Dickens' Oliver Twist (Mark Lester) goes from parish boy to Fagin's (Ron Moody) pickpocketing school to the... (Learn more)
Starring: Ron Moody, Shani Wallis, Oliver Reed (View All)
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Starring: Ron Moody, Shani Wallis, Oliver Reed
Inspired by Charles Dickens' novel Oliver Twist, Lionel Bart's 1961 London and Broadway musical hit glossed over some of Dickens' more graphic passages but managed to retain a strong subtext to what was essentially light entertainment. For its first half-hour or so, Carol Reed's Oscar-winning 1968 film version does a masterful job of telling its story almost exclusively through song and dance. Once nine-year-old orphan Oliver Twist (Mark Lester) falls in with such underworld types as pickpocket Fagin (Ron Moody) and murderous thief Bill Sykes (Oliver Reed), it becomes necessary to inject more and more dialogue, and the film loses some of its momentum. But not to worry; despite such brutal moments as Sikes' murder of Nancy (Shani Wallis), the film gets back on the right musical track, thanks in great part to Onna White's exuberant choreography and the faultless performances by Moody and by Jack Wild as the Artful Dodger. The supporting cast includes Harry Secombe as the self-righteous Mr. Bumble and Joseph O'Conor as Mr. Brownlow, the man who (through a series of typically Dickensian coincidences) rescues Oliver from the streets. Oliver! won six Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, and a special award to choreographer Onna White. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
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US Release Date
12/1/68
MPAA Rating
Rated G
Running Time
153 mins.
Locations
- England, United Kingdom
Language
- English
Awards
- Nominated for a Best Costume Design award at the 1968 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie Awards.
- Nominated for a Best Picture award at the 1968 British Academy of Film and Television Awards.
- Nominated for a Best Editing award at the 1968 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie Awards.
- Nominated for a Best Director award at the 1968 Directors Guild of America [Festival/A Awards.
- Nominated for a Best Supporting Actor award at the 1968 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie Awards.
- Nominated for a Best Adapted Screenplay award at the 1968 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie Awards.
- Winner of the Honorary and Other Awards award at the 1968 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie Awards.
- Nominated for a Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion award at the 1968 Hollywood Foreign Press Association [F Awards.
- Nominated for a Best Picture - Musical or Comedy award at the 1968 Hollywood Foreign Press Association [F Awards.
- Winner of the Best Art Direction award at the 1968 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie Awards.
- Nominated for a Best Picture award at the 1968 National Board of Review [Festival/Awa Awards.
- Nominated for a Best Director award at the 1968 Hollywood Foreign Press Association [F Awards.
- Winner of the Best Director award at the 1968 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie Awards.
- Winner of the Best Adapted Score award at the 1968 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie Awards.
- Nominated for a New Star of the Year - Male award at the 1968 Hollywood Foreign Press Association [F Awards.
- Winner of the Best Picture award at the 1968 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie Awards.
- Nominated for a Best Actor award at the 1968 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie Awards.
- Nominated for a Best Cinematography award at the 1968 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie Awards.
- Winner of the Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or award at the 1968 Hollywood Foreign Press Association [F Awards.
Distributor
- Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
- Sony Pictures Releasing
