Oliver! (1968)

Directed by Carol Reed. Starring Ron Moody, Shani Wallis, Oliver Reed, Mark Lester, Jack Wild, Harry Secombe, Joseph O’Connor, Hugh Griffith, Peggy Mount, Leonard Rossiter, Hylda Baker, Kenneth Cranham. [G]

Film version of the Lionel Bart stage musical (itself based, of course, on the Charles Dickens novel, “Oliver Twist”) is spirited, elaborately-mounted, and handsome-looking—despite the obvious use of soundstages, the squalid sprawl and sordid tenements of London look great. Moody as the eccentric rake Fagin and Reed as the menacing brute Bill Sikes are the cast standouts; unfortunately, the one that truly comes up short happens to be Lester as Oliver, a wide-eyed void of charisma who mostly just stands around and lets the story happen to him. Though their upbeat and sing-songy nature often contrasts the harsh undercurrents of the plot and setting, the songs are mostly delightful, a lineup that includes “Consider Yourself,” “As Long As He Needs Me,” “Pick a Pocket or Two,” and “Food, Glorious Food.” Can’t replace the original tome or the best of the “straight” film adaptations (particularly the David Lean production from 1948), but it’s enjoyably dingy and musically zesty enough to rate as a modest success. Its six Academy Award wins went for Best Picture, Director, Art Direction, Score Adaptation, Sound, and an honorary Oscar for Onna White’s creative choreography.

67/100