(2013-05-20 10:16:54)

Decent Dickens Adaptation, but Dickensians May Disagree

This review is from: Old Curiosity Shop [VHS] (VHS Tape) This once beloved story of Dickens has been filmed many times since the days of silent films, and was even once made into a musical (as "Mr. Quilp"). But probably this Disney-Hallmark production gets the best review among others, and not without good reasons. It has good atomosphere, beautiful shots (in Ireland), and decent production designs. But if you are one of devoted Dickensians, you might be a little disapponted with, or even resent some part of it. The double story of the original work was condensed, but still retains fairly much of the book. Being threatened by villanious moneylender Daniel Quilp, Little Nell and her grandfather (Peter Usitinov) decide to leave their old curiosity shop in London, to live in country. They soon meet many colorful Dickensian characters including Mrs. Jarley and her waxworks, and a kind school teacher who provide them with place to live. But Quilp, who intends to throw the doddering grandfather into an asylum, is persistently chasing them, always at their heel.The story is always interesting to anyone, and the film remains within an acceptable level of authenticity, even though London and the Themes River don't have enough touch to convince us. The actors are good if you don't mind Ustinov's rather hammy performance, but the good acting of Tom Courtenay as Quilp makes up for it. He knows Daniel Quilp, though a villain, is in fact a jolly fellow, with his pretty wife devoted to him. The merit of reading the original is to experience the eventful life of one of the most successful characaters Dickens created, and the film shows satisfactory amount of this.But if you know (and love) the original, you will be quite upset. Ustinov is miscast -- the grandfather should be a lean, skinny man -- but that is not a big problem. Every shot of the film is given too much lighting, chasing away the murky feeling of the night of London -- the curio shop doesn't look like the dark one Dickens imagined -- but you can forget it. The most deplorable thing done to the book is that they removed "Marchioness" an ill-treated housemaid living in a dump celler. To be honest, this is too outrageous. Any Dickensian will mourn for the loss of her, which makes the character Richard Swiveller quite feeble and pointless, because the relation between her and Richard Swiveller is, as everyone who read the book knows, the most moving part of the book. This is not a bad production, but I am afraid that this one may not please every reader of Dickens. Though this film is good, the British film made in 1935 is, I find, superior, conveying the spirit of Dickens and his world.

(2013-05-19 21:52:38)

Excellent entertainment

This review is from: The Old Curiosity Shop (DVD) I never thought I would enjoy this story as I did when I watched this version of the movie... I had never read the book in its entirety, but I did know the story - having been brought up reading Dickens and Shakespeare at school. I never thought I would enjoy Mr. Quilp, but I did, and I wish I could shake Tom Courtenay's hand - I thoroughly enjoyed Quilp - he was the best of all!! I felt sorry for him in the end. Kit was a delight. The scenery was beautiful, the sets excellently put together..I can't impose on people that the size of the book should not alarm them, as originally these were written in weekly sections. I do think we should all read at least one of Charles Dickens' books (apart from A Christmas Carol) and get the feeling of Victorian England and its effect on children especially, as Mr. Dickens so keenly addresses and describes..

(2013-05-19 00:51:50)

As always, a wonderful Dickens tale.

This review is from: The Old Curiosity Shop (DVD) I've always wanted this one. Have many others. He always tells a wonderful tale and this was no different, but i was very sad to see the girl (who's name escapes me for the moment, though they said it all the way through!!!), die in the end. Not the usual Dickens ending. It was so genuine in it's scenery and story, i just love it.

(2013-05-18 15:46:38)

The Old Curiosity Shop is a wonderful Production!!!!!

This must be the DVD Bargain of the year. I brought this DVD as I enjoy watching Dickens. I have not read the book or seen this movie before buying it. I brought it Purely for the price. What a surprise I was in for.The story is about a girl named Nell and she lives with her Grandfather in a shop called "The Old Curiosity Shop". Nell's grandfather loves her very much, however he has a problem with gambling. He borrows money from his evil landlord (played by Tom Courtenay).When the Landlord finds out what Grandfather has been doing with the money he takes all that belongs to the old Gentleman and makes plans to put him in the madhouse.Nell desperately wants to protect her Grandfather so they set out to leave London for the Sea Side.Will Nell and her Grandfather able to be free from the Landlord or will the evil Landlord find them and do what he set out to do.Watch and find out. This DVD is a must for anyone who enjoys Dickens and/or family movies. A movie to be enjoyed by all ages.With great actors, well made production of the greatest quality at a great price what more could you ask for.You will not be disappointed.

