Oliver Twist (1982 TV film)

1982 television film directed by Clive Donner

Oliver Twist

Hungarian DVD cover

Genre| Crime
Drama
Based on| Oliver Twist
by Charles Dickens
Written by| James Goldman
Directed by| Clive Donner
Starring| George C. Scott
Tim Curry
Michael Hordern
Timothy West
Eileen Atkins
Cherie Lunghi
Oliver Cotton
Richard Charles
Martin Tempest
Music by| Nick Bicât
Country of origin| United States
United Kingdom
Original language| English
Production
Executive producer| William F. Storke
Producers| Ted Childs
Norton Romsey
Cinematography| Norman G. Langley
Editor| Peter Tanner
Running time| 103 minutes
Production companies| Claridge Productions
Grafton Productions
Norman Rosemont Productions
Trident
Original release
Network| CBS
Release| March 23, 1982 (1982-03-23)

Oliver Twist is a 1982 American-British made-for-television film adaptation of the 1838 Charles Dickens classic of the same name, premiering on the CBS television network as part of the Hallmark Hall of Fame.[1][2] Stars include George C. Scott, Tim Curry, Cherie Lunghi, and Richard Charles as Oliver, in his first major film role.[3]

## Plot

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A young woman dies in childbirth. Witnessing the woman's birth is Mr. Bumble, a hard-nosed man in charge of the local orphans workhouse. With no information on the mother's identity, he gives the boy the name Oliver Twist.

Like the other boys in the workhouse, Oliver lives a hard life of endless labour and schooling, with only a bowl of gruel for supper. After seeing his friend Dick devour his bowl and still wanting more, Oliver offers the lad his own, then goes up to Bumble and asks for more. His request angers Bumble, who hires him out to work for Mr Sowerberry, a local undertaker.

Oliver's situation is not much different than the workhouse, as he is given a workbench to sleep on and scraps that Sowerberry's dogs refuse to eat for food. Oliver also becomes an object of hatred for Noah Claypole, a teenager been assigned to supervise him. Claypole taunts Oliver one day, making fun of his dead mother. The insulting remark angers Oliver, who delivers a surprisingly powerful blow to Claypole's face, breaking his nose. Sowerberry takes Claypole's side and tells Oliver he will be returned to the workhouse the following day. Unwilling to return to the workhouse, Oliver sneaks out later that evening . He roams the streets until he is met by the Artful Dodger, who offers Oliver lodgings from his benefactor. Oliver agrees, unaware of what he has got himself into.

Oliver is now part of a band of thieves, overseen by Fagin, a kindly Jewish man. Among Fagin's group are Bill Sikes, a drunk who oversees the orphan thieves, and Nancy, an attractive young woman often used for sexual favors, and frequently abused by Bill. She takes a liking to Oliver and tries to help him, but for this, she is eventually viciously murdered by Bill.

Oliver is made aware of his true purpose with Fagin when Sikes forces Oliver to help him burglarize a home in the countryside. The boy is shot in the process. An elderly man, Mr Brownlow, along with his niece Rose Maylie and housekeeper, Mrs. Bedwin, take pity upon him and nurse the boy back to health. They notice a close resemblance between Oliver and a lady's portrait on the wall.

Monks, another criminal associate of Fagin's, has learned that he and Oliver are half-brothers and that their father has disinherited him in favor of Oliver. Brownlow is revealed to be a friend of Oliver's father, who left both the will and a portrait he had painted of Oliver's mother with Brownlow. Brownlow does some investigative work on his own to bring justice to his friend's young son. He learns of the cruelty and inhumane conditions at the workhouse, and also learns of Bumble's theft of workhouse funds for his own benefit. After receiving a locket Mrs. Bumble had stolen from Agnes's corpse and revealing to everyone the boy's true identity, Brownlow tells Monks that he will be going to prison. Brownlow tells Bumble that he will use his influence to see to it that he and his wife lose their workhouse jobs and may even face criminal charges.

Monks is sent to prison whilst Brownlow and Rose assure Oliver that he is no longer a foundling, but now has an identity of his own. Everyone then climbs into Brownlow's coach and they make the journey back to Brownlow's estate.

