OLIVER!

In 1969 the Oscar for Best Picture was awarded to the British musical film Oliver! based on the stage play of the same name. Both are based on the novel “Oliver Twist” by Charles Dickens.

As someone who enjoys musicals (though admittedly much more on stage than on film) I don’t know why I’ve had such an aversion to seeing this particular one. I’ve avoided it for as long as I can remember with the preconceived conclusion that I wasn’t going to like it. It turns out that my assumptions were completely inaccurate. This was a solid film filled with lavish sets, some outstanding acting, and of course the great songs by Lionel Bart.

The story follows Oliver (Mark Lester), a young orphan who originally resides in a workhouse.  He's sold into servitude and then eventually escapes and travels to London to find a life and income on his own. He quickly encounters the Artful Dodger (Jack Wild) who introduces him to Fagan (Ron Moody). Fagan takes in young orphans and trains them to be pickpockets in exchange for giving them shelter. Ron Moody gave a superlative performance and was beyond worthy of the Oscar acting nomination he received for the role. After a brush with the law, Oliver finds his life turned around when he is taken in by a man of wealth. However, some of those from his thieving circle are worried he will give their activities away, so they kidnap him back. Other performances of note include Oliver Reed as the sinister Bill Sikes and Shani Wallis as the kindhearted Nancy.

The film is filled with some really outstanding large-scale numbers and the camera is great at capturing them in both wide-screen and smaller-scale close-ups. I can’t help but wonder why it is that Oliver! has not found a repeated home on network television in the same manner that The Sound of Music or The Wizard of Oz has found. It is absolutely worthy of it.