(2013-05-16 19:50:51)

Great for Dickens fans

This review is from: The Old Curiosity Shop (DVD) Excellent movie. No frills like 5.1 surround sound. But, well acted and entertaining.

(2013-05-16 13:57:59)

Colorful bad-guys carry the story. Intriguing.

This 1994-version with Peter Ustinov as the grandfather is the best version. 3-hours, in color. The appeal of this film is the colorful and interesting bad-guys scheming against the grandfather and each other, and the perils of sweet, young, Nell. Up until 1869, a few years after the American Civil War, there really were debtors'-prisons in England. If you could not pay your debt; your creditor could have you dragged off to prison. This is a story about a vindictive creditor who wants to throw the grandfather in debtors' prison or worse, and the grandfather trying to elude him. In this version, Mr. Quilp, the creditor, steals the show as the petty, vindictive, scheming, bad-guy, who enjoys doing evil. No one could play this bad guy better. A nice young woman twenty years younger than Mr. Quilp, who was poor and destitute, marries him to escape poverty, but brings her mother along to live with them.There are several other colorful characters, such as Mr. Swiveller, the lazy bum gentleman suitor wanting to marry Nell. There is the crooked, obsequious, lawyer Mr. Brass and his icy sister who conspire with Mr. Quilp to harm the grandfather. There is the mysterious, dignified, wealthy, gentleman, making inquiries about the grandfather.This film is intriguing from beginning to end. Some glimpses of beautiful scenery as they travel the countryside. Some sarcasm and humor from Mr. Quilp.A good ending is critically important. I removed 1-star for a lackluster ending. The script-writer should have re-written Mr. Dickens' ending, which would have required re-writing the relationship between Nell and her grandfather, which I detail under the "comment" button below. The characters of the other, 2007 abd 1979 versions are not as colorful. The 1979-version is a slower pace. They are watchable; not bad if you watch them before seeing this better version, 3-stars.

johannes2000-1

(2013-05-15 13:28:20)

The best Dickens-adaptation for TV that I've yet seen!

As a big Dickens-fan I read the book a few years ago and thought it(along with Dombey and Son) one of his best: a road-movie-likecoming-of-age story that gives us some of the finest (and mosthilarious) of Dickens-characters, like the notorious Quilp, hismother-in-law, Dick Swiveller and the Brass-siblings, and a beautifuldescription of the English countryside. Although there is a fair amountof (melo)drama involved, Dickens succeeds in keeping a light tone andan fine calculated balance between the laughs, the tears and thefast-paced intrigue. It's some 600 odd pages (in my Penguin copy), andlike with all of Dickens' novels I usually am disappointed in anyadaptation for the screen: there's just too much going on in the book,too many important characters, too many story-lines, and the necessarycuts - even in the more spacious room of a mini-series - have a way ofcramping up the story and caving out the depth and shades out off manyof the side-characters to leave them the outline of a mere caricature.So I was very surprised to find that this adaptation completely provedmy prejudices wrong. This is an excellent movie! It's very true to thebook, almost all the characters have kept there place and there ownspecial charms, and the tone of the movie has exactly the right balanceof lightness and seriousness. I had the impression that all the maincharacters and plot-lines of the novel found (thanks to some very goodwriting) there place in the movie, apart from leaving out oneschoolboy-character who dies somewhere in the middle of the novel,evidently the writer and director found two child-deathbeds a bit toomuch (as I thought so too when reading the novel, to be honest). Theacting is overall great and by some of the cast superb. Peter Ustinovfor instance is very convincing as the grandfather who is full of lovefor Nell as well as full of sinister secrets and he plays his role witha kind of modest dignity. Sally Walsh is excellent too, of course shehad the burden of a Dickens-heroine and has to be throughout the wholeof the movie this endearing spotless angel. This can easily result inan irritating goody-two-shoes, but Sally Walsh succeeds in keeping up astrong and sympathetic character with just the right mixture ofhalf-child, half grown-up person. However, the undisputed star of thisversion is Tom Courtenay as the infamous Quilp: the sinister face, thespasmodic movements, the lisped voice and the sardonic humor arebrought with just the right amount of restraint to make him totallybelievable. A special mention should go to William Mannering, the youngactor who plays Kit. He didn't have much screen-experience at thattime, judging from the information on IMDb, but he gave a greatperformance an moved me to tears at the dramatic ending. The directionby Kevin Connor was very good, as was the beautiful photography andsettings. An absolute 10!!

