Oliver Twist movie adaptions

[Panflute]

A few years ago, we watched a part of the movie Oliver Twist in English class. Now that I got into the work of Dickens (I'm currently reading Oliver Twist), I wish to see that full movie after I finish reading this book. After looking around on the internet a bit, I found out that there are actually lots of movie adaptions, and I honestly haven't a clue which was the one that we got to see in English class.

However, when I looked on YouTube, I found a scene, which I think is from the version of the movie (though it might also be a mini series) of which I saw a part. You'll have to excuse the cheesy German voice synchronization:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGdnJZhBqmA

Can anyone tell me which version this is (its year of production, or a name of one of the actors will do)?

Thanks in advance.

[LoveToFreeRead]

Hi Panflute,

The link you provided is to "Oliver Twist", the Roman Polanski adaptation which was released a few years ago. My personal favorite is "Oliver!", the musical directed by Carol Reed. Here's a link on Youtube.com: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJwv7AVOuD8&mode=related&search=

Best of luck

[Panflute]

Oh, thanks!

Weird though, we must've watched that movie right after it came out. I think I'll get it in the holidays, as I've just finished reading the book (and I must say that I totally loved it).

As for musicals, I seem to dislike almost every one of them. ;) But I'll give it a shot, as the story is still great. :p

[Oliver Fan]

Yes, there are MANY movie adaptations, some of which are good and a couple which outright stink. I think my overall favorite is either the musical "Oliver!" or the 1948 adaptation by David Lean. It stars Alec Guiness (yes, Obi Wan Kenobi!) as Fagin and Robet Newton (best known for his role as Long John Silver in Disney's 'Treasure Island') as Bill Sikes. John Howard Davies is Oliver and he does a remarkable job. Other noteworthy adaptations (IMHO) are the recent 2005 version by Roman Polanski, the silent version with Jackie Coogan and Lon Chaney, and the Masterpiece Theater miniseries.
Disney did a version in the mid 90's with Richard Dreyfus as Fagin and Elijah Wood as the Artful Dodger, but it isn't all that great. It was grossly miscast (as was Disney's version of Tom Sawyer also in the mid 90's). And if you want to see a laughable version, the 1933 version with Dickie Moore is just terrible! The 1982 TV version with George C. Scott is okay, but not one of the better adaptations. Another adaptation is from BBC but I have not seen it. It is scheduled to be releasde on DVD in late February.

I'd love to hear other folks' opinions of the different movie versions. Thee's nobody I know that I can talk to this about!

[wessexgirl]

Hi. I love Oliver Twist. I didn't care for the recent BBC version though. I much preferred the version ITV did a few years ago, with Robert Lindsay as Fagin. I know they took a few liberties with the story, by opening it out with a backstory of what happened with Oliver's mother etc. But it was perfectly in tune with the story, and made sense. I loved it. It had a stellar cast, with not only Lindsay, but Julie Walters, Michael Kitchen, Andy Serkis, Keira Knightley, Marc Warren, Lindsey Duncan, and loads more. Check it out. I also love the 1948 version and the musical.

I've just checked it out and it looks as if it was the one shown on Masterpiece Theatre, so those in the US may be familiar with that version. It's excellent.

[Oliver Fan]

Yes, that was the one and I agree it was quite good. The boy who played Oliver was also excellent. However, I didn't really care for how they made Fagin out to be a former magician. I thought that was pretty hokey. Other than that I think he was played well.
I have quite a collection of film versions of Oliver Twist (10 at last count) and I agree it is one of the best. My favorites are still 'Oliver!' and the 1948 version. I don't have any of the animated versions but then again I'm not interested in any of them. I'd love to go to London to see the revival of Oliver! (Rowan Atkinson is Fagin, if you can picture that.) Maybe it will come to NY eventually. Then I'll go see Billy Elliot and Oliver!

[Lady Marian]

As for musicals, I seem to dislike almost every one of them. ;) But I'll give it a shot, as the story is still great. :p

I don't like musicals, either, but Elijah Wood as the Artful Dodger did a pretty good job in one of them. Sorry I can't remember exactly which one.

[Oliver Fan]

Elijah Wood was the Dodger in the Disney film with Richard Dreyfus as Fagin. Personally I didn't care for him as the Dodger. He's a great actor but I think both he and Richard Dreyfus were miscast in that one.

[Phillise]

Yes, there are MANY movie adaptations, some of which are good and a couple which outright stink. I think my overall favorite is either the musical "Oliver!" or the 1948 adaptation by David Lean. It stars Alec Guiness (yes, Obi Wan Kenobi!) as Fagin and Robet Newton (best known for his role as Long John Silver in Disney's 'Treasure Island') as Bill Sikes. John Howard Davies is Oliver and he does a remarkable job. Other noteworthy adaptations (IMHO) are the recent 2005 version by Roman Polanski, the silent version with Jackie Coogan and Lon Chaney, and the Masterpiece Theater miniseries.
Disney did a version in the mid 90's with Richard Dreyfus as Fagin and Elijah Wood as the Artful Dodger, but it isn't all that great. It was grossly miscast (as was Disney's version of Tom Sawyer also in the mid 90's). And if you want to see a laughable version, the 1933 version with Dickie Moore is just terrible! The 1982 TV version with George C. Scott is okay, but not one of the better adaptations. Another adaptation is from BBC but I have not seen it. It is scheduled to be releasde on DVD in late February.

