Oliver Twist (1948)

Director:

David Lean

Writers:

Charles Dickens (by)
David Lean (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

30 July 1951 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Crime | Drama

Tagline:

A Screen Event To Be Remembered For All Time !

Plot:

Based on the Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist is about an orphan boy who runs away from a workhouse and meets a pickpocket on the streets of London...

Plot Keywords:

Pickpocket | Boy | Orphan | Charles Dickens | Thunderstorm

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Robert Newton	...	Bill Sykes
Alec Guinness	...	Fagin
Kay Walsh	...	Nancy
Francis L. Sullivan	...	Mr. Bumble
Henry Stephenson	...	Mr. Brownlow
Mary Clare	...	Mrs. Corney
Anthony Newley	...	Artful Dodger
Josephine Stuart	...	Oliver's Mother
Ralph Truman	...	Monks
Kathleen Harrison	...	Mrs Sowerberry
Gibb McLaughlin	...	Mr. Sowerberry
Amy Veness	...	Mrs. Bedwin
Frederick Lloyd	...	Mr. Grimwig
John Howard Davies	...	Oliver Twist
Henry Edwards	...	Police Official
Ivor Barnard	...	Chairman of the Board
Maurice Denham	...	Chief of Police
Michael Dear	...	Noah Claypole
Michael Ripper	...	Barney
Peter Bull	...	Landlord of 'Three Cripples'
Deidre Doyle	...	Mrs. Thingummy
Diana Dors	...	Charlotte
Kenneth Downey	...	Workhouse Master (as Kenneth Downy)
W.G. Fay	...	Bookseller
Edie Martin	...	Annie
Fay Middleton	...	Martha
Graveley Edwards	...	Mr.Fang
John Potter	...	Charlie Bates
Maurice Jones	...	Workhouse Doctor
Hattie Jacques	...	Singer at 'Three Cripples'
Betty Paul	...	Singer at 'Three Cripples'
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Johnny Briggs	...	Undetermined Minor Role (uncredited)
Erik Chitty	...	Workhouse Board Member (uncredited)
Arthur Mullard	...	Undetermined Minor Role (uncredited)
Nosher Powell	...	Undetermined Minor Role (uncredited)
Eustace Shipman	...	Doctor Who Delivers Oliver (uncredited)
Paul Stockman	...	Fagin's gang member (uncredited)
Dennis Wyndham	...	Man In Street Who Punches Oliver (uncredited)

Directed by
David Lean

Writing credits
Charles Dickens		(by)
David Lean		(screenplay) and
Stanley Haynes		(screenplay)
Eric Ambler		(contributor to screenplay) uncredited &
Kay Walsh		(contributor to screenplay) uncredited

Produced by
Ronald Neame	....	producer

Original Music by
Arnold Bax		(as Sir Arnold Bax D. Mus. Master of the King's Musick)

Cinematography by
Guy Green		(photographed by)

Film Editing by
Jack Harris

Casting by
Dennis Van Thal		(uncredited)

Set Decoration by
T. Hopewell Ash		(uncredited)
Claude Momsay		(uncredited)

Costume Design by
Margaret Furse		(costumes)

Makeup Department
Stuart Freeborn	....	makeup artist (as Stuart Freebourne)
George Blackler	....	makeup associate (uncredited)
Biddy Chrystal	....	hairdresser (uncredited)

Production Management
Norman Spencer	....	production manager
Pat MacDonnell	....	assistant production manager (uncredited)
Bob McNaught	....	assistant production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
George Pollock	....	assistant director
Chuck Simpson	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
John Bryan	....	sets designed by
T. Hopewell Ash	....	assistant art director (uncredited)
Claude Mauncy	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Geoffrey Woodward	....	assistant art director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Stanley Lambourne	....	sound recordist
Gordon K. McCallum	....	sound recordist (as Gordon K.McCallum)
Winston Ryder	....	sound editor
George Paternoster	....	boom operator (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Stanley Grant	....	special effects
Joan Suttie	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Les Bowie	....	matte painter (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Oswald Morris	....	camera operator
Jim Body	....	focus puller (uncredited)
John Godar	....	focus puller (uncredited)
Alan Hume	....	focus puller (uncredited)
Charles Trigg	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Dorothy Edwards	....	wardrobe mistress (uncredited)
Bob Rayner	....	wardrobe master (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Clive Donner	....	second assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Harriet Cohen	....	the "Oliver" themes played by
Muir Mathieson	....	conductor
The Philharmonia Orchestra of London	....	the "Oliver" themes played by (as the Philharmonia Orchestra of London)
John Huntley	....	music staff (uncredited)

Other crew
J. Arthur Rank	....	presenter (as J.Arthur Rank)
Maggie Unsworth	....	continuity (as Margaret Sibley)
Wenham Bill	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Stuart Chant	....	publicist (uncredited)
Iris Dalton	....	production secretary (uncredited)
Vicky Fuggle	....	production secretary (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Cineguild (as A Cineguild Production)

Distributors

• General Film Distributors (GFD) (1948) (UK) (theatrical) (released through) (as General Film Distributors Ltd.)
• Eagle-Lion Films (1951) (USA) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1951) (USA) (theatrical)
• Chapel Distribution (2010) (Australia) (theatrical) (16mm print)
• Criterion Collection, The (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Divisa Home Video (2011) (Spain) (DVD)
• Hallmark Home Entertainment (1995) (USA) (VHS)
• Janus Films (????) (USA) (all media)
• Koch Media (2003) (Germany) (DVD)
• LW Editora (2005) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Pickwick Video (1990) (UK) (VHS)
• Rank Video Library (1987) (UK) (VHS)

Other Companies

• BFI National Archive  a restoration by (as the BFI National Archive)
• David Lean Foundation, The  a restoration funded by (as The David Lean Foundation)
• Granada International  a restoration by

Also Known As:

Runtime:

116 min | USA:105 min | West Germany:110 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:U (re-rating) (1948) | Australia:G | Germany:12 | Egypt:(Banned) (original release) | Canada:G (Ontario) | UK:A (original rating) (passed with cuts) (1947) (Janus print) | UK:U (re-release) (2006) | UK:U (video rating) (1987) (1990) | UK:U (tv rating) | USA:Not Rated

Filming Locations:

Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Cineguild

Trivia:

The wordless opening sequence, in which Oliver's mother staggers over the rain-swept moors to give birth on the steps of the workhouse, was devised by Kay Walsh

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When the crowd chase Oliver down an alleyway following the theft at the bookstore, the "brick" wall wobbles, revealing its flimsy structure.

Quotes:

Nancy:I will not turn on the others because, bad as they are, they never turned on me.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Perry Mason: The Case of the Twice Told Twist (#9.21)" (1966)

Soundtrack:

Camberwell Road on a Sunday Night

Lean and Dickens - A Winning Combination

Charles Dickens and David Lean. What a combination; a novel by one of the greats of 19th century literature brought to film by one of the 20th century's best directors. Can't miss? You're right; David Lean's "Oliver Twist" is a great movie. The casting and acting is superb, every role a standout. I'd read "Oliver Twist" years ago, and watching the movie transported me back to the Victorian London of the novel. Alec Guinness is the perfect Fagin, after seeing this version I can't think of any other actor ever playing him. Bill Sikes, Nancy, Artful Dodger, Mr. Bumble, and of course Oliver. All perfect. The direction is without peer. The sets and cinematography resemble the best of German Expressionist work from the previous generation. Buildings at odd angles, light playing havoc with the dark shadows. I'm blathering....

My recommendation is to dig this up in the classics section of the video store and treat yourself to an oldie but a goodie.