## Cast

[edit]

* Richard Charles as Oliver Twist
* George C. Scott as Fagin
* Tim Curry as Bill Sikes
* Michael Hordern as Mr. Brownlow
* Timothy West as Mr. Bumble
* Eileen Atkins as Mrs. Mann
* Cherie Lunghi as Nancy
* Martin Tempest as Artful Dodger
* Lysette Anthony as Oliver's Mother
* Oliver Cotton as Monks
* Eleanor David as Rose Maylie
* Philip Locke as Mr. Sowerberry
* Ann Beach as Mrs. Sowerberry
* Philip Davis as Noah Claypole
* Artro Morris as Mr. Giles
* John Barrard as Dr. Losborne
* Brenda Cowling as Mrs. Bedwin
* Ann Tirard as Mrs. Corney
* John Savident as Mr. Fang
* Debbie Arnold as Charlotte
* Timothy Spall as 1st Constable
* Robert Russell as 2nd Constable

## References

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1. ^ "Oliver Twist (1982) - Clive Donner | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie" – via www.allmovie.com.
2. ^ "Oliver Twist". TVGuide.com.
3. ^ "Oliver Twist (1982)". BFI. Archived from the original on October 13, 2017.

## External links

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* Oliver Twist at IMDb
* Oliver Twist at the TCM Movie Database
* harsh critic in the NY Times

* v
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* e

Charles Dickens's Oliver Twist

Characters|

* Oliver Twist
* Bill Sikes
* Fagin
* Mr Brownlow
* Nancy
* Rose Maylie
* Monks
* The Artful Dodger
* Charley Bates
* Mr Sowerberry
* Mr. Bumble

Film adaptations|

* Oliver Twist (1909)
* Oliver Twist (1912)
* Oliver Twist (1912)
* Oliver Twist (1916)
* Oliver Twist (1919)
* Oliver Twist (1922)
* Oliver Twist (1933)
* Oliver Twist (1948)
* Oliver! (1968)
* Oliver Twist (1974)
* Las Aventuras de Oliver Twist (1987)
* Oliver Twist (2005)

Film retellings|

* Manik (1961)
* Chitti Tammudu (1962)
* Oliver & Company (1988)
* Twisted (1996)
* Twist (2003)
* Boy Called Twist (2004)
* Twist (2021)

TV adaptations|

* Oliver Twist (1962 TV serial)
* Oliver Twist (1982 American-British TV film)
* Oliver Twist (1982 Australian TV film)
* Oliver Twist (1985 TV serial)
* Saban's Adventures of Oliver Twist (1996 TV series)
* Oliver Twist (1997 TV film)
* Oliver Twist (1999 TV series)
* Oliver Twist (2007 TV series)

Play|

* Oliver! (1960)

Songs|

* "As Long as He Needs Me"
* "Consider Yourself"
* "Food, Glorious Food"
* "I'd Do Anything"
* "Oliver!"
* "Oom-Pah-Pah"
* "Where Is Love?"
* "You've Got to Pick a Pocket or Two"
* "Be Back Soon"

Related|

* Oliver! (soundtrack to the 1968 film)
* Oliver & Company (soundtrack to Oliver & Company)
* Escape of the Artful Dodger (2001 TV series retelling)
* Fagin the Jew (2003 graphic novel)
* Oliver and the Artful Dodger (1972 TV film)
* I'd Do Anything (2008 TV series)
* Dodger (2022 TV series)
* The Artful Dodger (2023 TV series)

* v
* t
* e

Films directed by Clive Donner

* The Secret Place (1957)
* Heart of a Child (1958)
* Marriage of Convenience (1960)
* The Sinister Man (1961)
* Some People (1962)
* The Caretaker (1963)
* Nothing But the Best (1964)
* What's New Pussycat? (1965)
* Luv (1967)
* Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush (1967)
* Alfred the Great (1969)
* Vampira (1974)
* Rogue Male (1976)
* Spectre (1977)
* The Three Hostages (1977)
* The Thief of Baghdad (1978)
* The Nude Bomb (1980)
* Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen (1981)
* Oliver Twist (1982)
* The Scarlet Pimpernel (1982)
* To Catch a King (1984)
* A Christmas Carol (1984)
* Merlin and the Sword (1985)
* Dead Man's Folly (1986)
* Babes in Toyland (1986)
* Stealing Heaven (1988)
* Charlemagne, le prince à cheval (miniseries, 1993)

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