"Oliver Twist" (1985) TV mini-series

Director:

Gareth Davies

Writers:

Alexander Baron (writer)
Charles Dickens (novel)

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

13 October 1985 (UK)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

In a storm, in a workhouse, to a nameless woman, young Oliver Twist is born into parish care where he's overworked and underfed...

Plot Keywords:

Oliver Twist | 1830s | Children | TV Mini-Series | Based On Novel

Cast

Lysette Anthony	...	Rose Maylie / ... (12 episodes, 1985)
Ben Rodska	...	Oliver Twist (11 episodes, 1985)
Eric Porter	...	Fagin (10 episodes, 1985)
Michael Attwell	...	Bill Sikes (9 episodes, 1985)
Pip Donaghy	...	Monks (9 episodes, 1985)
Amanda Harris	...	Nancy (8 episodes, 1985)
Nicholas Bond-Owen	...	Charley Bates (8 episodes, 1985)
David Garlick	...	The Artful Dodger (7 episodes, 1985)
Godfrey James	...	Mr. Bumble (7 episodes, 1985)
David King	...	Giles (7 episodes, 1985)
Frank Middlemass	...	Mr. Brownlow (6 episodes, 1985)
Julian Firth	...	Noah Claypole (6 episodes, 1985)
Gillian Martell	...	Mrs. Maylie (6 episodes, 1985)
Christian Rodska	...	Barney (6 episodes, 1985)
Edward Burnham	...	Mr. Grimwig (5 episodes, 1985)
Carys Llewelyn	...	Charlotte (5 episodes, 1985)
Miriam Margolyes	...	Mrs. Corney / ... (5 episodes, 1985)
Terry Molloy	...	Brittles (5 episodes, 1985)

Runtime:

USA:360 min | UK:30 min (12 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Movie Connections:

Version of Oliver Twist (1974)

Long version permits depth of detail, rich character development

This is an excellent version, well-acted, long enough to permit inclusion of Dickens' myriad confusing plots that keep the viewer guessing. It is broken into 12 28-minute episodes, reminiscent of the way Dickens serialized his novels. I dare anybody to watch just one - every one's a cliffhanger inviting you onwards. The acting is outstanding, though the strong dialect caused me to miss some lines. As Scott Funnell has noted in an earlier comment, the child actor who coincidentally has the same name does an outstanding job (and is rather adorable) as the young Oliver, as does the actor playing the larger (but according to Scott less important) role of the older Oliver.

This is one of a whole series of superb BBC adaptations of the major Dickens novels, every one a gem. Like some of the others, the DVD re-release of Oliver Twist includes as an extra an excellent performance by Simon Callow as Charles Dickens, reading a lengthy passage from the novel, recreating Dickens' own reading tours that played to packed houses. Don't miss it!