(2013-05-15 01:29:16)

The Old Curiosity Shop a charm at AMAZON

This review is from: The Old Curiosity Shop (DVD) Buying at AMAZON is always a great! The Old Curiosity Shop is a charming story. It isn't what I expected; I was pleasantly surprised and it is good source of entertainment. I recommend it for all ages.

(2013-05-14 03:09:45)

One of my favorites, giving as a Christmas gift

This review is from: The Old Curiosity Shop (DVD) What a treat to see Peter Ustinov. I first saw him in Quo Vadis in 1951 or 52. A very special Charles Dickens story, good for all ages.

(2013-05-14 01:33:45)

very entertaining

A good storyline of how gambling can ruin a person. Wonderful scenery and backdrop for the story

(2013-05-12 20:10:26)

Don't Expect the BBC's Bleak House or Little Dorrit

This review is from: The Old Curiosity Shop (DVD) Made for the Disney Channel in 1995, this truncated adaptation of Dickens' beloved novel benefits from a strong performance by Peter Ustinov, and a near-brilliant one by Tom Courtenay, but suffers heavily from the role of Little Nell being played by Yorkshire actress Sally Walsh. Walsh's Nell is hardly the tremulous, emotionally complicated, and ultimately unforgettable child of Dickens' imagination, and without that emotional center the film is only modestly gripping and Nell herself is just an inscrutable bundle of bland "can-do" perkiness. The cinematography has the inevitable flatness of a made-for-TV movie: too much light, too little atmosphere. There isn't a memorable image in the entire three-hour movie -- which is shocking for anything based on Dickens. Still, it's a moderately enjoyable time-killer. Just don't buy it with the expectation of experiencing anything like the BBC's recent Bleak House or Little Dorrit.

(2013-05-12 02:16:17)

Fine movie, but terrible video quality in the dvd version

I previously owned this movie on VHS tape. I watched it several times, played it for friends, and enjoyed it thoroughly. I never read the book, but I suspect this is a good adaptation. It's long enough to contain a lot of detail and subplot. I especially like Tom Courtenay's over-the-top portrayal of the villain Quilp. Peter Ustinov, Edward Fox (in a small role as Ustinov's brother), and the girl who plays Little Nell are also very good. Many small roles are memorably acted. If you like Dickens and period pieces, it's a very good show.I then purchased this movie on DVD to keep it in my collection, and I was very disappointed. The video quality is far inferior to that of the earlier VHS tape. Having experienced the VHS version, I consider the DVD version unwatchable. Basically, they took a long movie and squeezed it onto a single disc. A pity!

keith-moyes-656-481491

(2013-05-05 17:11:23)

