dbborroughs Review of Oliver Twist

Oliver Twist (1933)

Overacted and oddly cast version of Dickens isn't the worst version but it certainly isn't the best

[4/10 · 21 May 2009]

Dickie Moore (of Little Rascals fame) stars as Dicken's most famous orphan in one of Monogram studios attempts at turning out the classics of literature. Compressing the story down to 70 minutes this is a real mixed bag that doesn't really work. The problem is in the casting which is a mess. Dickie Moore looks too good as Oliver (His hair is way too neat for a start) and unfortunately he can't act. His performance consists mainly of looking where ever he's directed not reacting to whats happening around him. It may have worked in the Little Rascals but here is awful. The Artful Dodger and his band of kids are now a band of college age reprobates trying to be much younger. William Stage Boyd as Bill Sykes is mostly over the top thanks to a script that makes him a bit too manic and menacing. Irving Pitchell as Fagin is okay to start but he slides into wide-eyed silliness at the end. Its watchable, but its far from good. If you want to see a film version of the story I'd go with one of the other versions.