I'd love to hear other folks' opinions of the different movie versions. Thee's nobody I know that I can talk to this about!

There's nobody for me to talk about this either! This post was back in 2009, so it is a little old. My favorite version of Oliver is the George C. Scott version. Do you know if there is any verion of Oliver that includes the incident of the raging hunchback in chapter 32 of the book?

[kev67]

I remember watching the Roman Polanski version in the cinema a few years back. I remember there was some indignation in the newspapers because it was filmed in Hungary or the Czech Republic because the countryside over there looked more like 19th century England than England does now. The only other version I have seen is the musical. The Polanski film was okay but I did not think it was as well cast as the musical. In particular, I did not think the actor who played Bill Sykes was nearly as scary as Oliver Reed. Ben Kingsley played Fagin. He looked exactly like Ron Moody from the musical. I expect David Lean's film is probably the best non-musical adaption.

[Emil Miller]

David Lean's film is a masterly adaptation and, as with a number of his films, is unlikely to be equalled .
Here's why:

http://youtu.be/pigmgUCxg_0

[Phillise]

If the "oliver fan" person is out there, respond, and I will tell you my opinions of various Oliver films.

One thing, the David Lean adaptation proabably casts the definitive Fagin, but why is the film itself considered definitive, since it cuts out so much of the book? It looks like one of the BBC versions would be definitive, even though the ones I've seen aren't my favorites. I've recently read that there was a 1962 BBC veriosn that was never released.

[qimissung]

I have never read the novel, but I have seen the David Lean version a number of years ago. I showed it to my class. I enjoyed it quite a lot. Fagin's nose was somewhat mesmerizing.

The only other version I've seen is the musical, which I love. I saw it in the theater when it first came out, and loved it so much I stayed to see it a second time. I saw part of the Polanski version recently. Somehow I completely missed that in 2005. I would like to see the whole thing. Polanski can usually be counted on to do a good job. I'm sure it will be a lot darker than the musical (:D). I remember a friend was traumatized one time when she wrote an essay based on the musical and discovered to her chagrin it was nothing like the book. :lol:

[[email protected]]

If the "oliver fan" person is out there, respond, and I will tell you my opinions of various Oliver films.

One thing, the David Lean adaptation proabably casts the definitive Fagin, but why is the film itself considered definitive, since it cuts out so much of the book? It looks like one of the BBC versions would be definitive, even though the ones I've seen aren't my favorites. I've recently read that there was a 1962 BBC veriosn that was never released.

The 1962 version was, without doubt, the definitive one because it was very atmospheric, it contained all the characters from the book and all of the main scenes were included, unlike the 1948 film version which leaves much to be desired.
How can you have a version of Oliver Twist without including the Maylie family? They are not included in the 1948 film version at all. Neither is the scene where Oliver visits Fagin in the condemned cell and the ending is not the same as in the book.
You are exactly right when you say the 1948 film is not the definitive version. This is the very reason why I organised an online petition to get it released onto dvd. It looks as if the campaign has been a success.

[Phillise]

So is it available now?

On another note, I first came to the story through the 1982 version. As much as I like that version, and am tied to it, it leaves so much to be desired in regard to the original novel.

[ajo]

Regarding the number and quality of /Oliver Twist/ movie storeys/versions/adaptations...
IMDB says "Displaying 108 results for "oliver twist"" albeit some of them are segments of a series and a few are plays on words such as /Oliver's Twist/ and /Olive or Twist/.

Go to IMDB, search for "oliver twist" and select to see all results for titles to see the entire list.

That list also includes such titles as /Twisted/ but leaves out /Boy Called Twist/.

Then there are other titles of the genre such as /August Rush/...

[Pompey Bum]

Welcome to the site, Ajo.

[kev67]

I finished watching the 1948 David Lean version last night. I was slightly disappointed with it, especially compared with the David Lean version of Great Expectations. The kids who played Oliver and the Artful Dodger were great. It was the adult cast I did not rate. I didn't like Alec Guiness's portrayal of Fagin. They gave him a ridiculous nose. The actor who played Bill Sikes was not scary or realistic enough for me. Nancy was tamed down a bit. She was made a bit older than she is in the book, a thief and not a prostitute, and a bit better looking. In one of the earlier chapters, there is a magistrate named Mr Fang. In the book, this chapter was quite comic. A good comic actor could have made that scene rather funny, but that did not come across in the film. All in all, I though the Roman Polanski film was better.

[Phillise]

I finished watching the 1948 David Lean version last night. I was slightly disappointed with it, especially compared with the David Lean version of Great Expectations. The kids who played Oliver and the Artful Dodger were great. It was the adult cast I did not rate. I didn't like Alec Guiness's portrayal of Fagin. They gave him a ridiculous nose. The actor who played Bill Sikes was not scary or realistic enough for me. Nancy was tamed down a bit. She was made a bit older than she is in the book, a thief and not a prostitute, and a bit better looking. In one of the earlier chapters, there is a magistrate named Mr Fang. In the book, this chapter was quite comic. A good comic actor could have made that scene rather funny, but that did not come across in the film. All in all, I though the Roman Polanski film was better.

The 1982 version has a scene with Fang at the trial of the Artful Dodger. It is quite comical, though it's pity he earlier scene with Fang at Oliver's trial was left out.