Oliver [1968]

All of the actors shine in their roles: Oliver is portrayed as a timid and naive little boy. The kind hearted and devoted Nancy, who sacrifices herself for the sake of others,won my sympathy right away. Fagin is one of the best comical characters I have ever seen on screen, and you simply get attached to him. There were in fact moments when I was deeply touched by this man so entrapped in a life of crime, that he cannot escape it. The boy playing the Artful Dodger, one of the most talented thieves of Fagin's gang, is amazing - look out for the expressions on his face throughout the film, very artful indeed, and very touching at the same time; I could not avoid loving him. Bill Sykes emerges as a perfect villain, with only a touch of repentance at the end. All of the characters are supremely convincing. Pay attention to the accents, set to match the social status of each character.

Besides, the settings are lavish, and the colours superb, especially the market and Bloomsbury Square, and the food shown in the movie made me hungry (I actually ran to the kitchen at one point). Food, of course, is one of the major themes of the movie, from its opening, where the little boys starving at the workhouse and singing "Food, Glorious Food" send Oliver to ask for more (he is refused, almost needless to say); to the gang of thieves who must "pick a pocket or two" to eat; to the gentlemen and gentlewomen in the market who have money to buy their food.

As other reviewers have mentioned, the street dances are beautifully choreographed. I was impressed by the coordination of movement between the masses of dancers performing all at the same time. Also, look out for the amazingly coordinated scene of the workhouse boys' dinner at the beginning of the movie, one of the most impressive symbolic scenes ever seen on screen. This is soon followed by the unforgettable scene where Oliver asks for more, and which also features in the movie trailer.

One reviewer writes that this movie can get boring if watched repeatedly. I strongly disagree with that statement. The contrary is true: this is one of those movies that one never tires of, because it has some of the elements that make a classic: believable and likeable characters, memorable lines, and unforgettable, truly unforgettable, songs.

I also do not think it is a particularly dark version of Dickens' novel. Only the beginning is really dark, and the killing of Nancy, which is somehow redeemed by the knowlege that her sacrifice will benefit Oliver, as well as put a stop to Bill Sykes' life of crime. The rest is truly life affirming, with Fagin and the Artful Dodger providing comic relief most of the time, despite their wily ways and persistance in crime.

One word of warning: you may find the beginning of the movie somewhat slow, as I did at first, especially because of the long and in my opinion far from impressive overture, and the overlong film credits; the first couple of scenes or so can be a bit slow too, but expect to be absolutely blown away soon afterwards.

In sum, this is definitely a movie to see, to own, to rewatch, a true classic of the kind they really don't make anymore, and wholeheartedly recommended. I give it more than five stars, I give it ten out of ten.


Looks great on DVD   April 15, 2002
Neil Lewis (London)
24 out of 28 found this review helpful

Carefully restored and presented as it was meant to be seen in 1:2.35 widescreen, Oliver! looks and sounds great on DVD. Big numbers like Consider Yourself and Who Will Buy demand to be seen in their full splendour, so if like me you remember Oliver! from a pan-and-scanned TV broadcast, watching this is a revelation.


..Never Bettered   September 8, 2004
Boo Kirby (Liverpool UK)
19 out of 21 found this review helpful

Ranks highly on my list of best film ever made as well as being the greatest ever musical - truly, truly memorable songs - once heard as a child never forgotten...a splendidly grimey recreation of dickensian london (you can almost taste the bad sausages)...Oliver Reeds greatest ever performance......the kindest hearted prostitute ever seen in a film......Jack Wild, Mark Lester, Bullseye the bull terrier, Ron Moody's Fagin which even out does Alec Guinness's 1948 version - staggeringly good mass dance sequences....and if the whole of the 'Who will buy this wonderful morning' section doesnt make ya feel glad to be alive...give up!

..all in all the most re-visited film in my collection...an uplifting..moving..thoroughly entertaining British classic..an unequivocal 10/10


"Consider yourself one of the family"   February 23, 2005
Kona (Derbyshire)
17 out of 19 found this review helpful

Oliver! is the musical version of the Dickens tale about an orphan on his own in Olde England. Oliver is born in a miserable workhouse and eventually taken in by an old thief and his merry band of boys who train him to be a pick-pocket. He meets some memorable characters along the way: Ron Moody plays the infamous Fagin, the leader of the thieves, with sinister delight. Jack Wild (the Artful Dodger) steals all his scenes with his talent and charm. Mark Lester, as Oliver, is a little wooden but looks the part and is appealing. Oliver Reed plays nasty Bill Sikes, the villain, and is convincingly repellant. Shani Wallis is his girlfriend, Nancy, the street girl with a heart of gold.

Lionel Bart's music for Oliver! is absolutely enchanting. Each song is memorable and the big production numbers are a joy to behold. As the Artful Dodger welcomes Oliver to London with "Consider Yourself," and the street vendors sing the beautiful, "Who Will Buy?", you are swept away into a magical world. "You've Got to Pick a Pocket or Two" and "Reviewing the Situation" are Fagin's comic numbers that make you like him in spite of himself. Oliver! won the Academy Award for Best Picture of 1968. I heartily recommend it for the whole family.


Poverty and squalor as you've never seen them before   August 2, 2006
T. Bobley (UK)
9 out of 10 found this review helpful

The young hero, Oliver, starts life in the Workhouse, where the children dream of food and the luxury of experiencing indigestion. The over-nourished adults who run the place feed the poor little mites on short rations of some grey bilge they call gruel. After committing the unforgivable sin of requesting some more of this revolting slop, the old devil in charge tries to sell Oliver. A funeral director takes the boy on as a mourner for children's funerals because of his solemn expression. Oliver escapes from the undertaker's establishment after a disagreement over the virtue of his mother and makes his way to London, where he falls in with young Jack Dawkins (the artful dodger) who introduces him to a den of thieves run by an old villain called Fagin. Here he meets the lovely Nancy, who tries to help him and the sinister Bill Sikes who tries to ruin him. Charles Dickens' wonderfully clever, intricate and grim novel is a real tear-jerker but the musical version is more likely to make you sing than cry. The sets are amazing - from the disgusting pest-hole of Fagin's den to the beautiful terrace where Oliver's great uncle lives. The songs and dances are brilliant. The acting is masterly, especially the menacing Bill Sikes (Oliver Reed), the corrupt but kindly Fagin (Ron Moody), the terrible Mr Bumble (Harry Secombe), the drunken undertaker, Mr Sowerberry (Leonard Rossiter) and, of course, Oliver (Mark Lester) and the artful dodger (Jack Wild). I did notice that however filthy and raggedy the kids looked, their hair was always clean and tidy. Ah well, I guess even the youngest actors can only tolerate so much muck and perhaps filthy hair is just taking authenticity a little too far.

A thoroughly enjoyable film and highly recommended.