Orphan Oliver Twist (Barney Clark) is badly treated in his new home and escapes to London where he falls in with a gang of pickpocketing boys. Director Roman Polanski’s wife Emmanuelle Seigner talked him into making this adaptation of the 19th century novel for his children. It becomes somewhat of an illustrated classic, but with excellent ingredients. The design of the film was based on the artwork of Gustave Doré and it is an undeniably dark, filthy and stylish vision of working-class London. Ben Kingsley loves to disappear into a role like Fagin and it is easy to care for Clark as Oliver.
2005-Britain-France-Italy-Czech Republic. 130 min. Color. Widescreen. Directed by Roman Polanski. Screenplay: Ronald Harwood. Novel: Charles Dickens. Cast: Ben Kingsley (Fagin), Barney Clark (Oliver Twist), Leanne Rowe (Nancy), Mark Strong, Jamie Foreman, Harry Eden.