Bright and Breezy

Despite the weaknesses of the book, I have long wanted to see a reallygood adaptation of The Old Curiosity Shop.This is not it.It was shot in Ireland with a largely local cast and crew, but it isDisney through and through.The production design is mediocre. Nothing looks quite right or quitein period. The sets are all too raw and new and because nothing wasproperly aged, even the dank alleys and crumbling wharves of VictorianLondon look too clean and pristine. The cinematography doesn't help.The whole film is flooded with light and there is too little contrastbetween the grimy gloom of the city and the freshness and vibrancy ofthe countryside. Overall, it is one of the least atmospheric Dickensadaptations I have seen.The director, Kevin Connor, was obviously under instructions to keepthe tone fairly light and he tends to downplay the menace and dangerand anguish of many of the scenes. He does have fun with the dreamsequences and these scenes give a glimpse of what the whole film mighthave looked like if Connor had been given a free hand to direct it inhis own way.It also seems to have been made very quickly and on a tight budget. Itwas shot on film as a TV movie, but the staging is very simple withmany scenes shot through the 'fourth wall', few camera set ups and aminimum of cutting, so it looks like a videotape recording. I evennoticed a couple of fluffed lines that were probably left in to avoidthe expense of retakes.The screenplay is a reasonable condensation of the novel. Thepicaresque, episodic story needs plenty of time if it is to develop atthe right pace, but even at three hours this film sometimes feels a bithurried. For example, the sequence with the kind schoolmaster passes soquickly that the character barely registers, which is unfortunate,because he later reappears to play an important role in the story. As Iremember, the 1979 BBC version was over an hour longer and even thatfelt a bit too short.This production is not particularly well served by the actors. Somegive typically ripe 'Dickensian' performances (Julia McKenzie, AdamBlackwood, Christopher Ettridge) and these sometimes seem a bit stagyand archaic, especially as some of the key characters are actuallyunderplayed.For example, Tom Courtney is a good Quilp but has clearly beeninstructed to stay away from the 'twisted dwarf' aspect of thecharacter. I like his performance but it could do with a bit more ofthe demonic energy of Trevor Peacock in the 1979 version.Sally Walsh is fairly restrained as Nell. She manages to steer clear ofthe sickly sweetness of the character, but at a cost. Her placid,undemonstrative performance is ultimately just too calm and toocomposed. I would like to say her performance is subtle and understatedbut, in truth, it is just bland.James Fox simply walks through his scenes, probably because that is allhe is capable of doing.Peter Ustinov is wretched. No surprises there. He is a classic ham. Idon't mean he overacts here; merely that everything he does is bogus.His Grandfather is just a succession of shallow tricks drawn from hisover-familiar repertoire. In the right context, Ustinov can be fun andhis tricks have enlivened some poor movies, but this part requires aperformance not a show. However, my real objection to him is the way heseems to upstage young Sally Walsh; treading on her lines andcontinually drawing attention away from her with his characteristicburbling, murmuring and fluttering.I realise I am probably being too hard on this production because I hadhoped it was going to be better. It is actually a reasonably accurateand faithful telling of the story and a good introduction to the bookfor people who have not yet read it. There are no other versions thatare significantly better. I do slightly prefer the darker and morecomprehensive BBC version, but it has major flaws of it own and Icannot really argue it is superior to this one.The real problem with this Old Curiosity Shop is that the bright andbreezy production has no personality or viewpoint of its own and feelstoo safe and too untroubled. You hardly notice that it all ends intragedy. The death of Little Nell, famously mocked by Oscar Wilde, istreated so discreetly that I felt they might just as well have ditchedthe Dickens ending and let her live.The best (and worst) I can say of this production is that it isharmless.But Dickens is not harmless. Nor are his books meant for children, sothey are probably not suitable material for release under the Disneybrand.If Disney had handed this project over to Miramax or Touchstone andmade it for general sale, rather than for showing on the DisneyChannel, I suspect it would have ended up looking very different fromthis.It might even have been the version I have been waiting for.

Mark Bricker

(2013-05-05 14:48:31)

Excellent adaptation

I rented this video mistakenly believing that it was a Masterpiece Theateroffering. Initially, I was disappointed to see in the credits that itcamefrom the Disney Channel. But only 15 minutes into the story, I realizedthat this was an excellent adaptation of Dicken's story. The periodatmosphere was excellent, as were the costumes and sets. The acting wasfirst-rate, particularly that of Tom Courtney as Quilp and Sally Walsh asLittle Nell. Both of these parts could have been played too broadly bylessaccomplished actors. Sally Walsh's role could have easily become cloying,but she played it with radiant innocence. The villain, Quilp, might wellhave turned into a scenery-chewing, comic overstatement played by anyonebutCourtney. I highly recommend this mini-series to anyone who enjoys filmadaptations of 19th century British novels.

keith-moyes-656-481491

(2013-05-04 23:53:45)

