Oliver Twist

In terms of bringing Charles Dickens’ classic story to life, this 1982 made-for-TV movie does a good enough job, despite the casting of the extremely bland and unbelievable Richard Charles as the title character. What makes it reall special is the brilliant casting of George C. Scott as Fagin and Tim Curry as Bill Sikes. Scott gives the more nuanced of the two performances, never giving in to the temptation to take Fagen over the top as so many have in the past. He finds a balance between the power he has over his orphans and the powerlessness he feels against the rest of the world, and subtly reveals the inner turmoil he feels with every breath. Curry, on the other hand, shows no such restrain playing the deadly drunkard Sykes. It’s an outlandish performance on many levels, especially when he has to play Sikes as drunk (which is most of the movie) but it somehow works as the wild storm spinning around the center of the story. Director Clive Donner (What’s New Pussycat?) loses focus at the end of the story, especially in his strange interpretation of Nancy’s death, but he’s smart enough to let his stars shine when it counts.