Product 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.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #29339 in DVD
• Brand: Image Entertainment
• Released on: 1999-01-12
• Rating: Unrated
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Black & White, Dolby, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 105 minutes

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

Customer Reviews

Please Sir, I want some More
Charles Dickens' "Oliver Twist" first appeared in a magazine in 1838. Since then, 13 motion picture versions have graced the silver screen. Perhaps the uncontested classic was released in England in 1948. David Lean stands within a tiny circle of 20th Century film directors who could literally paint with a camera. And paint he did. Dark and moody, his "Oliver Twist" opens in an English countryside storm, as a pregnant young girl seeks shelter from the squall. She is about to give birth to Oliver Twist. Intentionally mute, there is no dialogue until seven minutes into the story. The stage is set for gothic evil and tragic foreboding. Lean auditioned 1500 boys for the lead role, but complained that, in each case, "there was nothing in the eyes". He eventually settled on 8 year-old John Howard Davies. Hard-drinking Robert Newton plays Bill Sikes. Alec Guinness appeared in 6 David Lean productions. His second was here as Fagin. Future movie beauty Diana Dors has a small part. Peter Bull and Francis L. Sullivan are outstanding in supporting roles. Filmed in the shadows of St. Paul's Cathedral, "Oliver Twist" reveals the circuitous, seamy London backwaters of the 19th Century. I have to say it. The extras for this Criterion DVD are rather "lean". However, it does contain a trailer, and 12 minutes of film censored from the original 1951 U.S. release. These scenes show Fagin giving a pick-pocket lesson, and counting his jewels. Charles Dickens and David Lean were just at the beginning of their long and prodigious careers when each released their own versions of "Oliver Twist". Amazingly for both, the best was yet to come.

A perfect masterwork
It's hard to know where to start in explaining what makes David Lean's "Oliver Twist" one of the most nearly perfect films ever made. It is a work of art and inspires awe in its every aspect. The black and white photography is brilliant, and the story is told as much visually as in dialog. The music is lively and triumphant one minute, eerie and chilling the next, perfectly augmenting the visual mood. The acting is superb, the characterizations unforgettable. Alec Guinness IS Fagin, Robert Newton IS Bill Sykes, the incredible Francis L. Sullivan IS Mr. Bumble. No other actors have ever come close to delineating those characters as well, nor could they after these hallmark performances. This movie is seeping with art, yet the art is non-intrusive. Rather, the film is an awe-inspiring delight from beginning to end.

As for the Criterion DVD, it's a very good transfer from what was probably the best print available -- a pretty good print considering its age. Regarding brightness and contrast, all the beauty of the black & white photography seems to have been preserved, and the sound, although only as good as 1948 standards, is not distorted and does not unduly draw attention to itself.

If you like movies, this DVD should be in your collection if only for its fascinating contrast with some of the modern color epics you undoubtedly own. If you have never seen it before, be forewarned that there are scenes in this masterwork that will permanently brand themselves into your brain, to be recalled later by association many times in your life when similar images are seen, and when similar music is heard.

This is not just a great movie -- it's an essential and unforgettable experience.

Wonderful Movie, Great adaptation.
In an age where effects and overpaid actors seem to be the only draw to a movie as opposed to just great storytelling, this is a great example of what a move could be and should be. Maybe some of our contemporary directors should take note here. The cast carefully selected with Great performaces by John Howard Davies as Oliver and Alec Guiness as Fagan. This is a movie that can be watched over and over and still evoke feeling. I applaud Criteron for a wonderful job of preservation. A must have for any dvd collector.