Bright and Breezy

Despite the weaknesses of the book, I have long wanted to see a reallygood adaptation of The Old Curiosity Shop.This is not it.It was shot in Ireland with a largely local cast and crew, but it isDisney through and through.The production design is mediocre. Nothing looks quite right or quitein period. The sets are all too raw and new and because nothing wasproperly aged, even the dank alleys and crumbling wharves of VictorianLondon look too clean and pristine. The cinematography doesn't help.The whole film is flooded with light and there is too little contrastbetween the grimy gloom of the city and the freshness and vibrancy ofthe countryside. Overall, it is one of the least atmospheric Dickensadaptations I have seen.The director, Kevin Connor, was obviously under instructions to keepthe tone fairly light and he tends to downplay the menace and dangerand anguish of many of the scenes. He does have fun with the dreamsequences and these scenes give a glimpse of what the whole film mighthave looked like if Connor had been given a free hand to direct it inhis own way.It also seems to have been made very quickly and on a tight budget. Itwas shot on film as a TV movie, but the staging is very simple withmany scenes shot through the 'fourth wall', few camera set ups and aminimum of cutting, so it looks like a videotape recording. I evennoticed a couple of fluffed lines that were probably left in to avoidthe expense of retakes.The screenplay is a reasonable condensation of the novel. Thepicaresque, episodic story needs plenty of time if it is to develop atthe right pace, but even at three hours this film sometimes feels a bithurried. For example, the sequence with the kind schoolmaster passes soquickly that the character barely registers, which is unfortunate,because he later reappears to play an important role in the story. As Iremember, the 1979 BBC version was over an hour longer and even thatfelt a bit too short.This production is not particularly well served by the actors. Somegive typically ripe 'Dickensian' performances (Julia McKenzie, AdamBlackwood, Christopher Ettridge) and these sometimes seem a bit stagyand archaic, especially as some of the key characters are actuallyunderplayed.For example, Tom Courtney is a good Quilp but has clearly beeninstructed to stay away from the 'twisted dwarf' aspect of thecharacter. I like his performance but it could do with a bit more ofthe demonic energy of Trevor Peacock in the 1979 version.Sally Walsh is fairly restrained as Nell. She manages to steer clear ofthe sickly sweetness of the character, but at a cost. Her placid,undemonstrative performance is ultimately just too calm and toocomposed. I would like to say her performance is subtle and understatedbut, in truth, it is just bland.James Fox simply walks through his scenes, probably because that is allhe is capable of doing.Peter Ustinov is wretched. No surprises there. He is a classic ham. Idon't mean he overacts here; merely that everything he does is bogus.His Grandfather is just a succession of shallow tricks drawn from hisover-familiar repertoire. In the right context, Ustinov can be fun andhis tricks have enlivened some poor movies, but this part requires aperformance not a show. However, my real objection to him is the way heseems to upstage young Sally Walsh; treading on her lines andcontinually drawing attention away from her with his characteristicburbling, murmuring and fluttering.I realise I am probably being too hard on this production because I hadhoped it was going to be better. It is actually a reasonably accurateand faithful telling of the story and a good introduction to the bookfor people who have not yet read it. There are no other versions thatare significantly better. I do slightly prefer the darker and morecomprehensive BBC version, but it has major flaws of it own and Icannot really argue it is superior to this one.The real problem with this Old Curiosity Shop is that the bright andbreezy production has no personality or viewpoint of its own and feelstoo safe and too untroubled. You hardly notice that it all ends intragedy. The death of Little Nell, famously mocked by Oscar Wilde, istreated so discreetly that I felt they might just as well have ditchedDickens's ending and let her live.The best (and worst) I can say of this production is that it isharmless.But Dickens is not harmless. Nor are his books meant for children, sothey are probably not suitable material for release under the Disneybrand.If Disney had handed this project over to Miramax or Touchstone andmade it for general sale, rather than for showing on the DisneyChannel, I suspect it would have ended up looking very different fromthis.It might even have been the version I have been waiting for.

(2013-05-04 16:38:52)

The Old Curiosity Shop + Voyage of the Unicorn

I found The Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens well acted, and I enjoyed the story; I didn't care for the ending however. It is rather long, so it is a good movie for a rainy afternoon.As I enjoy fantasies, I also enjoyed the Voyage of the Unicorn. It wasn't overly violent, had no bad language, and was sprinkled with humor. A father and his two daughters thrown into a fantasy world while trying to put their lives back together after the death of his wife and their mother.

(2013-05-01 16:05:12)

Bad copy

This review is from: The Old Curiosity Shop (DVD) I was disappointed in the quality of this DVD.. It was grainy and the colors were not defined.

(2013-05-01 11:01:56)

Did not hold my attention

This review is from: The Old Curiosity Shop (DVD) There was something about this which did not quite hit the mark for me. It was not as good as the book, and did not very well hold my attention. Peter Ustinov was OK, but even his performance did not seem up to what I have come to expect of him. There was some good set design, and some good footage of the English countryside, but I am not sure I would recommend this as a "buy".

keith-moyes-656-481491

(2013-04-30 04:38:24)

