holy Grail, risks his life to rob a rich man of his ancient goblet in the hopes that it may save a sick girl. There's little room for dramatic resonance in such a digest-sized version, but Chaney shines as a reformed roughneck, and the lavish production is well preserved in this excellent restoration, which has been tinted and set to an organ score by Hank Troy. --Sean Axmaker

Description

Lon Chaney portrays the frightful, despicable Fagin in this richly atmospheric screen adaptation of Charles Dickens' "Oliver Twist" (74 min.). Jackie Coogan (The Kid) stars as the titular irrepressible waif in 19th-century England, whose adventures lead him from undernourished orphan to undertaker's apprentice, from novice pickpocket to pampered youth. Faithful in spirit and letter to Dickens' immortal story, "Oliver Twist" is an exquisitely designed film, recreating with painterly care the firelit chambers, sepulchral basements and sordid slums that confine its menagerie of eccentric and pathetic personages. As an added bonus, this DVD includes the Lon Chaney short film, "The Light of Faith" (30 min.). Typical of the era's moral regeneration dramas, director Clarence Brown's visually stunning "The Light of Faith" features Chaney as a thief who finds himself in possession of the Holy Grail. Chaney's genuine interest in the plight of the lawless endowed his performances in these films with remarkable conviction and vibrancy.

Customer Reviews:

An interesting double-feature.......2007-01-05

The main feature on this disc, 'Oliver Twist' (1922), is a pretty decent adaptation of the well-known Charles Dickens novel, though, as just about all movies based on books are wont to do, it naturally can't cover everything from the book. The sets bring Victorian England to life pretty well, particularly the settings in the orphanage and in Fagin's house. Life was no picnic for the poor in Victorian England, with no system of social welfare as yet set up, and many poor people were forced to either go to an almshouse, or, if they were desperate enough, to turn to a life of crime like Fagin and his cohorts. However, since it is based on a novel, it doesn't always work very well as a silent. While there are some great silents adapted from works of literature, this one seems really chatty and like it could have been even better as a talkie. There also isn't enough character development, particularly of Fagin (Lon Chaney), who, though he's great in all of his scenes, just doesn't have a lot to do. This was a starring vehicle for the adorable Jackie Coogan (in spite of Lon's picture being on the DVD cover), so it seems natural that the producers would have wanted to emphasise his title character in the storyline, even though at times it seems more like a showcase for Jackie instead of a showcase of the Dickens novel. There could have been more meat on the plot and greater character development if they hadn't done this; as cute and talented as Jackie was, he wasn't the only important character. The print also is a bit worn, though since it was considered lost until 1972, one can't expect too much in terms of print quality. However, I wish there had been a more elaborate score beyond an organ.

The bonus film, 'The Light of Faith' (1922), is a 33-minute excerpt from 'The Light in the Dark,' a six-reel feature that was considered lost in its entirety until the George Eastman House found it and did a restoration of in 2003. The film kind of starts in media res, but that becomes more understandable when one knows that this is only about half of a longer film, not the entire film itself or the only surviving part of it. A young woman has run away from home and her boyfriend back in England, and finds a room to rent in New York. (She's identified as Elaine in this film, though in the full-length version her name is Bessie.) Tony Pantelli (Lon Chaney) notices how pretty she is and that she's not the type of woman he's used to in his life as a street rogue. When she falls down the stairs one day, Tony thinks it's because she's hungry, but the landlady believes it to be a failing heart. Tony devotedly helps her back to health, showing himself to be a criminal with a heart of gold underneath. One day there's a story in the paper about her boyfriend, who is now in New York with what may be the Holy Grail, and Tony is so inspired by the story Elaine tells him about this ancient artifact and its healing powers that he resolves to break into her old boyfriend's house to steal it, desperately hoping that if she touches it, she will be fully cured. This looks like a pretty interesting film, and probably is even better and more developed in the longer version. As always, Lon plays this social outcast, this person whom one might ordinarily shun or run away from in fear because he's a criminal, with such heart and soul, making him into a sympathetic character whom one quickly comes to feel empathy for. He's also looking like his normal self in this role, without any of the elaborate makeup or disguises he's famous for. Though he wasn't what most people would consider one of the world's most beautiful people, he did clean up really nicely and even seems kind of handsome, in a nonconventional way.

Overall, these are two solid features, even though I wouldn't consider either one to be top-notch silent classics. They're still far from being little more than curios. However, 'Oliver Twist' is very recommendable for seeing Jackie Coogan (who seemed to be terrific in just about everything he did as a child star) and for seeing Chaney's unforgettable Fagin. Still, neither film would be one I'd recommend to someone just getting into Lon's films or just silents in general.

