Little Dorrit (1988)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Christine Edzard

Writers:

Charles Dickens (novel)
Christine Edzard (writer)

Release Date:

21 October 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

Arthur Clennam returns to London after working abroad for many years with his now deceased father. Almost...

Plot Keywords:

London | Seamstress | Prison | England | Father Daughter Relationship

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Derek Jacobi	...	Arthur Clennam
Joan Greenwood	...	Mrs. Clennam
Max Wall	...	Flintwinch
Patricia Hayes	...	Affery
Luke Duckett	...	Young Arthur
Alec Guinness	...	William Dorrit
Cyril Cusack	...	Frederick Dorrit
Sarah Pickering	...	Little Dorrit
Amelda Brown	...	Fanny Dorrit
Daniel Chatto	...	Tip Dorrit
Miriam Margolyes	...	Flora Finching
Bill Fraser	...	Mr. Casby
Roshan Seth	...	Mr. Pancks
Mollie Maureen	...	Mr. F.'s Aunt
Diana Malin	...	Mr. Casby's Maid

Also Known As:

Little Dorrit 1: Nobody's Fault (UK) (first part title)
Little Dorrit 2: Little Dorrit's Story (UK) (second part title)
Little Dorrit's Story
Nobody's Fault

Runtime:

UK:357 min | USA:360 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:G | USA:G

Company:

Sands

Trivia:

The last film role of Joan Greenwood.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 61st Annual Academy Awards (1989) (TV)

A neglected gem

Little Dorrit is thought by many critics to be Dickens most important book, a blistering attack on the evils of the Victorian world in which he lived. Quite a bit of it came from real life. Dickens' father had spent some time in the Marshalsea debtors prison, and several of the corrupt landlords and incompetent officials of the book were based on prominent real people. The establishment was NOT amused, and neglected it so aggressively that it has always been much less well-known than most of his work.

This film has also dwelt in the shadows. As a pair of 3-hour films that are best viewed in a single day (with a break), nobody could figure how to handle it commercially. Also, it only exists today as a long-out-of-print VHS tape and 4-disc laser set. Maybe someday the Critereon Collection will issue a DVD, but I'm not holding my breath.

Nonetheless, it was one of Alec Guinness's very best performances, and, if you love - or even just like - Dickens, the whole 6 hour total-immersion experience is magical.

Roger Ebert's review from 1988, which is online several places, really captures how special "Little Dorrit" is.