![]() Assuming a role previously portrayed by the legendary Lon Chaney a decade ago, Pichel offers an fine re-enactment as Fagin. Aside from faults and goofs that might have been rectified before its theatrical release, as well as elimination of certain major characters from the Dickens novel, one of the stronger aspects for this production is Irving Pichel (courtesy of Paramount Pictures). It's hard not to notice where Moore's face, in close up, to be covered with watery tears, and next long shot, face to be clear and dry. Brownlow and Rose as properly captured by moments of their shadows on the wall, but in spite of this being a secret meeting, Nancy should have conversed in a whispering fashion rather than loud enough for all, including one of Fagin's spies, to hear. The meeting place under the London Bridge at midnight involving Nancy, Mr. Brutal beatings are depicted by shadows of actors hitting of whipping the floor rather than their victims. In one scene he's scrubbing the brick floor of the dining room, slips down by accident, then smilingly looks towards the camera range, loses his smile, carries his water bucker and walks away. Moore reads some of his lines with no expression, as if he's reciting them for the first time. Regrettably, his performance somewhat weakens the story through scenes involving him appear to be seemingly under rehearsed. Though many feel Dickie Moore to be both miscast and way too young in the title role, this edition to OLIVER TWIST has become his most memorable, though not fascinating. Francis) and his pretty niece, Rose Mayley (Barbara Kent), through some twist of fate would all become part of his life. After running away from slave labor and deprived of more food to eat, he journeys towards London where he encounters the likes of various people, including the Artful Dodger (Sonny Ray), Fagin (Irving Pichel) and his gang of thieves consisting of Bill and Nancy Sikes (William Boyd and Doris Lloyd) Charlie Bates (George Nash) Toby Crackit (George K. Brownlow in the 1922 version), who, on his ninth birthday, puts him to work in a workhouse. Following the opening credits, the fade-in begins with an open book on the first page to CHAPTER 1 that reads: "Among other public buildings in a certain town, which for many reasons, it will be prudent to refrain from mentioning: there is one anciently common to most towns, great or small to wit, a workhouse, and in this workhouse, was born the item of mortality whose name is prefix on the title of that chapter." The story then revolves around a young lad named Oliver Twist (Dickie Moore), an orphan in 19th century England, raised by a Mr. Chadwick's production for Monogram, very much on a low-budget scale, might prove worthy in spite of disappointing presentation. ![]() Universal provided GREAT EXPECTATIONS (1934), while MGM produced two of the finest of Dickens 1935 adaptations of David COPPERFIELD and A TALE OF TWO CITIES, and three years later, A Christmas CAROL (1938), but this I.E. While major movie studios as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, RKO or Universal might have started the trend of Dickens novels transferred to film, the interesting fact was that the aforementioned major studios were the ones to follow Monogram's poverty row distribution of 1933. As much as this Charles Dickens based story had been told and retold numerous times during the silent era, with notable screen adaptations being Paramount (1916) with Marie Coro (Oliver) and Tully Marshall (Fagin) and First National (1922) starring Jackie Coogan (Oliver) and Lon Chaney (Fagin), it would be a matter of time before the movie audiences would get some more OLIVER TWIST, this time with sound. Cowan, stars child actor Dickie Moore (courtesy of Hal Roach Studios) in his first leading role in a feature film presentation. OLIVER TWIST (A Monogram Special, 1933), directed by William J. ![]()
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