Oliver Twist.......2005-02-05

They sure get some adorable kids to play Oliver Twist. "Despised by all and pitied by none." Hooey. In 1922 Jackie Coogan owned Hollywood, and the hearts of Americans all over the world.
Well, the Kid could act, and don't let the cover art or p.r. department fool you. This is Coogan's movie, and Lon Chaney is definitely a secondary character. This 1922 silent movie is well done, and doesn't feel much more dated than the story it tells. Lon Chaney, who must have been wearing some (probably terribly uncomfortable) contraption plays Fagin as a bent, wizened, sharp-nosed wheedler.
I enjoyed LIGHT OF FAITH, the 32-minute add-on movie, more than OLIVER TWIST. Chaney stars in this one, sans cumbersome make-up, playing a street tough who falls for a young woman who moves into his tenement building. The woman, as they were wont to do back then, is failing from a broken heart. The distant object of her affection found the Grail Tennyson wrote of in his Arthurian tales. The Grail, she tells the impressionable Chaney, glows with an inner light and has remarkable curative powers.
So, the girl's dangerously declining, her old beau has the Grail, and Chaney has a larcenous inspiration. Director Clarence Brown delicately handles the material, and Chaney gives a subtle and nuanced performance.

Lon Chaney is on the cover but this is Jackie Coogan's film.......2001-11-16

It is certainly interesting to consider that this 1920 version of "Oliver Twist," the classic novel by Charles Dickens, was intended as a vehicle for Jackie Coogan. Of course, today they put Lon Chaney on the box to pique our interest, but while his Fagin is a commanding presence in the film, he does not pop up until halfway through. Coogan later told the story of how he was first introduced to Chaney in full make-up on the set and was immediately terrified. We have heard about the magic Chaney could do with spirit gum and greasepaint, but notice how impressive his FINGERNAILS are in this film. Having worked with Chaplin in "The Kid," Coogan certainly recognized Chaney's star quality. Coogan's performance is certainly stronger than it was in "The Kid," and you have to appreciate the way he underplays the part, something you would associate with neither kid actors nor silent film stars. George Siegmann makes a memorably monstrous Bill Sikes, Gladys Brockwell is Nancy, and Edouard Trebaol plays the Artful Dodger. Scottish born director Frank Lloyd is usually not recognized as one of the greats of the silent era, but he did make over 100 films and won three Oscars ("The Divine Lady," "Cavalcade," and "Mutiny on the Bounty"). More importantly, he had a love for Dickens that comes through in this film. I amazed at the fact this is only a 74 minutes film; clearly a lot is cut out, but it captures the spirit of Dickens. This was the fourth silent version of the Dickens tale and actually was not topped until the 1948 film with John Howard Davies as Oliver and Alec Guiness as Fagin. Of course, in 1968 the musical version won the Oscar for best picture.

Great silent adaptation of Dickens' classic.......2000-02-15

This version of "Oliver Twist" is a scant 74 minutes long, but contains much more of the book (including a portion of the Rose Maylie sequence) and retains a highly Dickensian flavor when viewed alongside other adaptations.

If you are new to silent films, this could be a good one to whet your appetite. If you are already a fan, give this one a try. The film is primarily a vehicle for Jackie Coogan, which proves to be just fine, as he is delightful in the title role. His expressive face and tiny stature are dead-right for Oliver, and he has more spunk than most exponents of the role, which helps to allay the saccharine nature of the character.

Fans of Lon Chaney may be disappointed with the little screen time he is given, but he makes the most of it. Subtle touches Chaney adds (such as gently laying a hand on Bill Sikes' chest) give a wealth of subtext and nuance to his performance, and adds immeasurably to our understanding of Fagin as petty thief.

The rest of the cast is good, with a fine performance from Gladys Brockwell as Nancy. She is another aspect of the film which rings true to Dickens: she is less the "hooker with a heart of gold" than a complex, hardened woman who has grown up among criminals yet retains her conscience.

Mention must also be made of the fine production design. Many scenes look as though they were lifted from the original Cruikshank illustrations (especially the meeting at London Bridge) and the men look particularly appropriate for the period. Some of the women retain the '20s look in makeup and hair, which is typical of Hollywood period movies through the 1970's.

The title cards also are well-done, either quoting directly from Dickens or retaining his authorial flavor.

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