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Ben Kingsley,
Ben Kingsley,
Barney Clark,
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Roman Polanski,
Ralph Remstedt,
Roman Polanski,
more...
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: Columbia TriStar
: Foreign
: 130 min.
: English, French
: English, French
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Director Roman Polanski gives one of Charles Dickens' best-loved stories a new and dynamic interpretation in this period drama. Oliver Twist (Barney Clark) is a young orphan in Victorian England who has been sent to a dank workhouse run by the miserly Mr. Bumble (Jeremy Swift) when it is learned there is no one to care for him. When Oliver dares to ask for more gruel, he is sent away to live with an undertaker, who treats him poorly. Preferring life on the streets to the treatment he's been receiving, Oliver runs away to London, where he falls in with the Artful Dodger (Harry Eden), a youthful pickpocket. The Artful Dodger is one of a gang of young thieves overseen by Fagin (Ben Kingsley), a paternal but sinister criminal mastermind. While Oliver finds a home of sorts with Fagin and his young cohorts, he also falls into a dangerous life made all the more threatening by the presence of Fagin's menacing overlord, Bill Sykes (Jamie Foreman). Oliver Twist was Polanski's first feature film after enjoying a major career resurgence following the international success of his Oscar-winning World War II drama The Pianist. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
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| Polanski's Version: A Little "Lean," a Little "Reed"
by talltale
February 5, 2006 - 6:18 AM PST
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2 out of 2 members found this review helpful
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| Oddly enough, Roman Polanski's version of Charles Dicken's OLIVER TWIST is, in some ways, so like Carol Reed's marvelous musical version of some 40 years ago that many moments almost seem like song cues. This is not necessarily a negative; Dickens and musical comedy have a lot in common, including clichés that usually work. The performances all full-throttle, and the photography, music, writing and direction all range from fine to OK. The story, after all, done even half well, still delights. And this version, if not a winner in the "Twist" sweeps, comes in a strong second or third. |
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GreenCine Member Rating
(Average 5.89)
18 Votes
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