Bright and Breezy

Despite the weaknesses of the book, I have long wanted to see a reallygood adaptation of The Old Curiosity Shop.This is not it.It was shot in Ireland with a largely local cast and crew, but it isDisney through and through.The production design is mediocre. Nothing looks quite right or quitein period. The sets are all too raw and new and because nothing wasproperly aged, even the dank alleys and crumbling wharves of VictorianLondon look too clean and pristine. The cinematography doesn't help.The whole film is flooded with light and there is too little contrastbetween the grimy gloom of the city and the freshness and vibrancy ofthe countryside. Overall, it is one of the least atmospheric Dickensadaptations I have seen.The director, Kevin Connor, was obviously under instructions to keepthe tone fairly light and he tends to downplay the menace and dangerand anguish of many of the scenes. He does have fun with the dreamsequences and these scenes give a glimpse of what the whole film mighthave looked like if Connor had been given a free hand to direct it inhis own way.It also seems to have been made very quickly and on a tight budget. Itwas shot on film as a TV movie, but the staging is very simple withmany scenes shot through the 'fourth wall', few camera set ups and aminimum of cutting, so it looks like a videotape recording. I evennoticed a couple of fluffed lines that were probably left in to avoidthe expense of retakes.The screenplay is a reasonable condensation of the novel. Thepicaresque, episodic story needs plenty of time if it is to develop atthe right pace, but even at three hours this film sometimes feels a bithurried. For example, the sequence with the kind schoolmaster passes soquickly that the character barely registers, which is unfortunate,because he later reappears to play an important role in the story. As Iremember, the 1979 BBC version was over an hour longer and even thatfelt a bit too short.This production is not particularly well served by the actors. Somegive typically ripe 'Dickensian' performances (Julia McKenzie, AdamBlackwood, Christopher Ettridge) and these sometimes seem a bit stagyand archaic, especially as some of the key characters are actuallyunderplayed.For example, Tom Courtney is a good Quilp but has clearly beeninstructed to stay away from the 'twisted dwarf' aspect of thecharacter. I like his performance but it could do with a bit more ofthe demonic energy of Trevor Peacock in the 1979 version.Sally Walsh is fairly restrained as Nell. She manages to steer clear ofthe sickly sweetness of the character, but at a cost. Her placid,undemonstrative performance is ultimately just too calm and toocomposed. I would like to say her performance is subtle and understatedbut, in truth, it is just bland.James Fox simply walks through his scenes, probably because that is allhe is capable of doing.Peter Ustinov is wretched. No surprises there. He is a classic ham. Idon't mean he overacts here; merely that everything he does is bogus.His Grandfather is just a succession of shallow tricks drawn from hisover-familiar repertoire. In the right context, Ustinov can be fun andhis tricks have enlivened some poor movies, but this part requires aperformance not a show. However, my real objection to him is the way heseems to upstage young Sally Walsh; treading on her lines andcontinually drawing attention away from her with his characteristicburbling, murmuring and fluttering.I realise I am probably being too hard on this production because I hadhoped it was going to be better. If I am honest, it is actually areasonably accurate and faithful telling of the story and a goodintroduction to the book for people who have not yet read it. There areno other versions that are significantly better. I do slightly preferthe darker and more comprehensive BBC version, but it has flaws of itown and I cannot really argue it is especially better than this one.The real problem with this Old Curiosity Shop is that the bright andbreezy production has no personality or viewpoint of its own and feelstoo safe and too untroubled. You hardly notice that it all ends intragedy. The death of Little Nell, famously mocked by Oscar Wilde, istreated so discreetly that I felt they might just as well have ditchedthe Dickens ending and let her live.The best (and worst) I can say of this production is that it isharmless.But Dickens is not harmless and his books are not meant for children,so they are probably not suitable material for release under the Disneybrand.If Disney had handed this project over to Miramax or Touchstone andmade it for general sale, rather than for showing on the DisneyChannel, I suspect it would have ended up looking very different fromthis.It might even have been the version I have been waiting for.PS: I cannot change my reaction to this production, but my speculationabout what went wrong has now been called into question. I have justwatched Kevin Connor's Great Expectations. It is a very faithful andcomprehensive adaptation of the book and one of the best acted and mostatmospheric Dickens dramas I have seen.It was produced by Disney.

Thomas HonorГѓВ© Nielsen

(2013-04-29 14:20:35)

Dickens as Dickens should be

This TV series is really brilliant and more over not as sobbing as Dickensoften tend to become. Peter Ustinov is almost a guarantee of success butactually it is Tom Courtenay as Daniel Quilp who makes this rendition of adramatic tale outstanding. He is nothing less than excellent. His facialexpressions are as vivid as Tom Cruise's are not, not to mention hishobgoblin' about.Should you get the opportunity to see it, please don't rob yourself of anexquisite piece of drama.