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Rated: G
Starring: Ron Moody, Mark Lester, et al.
Director: Carol Reed Review
Film buffs and critics can argue until their faces turn blue about whether
this lavish Dickensian musical deserved the Academy Award for Best Picture
of 1968, but the movie speaks for itself on grandly entertaining terms.
Adapted from Dickens's classic novel, it's one of the most dramatically
involving and artistically impressive musicals of the 1960s, directed by
Carol Reed with a delightful enthusiasm that would surely have impressed
Dickens himself. Mark Lester plays the waifish orphan Oliver Twist, who is
befriended by the pickpocketing Artful Dodger (Jack Wild) and recruited
into the gang of boy thieves led by Fagin (played to perfection by Ron
Moody). The villainous Bill Sikes (Oliver Reed) casts his long shadow over
Oliver and his friends, but the young orphan is still able to find loving
care in the most desperate of circumstances. Full of memorable melodies
and splendid lyrics, Oliver! is a timeless film, prompting even
hard-to-please critic Pauline Kael to call it "a superb demonstration of
intelligent craftsmanship," and to further observe that "it's as if the
movie set out to be a tribute to Dickens and his melodramatic art as well
as to tell the story of Oliver Twist." --Jeff Shannon
------------ This Musical Production is the
GREATEST! After studying the musical a few years ago in my school music
class I was enchanted into the amazing story. Since then I have watched
the movie over 100 times. The movie was well casted although there are
some clichés. First of all my favorite character is Fagin portrayed by Ron
Moody, he delivers a powerful performance as the great villain but is
still likeable. Second Jack Wild who plays the Artful Dodger he is
hilarious and has a great talent. My third favorite character is Nancy who
is played by Shani Wallis, her voice is enchanting and yet extremely
powerful. Mark Lester who plays OLIVER has some good points and some bad.
First of all he is a good actor and portrays a great helpless and soft
OLIVER although his voice is extremely weak and soft which brings down
some numbers that could be great such as "Where is Love". My least
favorite character would be Bill Sykes played by Oliver Reed. He delivers
a powerful and scary performance acting wise, but he could speak a little
more clear. I mean you can only understand a few of his lines. Otherwise
the performance is highly entertaining, loveable and quite funny. I you
have never seen the show or this movie before take my advise and go out
and purchase this I assure you of a wonderful time!
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