Nicholas Nickleby (Special Edition)
by Douglas McGrath
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Alan Cumming, Anne Hathaway, Charlie Hunnam, Jamie Bell, Nathan LaneDirector: Douglas McGrath
Brand: BELL,JAMIE
Producer: Simon Channing Williams
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 5.1; English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1; French (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround; Spanish (Dubbed), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 2.35:1
Running Time: 132 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2003-07-22
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: MGM Home Entertainment
Movie Reviews of Nicholas Nickleby (Special Edition)
Movie Review: I WILL STRIKE HIM UNTIL HE CAN BE STRUCK NO MORE...
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a concise adaptation of the Charles Dickens novel of the same name. It is a quintessential Dickensian tale. A doting father and loving husband lives in the country with his beloved family. Needing money for their sustenance, he speculates with the little money that he has, at his wife's insistence, and loses all. Dying of a broken heart, he leaves his wife (Stella Gonet) and daughter, Kate (Romola Garai), in the care of his nineteen year old son, Nichols Nickleby (Charlie Hunnam). Left penniless, they are forced to seek succor from their father's cruel but wealthy brother, Ralph Nickleby (Christopher Plummer), who lives in baronial splendor in London.
When they arrive in London, Nicholas, not knowing his uncle's proclivity for cruelty, entrusts his mother and sister into his uncle's care. He allows himself, at his uncle's behest, to be sent as a schoolmaster at a Yorkshire boarding school run by Wackford Squeers (Jim Broadbent), while his sister is to be apprenticed to a dressmaker. An innocent lamb being led to the slaughter, Nicholas goes off to the school, only to find cruelty of a type that he never would have imagined. The school is a run with an iron fist by both Mr. Squeers and the love of his life, the indomitable Mrs. Squeers (Juliet Stevenson), whose idea of a good meal for the boys in their care and custody is a steady diet of brimstone and treacle. Harsh corporal punishment and a spare and unpalatable diet take their toll on the boys, who live in a state of total fear and squalor at the school.
The physical labor needed at the school is provide by a crippled, teenage orphan named Smike (Jamie Bell), a former student. It seems that payments for Smike's education and board stopped some time ago, so Mr. and Mrs. Squeers have kept him on as a sort of indentured servant, heaping every imaginable physical and emotional cruelty and privation upon this unfortunate lad. Nicholas forms a bond with Smike, befriending him in the promise and emerging as his champion, incurring Smike's enduring devotion. Together, Smike and Nicholas flee the school, emerging from darkness into light when they meet up with thespians, Vincent Crummles (Nathan Lane) and his wife, Mrs. Crummles (Barry Humphries), and their traveling band of actors.
Meanwhile in London, Kate and her mother live in penury, while Kate is fairing little better than her brother. It seems that her uncle, under the guise of being avuncular, is intentionally subjecting her to the offensive overtures of a potential client of his, the salacious Sir Mulberry Hawk (Edward Fox). Acting as procurer for his wealthy friends and potential clients, Uncle Ralph continues to put Kate into the most compromising and unpleasant of situations for one so gently brought up, treating her as if she were little more than a strumpet. Kate is beside herself with humiliation at the state to which she has been reduced and the position in which she finds herself. She manages, however, to stand up for herself to her uncle, remaining resolute in her desire to retain her dignity and her reputation.
Unbeknownst to Uncle Ralph, however, his appalled assistant, Newman Noggs (Tom Courtenay), a gentleman who has fallen upon hard times due to his penchant for liquor, has been affronted by his employer's treatment of the Nickleby family. Noggs apprises Nicholas Nickleby of all that has transpired and of his Uncle Ralph's intent to ruin them, so Nicholas seeks to avenge his family. While doing so, Nicholas makes the acquaintance of beautiful Madeline Bray (Anne Hathaway), another one of his uncle's victims. In avenging his family, Nicholas will manage to right what has gone wrong for her, as well. What follows is pure cinematic magic. This is a beautifully acted film and excellent adaptation of the Dickens novel.
Charlie Hunnam is perfectly cast as the innocent Nicholas Nickleby who initially has the wool pulled over his eyes but, when faced with the reality of his situation, rises to the forefront as an avenging angel for all who have been smitten by evil. Christopher Plummer is simply sensational as the crafty and evil uncle, Ralph Nickleby, who in an ironic plot twist has his punishment fit his crimes. Jamie Bell infuses the role of the faithful Smike with just the right amount of pathos. Jim Broadbent and Juliet Stevenson are perfectly cast as Mr. and Mrs. Squeers, the cruel and evil couple who, ironically, coo at each other, as lovebirds are wont to do. Romola Garai is excellent as the much put upon Kate. Edward Fox is terrific as the smarmy Sir Mulberry Hawk. Tom Courtenay is affecting in the role of the disgusted assistant, Newman Noggs. Anne Hathaway, finding herself among such a distinguished cast, manages to hold her own in the role of Madeline Bray, while affecting a proper English accent. Nathan Lane shines in the role of the kindly thespian, Vincent Crummles. The most inspired bit of casting, however, is that of Barry Humphries, also known as Dame Edna, in the role of the bustling Mrs. Crummles.
Director Douglas McGrath has deftly directed this film, exacting meticulous performances from his stellar cast. He has also written an excellent screenplay, as it brilliantly and succinctly adapts the Dickens novel, keeping its essence intact. This is simply a beautiful film with first class production values. It is a film that will hold great appeal for those who are fans of Charles Dickens, as well as for those who love period pieces.
Summary of Nicholas Nickleby (Special Edition)
I love Nicholas Nickleby! exclaims Roger Ebert of this vibrant tale of intrigue, passion and revenge. And what's not to love? Brisk, sparkling (Entertainment Weekly), marvelously acted (Time) and featuring as terrific an ensemble as we ve seen (The San Francisco Examiner), this Golden Globe-nominated* adaptation of Dickens masterpiece is a timeless romantic adventure you'll treasure for years! When the Nickleby family is betrayed in their hour of need, young Nicholas (Charlie Hunnam) must save the day. Join him on a remarkable journey that critics unanimously praise as a joy to watch (Leonard Maltin)!While it necessarily streamlines the Charles Dickens classic, this delightful adaptation of Nicholas Nickelby captures the essence of Dickens in all of its Victorian splendor and squalor. With Charlie Hunnam (the U.K. Queer as Folk) doing noble work in the title role, this quintessentially Dickensian tale begins with the death of Nicholas's father, and the subsequent scheme by his cruel uncle (Christopher Plummer, perfectly cast) to separate Nicholas from his now penniless sister and mother. Stuck in a squalid school run by the evil Mr. and Mrs. Squeers (Jim Broadbent, Juliet Stevenson), Nicholas escapes with his loyal friend Smike (Billy Elliott's Jamie Bell), whose lineage will determine the greedy uncle's fate. As he did with Jane Austen's Emma, writer-director Douglas McGrath has crafted a prestigious production that shifts effortlessly between comedy and tragedy without compromising its warm, inviting tone. His dialogue rings true throughout, inspiring a stellar cast including Nathan Lane, Alan Cumming, Edward Fox, and Timothy Spall. Dickens himself would almost certainly have approved. --Jeff Shannon
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