ghamiltonsq Review of The Old Curiosity Shop

The Old Curiosity Shop (1995 TV Movie)

Long and lacking focus - blame both Dickens and the director

[20 March 2022]

The movie runs nearly three hours, easily an hour longer than it needs to be. Nothing would be lost if certain scenes or pieces of which ended up on the cutting room floor. Not having read the novel, I can only assume the director remained true to Dickens' plot, and if so, it's on Dickens that the story lacks focus. A loan shark (Courtney) gives money to an owner of a failing curiosity shop (Ustinov) in the expectation that Ustinov will double the investment playing cards. Ustinov has nephews who lust after his money, unaware that he's nearly destitute. Ustinov's granddaughter, Nell, whom he cherishes, lives with him but is aware of his card playing. Having learned that Ustinov lost at the tables, Courtney seeks revenge by having Ustinov committed. How this helps Courtney is a mystery. Ustinov and Nell flee to the coastline to escape and gain peace of mind. Ustinov's estranged brother, James Fox, learns that Ustinov is in debt to Courtney and seeks to buy the debt. Courtney refuses thinking Fox may be a source of even more money. One of Courtney's co-criminals, in order to escape prosecution, tells the authorities that Courtney has a strongbox that contains evidence of prior misdeeds. Courtney learns of this and decides to flee with the strongbox and other wealth stored in a canvas bag. While loading a row boat on the Thames and about to flee, he falls overboard and drowns. Simultaneously Nell takes ill and dies. Fox locates Ustinov and the two brothers reconcile as both mourn the death of Nell. Numerous other characters come and go and innumerable examples of Courtney's malevolence to others including to his wife are exhibited, all of which extend the run time to no useful purpose. Strip the tale of this and we are still left with a question. Who or what is the protagonist in this story? What is the lesson to be learned? Don't gamble? Take better care of your granddaughter's health?