Review of Oliver Twist (2005) by Stuart K — 17 Jan 2012

Roman Polanski had wanted to do an adaptation of Charles Dickens' 1838 book Oliver Twist for 40 years, and it was only after he won an Oscar for The Pianist (2002) that he was able to make it. The result is a lavish, rich adaptation that brings 19th Century London to vivid life, and it has a good cast under Polanski's direction as well.

Young Oliver Twist (Barney Clarke) is an orphan living somewhere in the Midlands, in the workhouse. After daring to ask for more food, he is sent to work for coffin maker Mr. Sowerberry (Michael Heath), but he manages to run away, walking 70 miles to London.

There, Oliver meets The Artful Dodger (Harry Eden) who lives with other young pickpockets working for Fagin (Ben Kingsley). After much training, Oliver is wrongfully accused of stealing a hankerchief from the wealthy Mr.

Brownlow (Edward Hardwicke), but Brownlow takes him in when he see's Oliver's poor condition. But, this worries Fagin and his crooked associate Bill Sikes (Jamie Foreman), who believe Oliver will grass them to the police, so drastic measures are required, but Bill's lover Nancy (Leanne Rowe) has other ideas.

This is a very good adaptation, and Polanski does well with the source material, with a good screenplay by Ronald Harwood, and it's very authentic and real as well. Kingsley's Fagin is like Albert Steptoe, but it works, and Foreman is a brutal Bill Sikes.

Polanski should do Dickens again.