Oliver! ***** (1968, Mark Lester, Ron Moody, Shani Wallis, Jack Wild, Oliver Reed) – Classic Movie Review 1809

Consider yourself well in! Director Carol Reed was the son of actor-producer Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree and his mistress, May Pinney Reed. He embarked on an acting career while still in his late teens, followed by some time in the theatrical company of thriller writer Edgar Wallace.

Reed returns to these early roots in the theatre for his 1968 movie Oliver!, which turned out to be his last successful film. It’s a gleaming, picturesque version of Lionel Bart’s perennially popular musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’s classic novel Oliver Twist. It says a lot that this film has become nearly as much loved and famous as the original book.

The performers are hugely entertaining, the costly production is immaculate and Reed’s handling bright and lively. And of course the unbroken chain of evergreen hit songs has kept its potency and popularity over the years. Also outstanding are Onna White’s choreography and John Box’s art direction.

Ron Moody is stupendous in his part of a lifetime as Fagin, the crook who recruits sweet little runaway orphan Oliver (Mark Lester) into his gang of young pickpockets. Oliver Reed enjoys himself too as the evil Bill Sikes, Shani Wallis is perfect as his troubled girlfriend Nancy and Jack Wild is on sprightly form as the Artful Dodger.

In support, Harry Secombe and Peggy Mount score as the beadle Bumble and his wife, Hugh Griffith is the Magistrate, Leonard Rossiter and Hylda Baker are the Sowerberrys, Joseph O’Conor is the kindly Mr Brownlow, Kenneth Cranham is Noah Claypole, Megs Jenkins is Mrs Bedwin, Sheila White is Bet and Wensley Pithey is Dr Grimwig,

Those great tunes include ‘As Long as He Needs Me’, ‘Consider Yourself’ and ‘Who Will Buy?’ It won five Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Scoring (Johnny Green), Best Art Direction-Set Decoration (John Box and others) and Best Sound, and Onna White was given an Honorary Award for her outstanding choreography achievement.

Ron Moody died on June 11 2015, aged 91. He first appeared as Fagin in Lionel Bart’s West End stage adaptation in 1960 and won a Tony when he returned to the role for a Broadway revival in 1984. ‘Fate destined me to play Fagin. It was the part of a lifetime,’ he said.

© Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Movie Review 1809

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