Oliver Twist (1948)
Synopsis of Oliver Twist
The second of director David Lean's adaptations of a Charles Dickens novel (Great Expectations (1946) was the first), Oliver Twist expertly boils down an enormous novel to a little less than two hours' screen time. The film begins with baby Oliver left on the doorstep of an orphanage/workhouse by his unwed mother. Proving a difficult charge to the wicked orphanage official, Oliver (John Howard Davies) is sold into a job as an undertaker's apprentice. He runs away and joins a gang of larcenous street urchins, led by master pickpocket Fagin (Alec Guinness). Oliver is rescued from this life by the kindly Mr. Brownlow (Henry Stephenson); but, with the complicity of evil Bill Sikes (Robert Newton), Fagin abducts Oliver. Sikes' girl friend Nancy (Kay Walsh) restores Oliver to Brownlow, leading to tragic consequences before an ultimately happy ending. Oliver Twist was filmed in England in 1948, but its American release was held up for three years due to the allegedly anti-Semitic portrayal of the duplicitous Fagin. Even in its currently censored form, Oliver Twist is one the best-ever film versions of a Dickens novel. It served as a blueprint for Oliver! (1968), the Oscar-winning musical version. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Theatrical Feature Running Time:
- 116 mins
Complete Cast of Oliver Twist
- Robert Newton - Bill Sikes
- Kay Walsh - Nancy Sikes
- John Howard Davies - Oliver Twist
- Mary Clare - Mrs. Corney
- Josephine Stuart - Oliver's Mother
- Kathleen Harrison - Mrs. Sowerberry
- W.G. Fay - Bookseller
- Ivor Barnard - Chairman of the Board
- Deirdre Doyle - Mrs. Thingummy
- Michael Dear - Noah Claypole
- Diana Dors - Charlotte
- Henry Edwards - Police Official
- Frederick Lloyd - Mr. Grimwig
- Alec Guinness - Fagin
- Francis L. Sullivan - Mr. Bumble
- Anthony Newley - Artful Dodger
- Ralph Truman - Monk
- Gibb McLaughlin - Mr. Sowerberry
- Amy Veness - Mrs. Bedwin
- Maurice Denham - Chief of Police
- Maurice Jones - Workhouse Doctor
- Kenneth Downey - Workhouse Master
- Henry Stephenson - Mr. Brownlow
- Hattie Jacques - Singer
- Peter Bull - Landlord of "Three Cripples"
- Edie Martin - Annie
- Director(s):
- David Lean
- Writer(s):
- David Lean, Stanley Haynes
- Producer(s):
- Anthony Havelock-Allan, Ronald Neame
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