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Back Shelf Beauties
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Oliver Twist Set in the 19th century, Barney Clark stars as Oliver Twist - the most unfortunate orphan in the history of literature (if something can go wrong and ruin a kid's life, it happens to Oliver Twist). After bouncing around from place to place in the English countryside, and getting fed up with the abuse he faces each day, the young boy decides to walk 70 miles to London seeking a new life and independence. Once there, he falls in with a gang of young pickpockets and thieves who work for two very shady characters, Fagin (Ben Kingsley) and Bill Sykes (Jamie Foreman), who train the boys and organize them like a well-oiled crime machine. During a theft gone bad, in which Oliver was only an observer, he is chased down, falsely accused and, eventually, taken in by a rich man, Mr. Brownlow (Edward Hardwicke), who takes pity on the troubled youngster. However, Sykes and Fagin are worried Oliver might rat them out and bring a quick end to their lucrative mini-mob family, so they seek to get the boy back by any means necessary. Will Oliver be safe with Mr. Brownlow? Will Fagin and Sykes find him? What will become of the young boy if they do? Oscar award winning director Roman Polanski has created some masterpieces in his time, but Oliver Twist is not one of them. While the movie has its bright spots, it is a tired, long winded and often limp film. Polanski spends too much time getting to the heart of the movie's drama - Oliver's peril while living with Mr. Brownlow. He takes the first 45 minutes to show us several bad situations Oliver has had to overcome, but they aren't very moving or even important to the story. If Polanski was making a mini-series, he could afford to go into much more detail, but, for a movie, this background can easily be told in a few flashback moments, or a quick introduction (that way he can work in his, and almost everyone's favorite scene, where young Oliver asks if he can have some more). You need to stay awake through this early portion of the film to get to the best parts, but it's almost not worth it. Writer Ronald Harwood (based on the novel by Charles Dickens) doesn't provide any wonderful dialogue or memorable moments, but Kinglsey, Clark and Foreman save the script and movie by bringing their "A" game. Most of the adult characters are cartoonish and over-the-top silly, but Kingsley and Foreman are the two actors who bring true humanity (and not necessarily in the good sense) to their roles. Sykes makes for a classic evil villain as he stalks the sets with anger in his eyes, while Kingsley is much more complex. He makes Fagin a tough character to read as we see him luring Oliver into their "family" with kindness, but with bad motives. We see his nasty side as he threatens the young boy when he is about to stray and could be a danger to their illegal operations, but also sense he might have some place in his heart where he actually cares for Oliver and the other thieves. It's his last scene that comes closest to being a classic, but it's because Kingsley outshines the material. Finally, Clark is a very good Oliver Twist who can evoke sympathy from the audience. He has an amazing sadness and longing in his face combined with a heartbreakingly innocent and honest vibe that completes the character. Even though the movie is a disappointment, he is a nice surprise. This Oliver Twist is nowhere near the classic the book has become. 1 ½ Waffles (Out Of 4) Copyright 2005 - WaffleMovies.com
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