Little Dorrit (1988)
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Theatrical Release Information | See Details About All Versions
Little Dorrit was intended as the cinematic equivalent to the mammoth, eight hour Royal Shakespeare Company's staging of Dickens' Nicholas Nickelby. The film was released to theatres in two parts, each running approximately three hours. The first part, subtitled "Nobody's Fault," introduced us to the seamstress title character (Sarah Pickering), who chooses to live in debtor's prison with her father (Alec Guinness). Good samaritan Derek Jacobi endeavors to help both father and daughter. The second part, also known as "Little Dorrit's Story," details Dorrit's escape from penury to lasting happiness. Eschewing the usual 19th century-style British music often heard in Dickensian adaptations, director Christine Edzard creatively-and effectively--opts for the strains of Giuseppe Verdi. Edzard's eye for period detail is also deserving of unbounded praise. Unfortunately, Part Two of Little Dorrit spends nearly half of its running time recapping Part One, utilizing much of the same footage. For those familiar with "Nobody's Fault," "Little Dorrit's Story" is more a redundancy than a continuation. Still, taken together, parts one and two all fully deserving of the enthusiastic critical commentary that greeted them upon their original release-not to mention the multiple Academy Award nominations bestowed upon the project and its participants. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Complete Cast:
- Alec Guinness - William Dorrit
- Cyril Cusack - Frederick Dorrit
- Joan Greenwood - Mrs. Clennam
- Amelda Brown - Fanny Dorrit
- Miriam Margolyes - Flora Finching
- Roshan Seth - Mr. Pancks
- Sophie Ward - Minnie Meagles
- Edward Burnham - Daniel Doyce
- Michael Elphick - Mr. Merdle
- Alan Bennett - Bishop
- Nat Pearn - Mr. Strong
- Howard Goorney - Bob, the Turnkey
- Harold Innocent - Mr. Rugg, Legal Adviser
- Alan Bungay - Principal Messenger
- Malcolm Tierney - Bar
- Christopher Whittingham - Mr. Plornish
- Danny Schiller - Reveller in the Slap Bang
- Ron Russell - Elderly Gentleman
- Peter Waddington - Boy at Theatre
- Diana Paris - Dancer at Theatre
- Rebecca Ham - Dancer at Theatre
- Imogen Millais-Scott - Mrs. Bee
- Harry Webster - Pickton
- Arthur Kelly - Reveller in the Slap Bang
- Ronnie Brody - Broke Tenant
- David Stoll - Hesitant Weighty Gentleman
- Johnny Clayton - Fiddler
- Luke Duckett - Young Arthur
- Giles Oldershaw - Imposing Gentleman
- Ruth Sheen - Society Lady
- Mark Arnold - Boy
- Diana Malin - Mr. Casby's Maid
- David Foxxe - Mr. Mivvins
- Julia Lang - Henry Gowan's Mother
- Carol Street - Woman at Dance
- Laura Cox - Orange Juggler
- Sally Ashby - Society Lady
- John Tordoff - Waiter in the Coffee House
- Lin Sagovsky - Hotel Maid
- Harry Cross - Little Dorrit as a Child
- Janice Cramer - Young Flora
- John Scott Martin - Faded Involvent
- Guy Nicholls - Mr. Wabe
- Ian Lindsay - Capt. Martin
- Marilyn Milgrom - Mrs. Hopkins
- Mike Carnel - Lonely Debtor
- Paul Rhys - Bright Young Gentleman
- Cyril Epstein - Mr. Strong's Friend
- Robert Mill - Hugh Stilstalking
- Alan Foss - Mr. Bead
- Ricky Cave - Tip at Age 12
- Charlie Bartle - Mr. Battens
- John Levitt - Quarrelling Debtor
- Sam Steer - John Chivery at Ages 4 and 8
- Tony Jay - Doctor
- Tim Wright - Hotel Porter
- Graham Seed - William Barnacle
- Sandra O'Rourke - Fanny as a Child
- Beth Ellis - Mrs. William Barnacle
- Alfred Hoffman - Old Couple
- Elizabeth Archer - Lady at Concert
- Gerald Campion - Mr. Tetterby
- Stanley Lloyd - Mr. Wrosley
- Fred Beauman - Flower Seller
- John Warner - Bootmaker
- Leonard Maguire - Knowledgeable Debtor
- Jenny Galloway - Polly
- Dawn Charatan - Mrs. Ismay
- Morwenna Banks - Georgina
- Patricia Napier - Dolly
- Gwenda Hughes - Mrs. Dorrit
- Brian Pettifer - Clarence Barnacle
- Celia Bannerman - Milliner
- Iris Sadler - Shirtmaker
- Maurice Elliot - Snuggery Gambler
- Leon Davis - Fraudulent Groom
- Joan Stafford - Rough Lady
- Irene Frederick - Mrs. Pitt
- Mark Knox - Print Seller's Clerk
- John Quarmby - Circumlocution Office Porter
- Seymour Green - Tailor
- Brian Poyser - Treasury
- Michael Mears - William's Valet
- Donald Bisset - Enthusiastic Weighty Gentleman
- Ruth Mitchell - Mrs. Plornish
- Cordelia Ditton - Mrs. Braddle
- Terence Connolly - Mr. Fogg, a Creditor
- Donald Pelmear - Mr. Clive
- Olivier Pierre - Hotel Manager
- Arthur Cox - Stage Carpenter
