Oliver Twist (2005)

Director:

Roman Polanski

Writers:

Charles Dickens (novel)
Ronald Harwood (screenplay)

Release Date:

30 September 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Family

Plot:

An adaptation of the classic Dickens tale, where an orphan meets a pickpocket on the streets of London. From there, he joins a household of boys who are trained to steal for their master.

Plot Keywords:

Orphan | Pickpocket | Workhouse | Thief | Runaway

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Barney Clark	...	Oliver Twist
Jeremy Swift	...	Mr. Bumble
Ian McNeice	...	Mr. Limbkins
Richard Durden	...	Unkind Board Member
Timothy Bateson	...	Parson / Man with a Punch
Andy de la Tour	...	Workhouse Master
Filip Hess	...	Workhouse Boy (as Filip Hes)
Andreas Papadopoulos	...	Workhouse Boy
Laurie Athey	...	Workhouse Boy
Joseph Tremain	...	Hungry Boy
Peter Copley	...	Dining Hall Master
Andy Linden	...	Mr. Gamfield - the Chimney Sweep
John Nettleton	...	1st Magistrate
Tony Noble	...	2nd Magistrate
Michael Heath	...	Mr. Sowerberry

Also Known As:

Oliver Twist (France) (Italy)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for disturbing images.

Runtime:

130 min

Country:

UK | Czech Republic | France | Italy

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS (8 channels)

Certification:

Netherlands:12 | UK:PG (cut) | Ireland:12A | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | Singapore:PG | Brazil:14 | Mexico:B | Germany:12 | Argentina:13 | Peru:14 | Malaysia:U | Iceland:12 | Australia:PG | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Norway:11 | Finland:K-11 | Finland:K-11 (video premiere) (2006) | South Korea:12 | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Barrandov Studios, Krizeneckeho namesti, Prague, Czech Republic

Company:

R.P. Productions

Trivia:

To keep child actors of the Fagin's gang in character, Ben Kingsley kept his mannerisms (speech and hunch-walk) and his physical appearance as Fagin even off-set.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): When Oliver first meets Nancy, the two woman and the Artful Dodger play a card game. Dodger asks Nancy to cut the deck in half, and she splits the card into two piles. When Dodger returns them into two piles, he puts the half that was originally on top, on top again. He might have been cheating, but this could also be an error in the film.

Quotes:

Mr. Bumble: Oliver Twist has asked for more?
Mr. Limbkins: FOR MORE!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Peep Show: Mugging (#3.1)" (2005)

Soundtrack:

Newry Town

An excellent movie

Oliver Twist in Roman Polanski's version has many similarities with the earlier Oliver! version, despite to fact that more than 20 years have passed between these versions. Even the actors who play Fagin and Skyse look the same. I think however that this movie is even better, because, since it's not a musical, the plot does not stop for songs and it flows more smoothly. Moreover, this movie of course also follows the book more closely.

Why did I find it to be excellent? Because the acting, the settings, the costumes and everything else were excellent. Oliver and all the children play amazingly well, Fagin (an unrecognizable Ben Kinglsey_ and Sykes play their wickedness perfectly and their characters are very convincing. Even the dog is very convincing! Add to the acting the coherent script and the three dimensional characters, the romantic goodbye scene in jail between Oliver and Fagin, and one could definitely say that the film contains all the elements of a sensitive and well made movie.