- Joan Dainty - Broke Tenant's Wife
- Patricia Hayes - Affery
- Anthony Benson - Unlucky Skittle Player
- Nadine Large - Lady at Concert
- Richard Cubison - Mr. Simpson's Friend
- Robert Putt - Mr. Chivery, the New Turnkey
- Trevor Ray - Magnate from the City
- Richard Henry - Smiles, Foreman
- John Dalby - Mr. Jobling
- Siobhan Nicholas - Mrs. Fray
- Steve Ismay - Worker
- Charles Hunter - Mr. Mortimer's Friend
- Jackie Ekers - Dancer at Theatre
- Billy Gray - Stage Doorman
- Jonathan Cecil - Magnate from the Bench
- Alec Wallis - Discreet Clerk
- Derek Jacobi - Arthur Clennam
- Sarah Pickering - Little Dorrit
- Max Wall - Flintwinch
- Daniel Chatto - Tip Dorrit
- Bill Fraser - Mr. Casby
- Roger Hammond - Mr. Meagles
- John Savident - Tite Barnacle
- Eleanor Bron - Mrs. Merdle
- Robert Morley - Lord Decimus Barnacle
- Arthur Nightingale - Shabby Footman
- Marjorie Somerville - Lady by Snuggery
- Arthur Hewlett - Physician
- Simon Dormandy - Sparkler Merdle
- Katherine Best - Lady Visitor
- John Harding - Ferdinand Barnacle
- Pip Torrens - Henry Gowan
- Malcolm Mudie - Officer
- Elijah Wood - Greedy-Eyed Old Man
- Rita Triesman - Mrs. Tetterby
- Sidney Johnson - Print seller
- Amanda Bellamy - Housemaid
- Heathcote Williams - Dr. Haggage
- Amanda Maxwell - Dancer at Theatre
- Mollie Maureen - Mr. F's Aunt
- Frank Shelley - Disagreeable Man
- Richard Clifford - Jerry
- David Thewlis - George Braddle
- Rosalie Crutchley - Wife of the Magnate from the Bench
- Nadia Chambers - Agnes
- David Pugh - Mr. Parker, a Creditor
- Eric Richard - Sir George Wills
- Richard Graden - Slingo
- Odette Bennett - Fanny's Maid
- Charles Reynolds - Mrs. Timms
- Rosemary Smith - Hotel Maid
- John Atkinson - Baron
- Eric Francis - Old Nandy, Mrs. P's Father
- Tusse Silberg - Lady at Concert
- Robin Meredith - Ruined Speculator
- Anna Whittingham - Plornish Children
- Murray Melvin - Dancing Master
- Edward Jewesbury - Magnate from the Lords
- Judy Laister - Anxious Wife
- Johnny Irving - Worker
- Fiona MacAlpine - Dancer at Theatre
- Marcel Steiner - Whistler
- John Fahey - Seller of Second-hand Furniture
- Tommy Shand - Mr. Cain
- Anthea Holloway - Society Lady
- James Coyle - Horace Kinch
- Sarrina Caruthers - Little Dorrit as a Child
- Betty Marsden - Mrs. Phoebe Barnacle
- Ian Gelder - Rev. Samuel Barnacle
- Cate Fowler - Woman at Dance
- Brenda Bruce - Duchess
- Jo Warne - Mrs. Chivery, Tobacconist
- Bernard Padden - Newcomer
- Ken Morley - Mr. Wobbler
- Christopher Birch - Cautious Weighty Gentleman
- Darlene Johnson - Mrs. Robinson
- Liz Smith - Mrs. Bangham, Midwife
- Arthur Blake - Herbert Smangle
- Michael Eaves - Narrow Faced Man
- Dermot Crowley - Mr. Simpson
- David Trevena - Tidily Buttoned Man
- Alison Dowling - Pretty Milliner
- Robert Demeger - Mr. Braddle
- Sophie Brew - Lydia
- Harry Whittingham - Plornish Children
- Joanna Maude - Second-Hand Furniture Sellers' Wife
- David Bale - Lucky Skittle Player
- David Cardy - 3 Thimble Man
- Betty Turner - Mrs. Kidgerbury
- Doug Roe - Capt. Martin's Friend
- Stuart Burge - Head
- Tracey Wilkinson - Housemaid
- Cazz Scattergood - Dancer at Theatre
- Chris Darwin - Fraudulent Groom
- Pauline Quirke - Maggy, Little Dorrit's Protegee
- Lizzie McKenzie - Drunken Woman
- David Whitworth - James Simms
- Stewart Permutt - Quarrelling Debtor
- John McEnery - Capt. Hopkins
- Kathy Staff - Mrs. Tickit
- Doris Littlewood - Old WIfe
- Terry Day - Mrs. Hurt
- Gerald Perreau-Saissine - Mr. Dubbin
- Yvonee D'Alpra - Motherly Lady
- David F. Doyle - Pepper, Apprentice
- Jack Gittings - Old Gambler
- Kate Williams - Mrs. Greasby
- Joanna Brookes - Shirtmakers' Daughter
- Barbara Peak - Countess
- Lee Fox - Richard Barnacle
- Eve Whittingham - Plornish Children
- Tom McCabe - Rough Fellow
- Shona Morris - Dancer at Theatre
- Christopher Hancock - Customer in the Coffee House
- Moya Brady - Fiddler's Daughter
- Ramon Martino - Gruff Fellow
- Joanna Hurley - Fanny as a Child
- John Halstead - Mr. Mortimer
- Ian Hogg - Butler
- Susan Field - Mr. Tiffin
- Richard Stirling - John Chivery
- Charles Simon - Sharp Speculator
- Director(s):
- Christine Edzard
- Producer(s):
- Richard Goodwin, Lord John Brabourne
- Closed Captioning:
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- Subtitles:
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- 1987 - Little Dorrit - Los Angeles Film Critics Association - Best Picture
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