Nicholas Nickleby (Special Edition)
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Movie Reviews of Nicholas Nickleby (Special Edition)
Movie Review: Delectable Dickens
Summary: 5 Stars
Going by the comments I've read it is not advisable to view this film if you're not a Dickens fan. You are likely to find many characters absurd and unbelievable, and plotlines ridiculously convoluted. They are - that's Dickens for you. But if you are a fan (I am) I think you will like this production very much. I only knew Nickleby from the excellent 1977 TV adaptation starring Nigel Havers, so I can't judge how true this version is to the book. But the atmosphere is thoroughly Dickensian: a colourful mix of comedy and tragedy played out by an equally colourful and engaging cast of characters. It seems to me McGrath's stylistic approach is well suited to Dickens's larger than life story (his earlier adaptation of Austen's far more subtle and subdued "Emma" I found somewhat slick and overly technicoloured). Extravagant scenes like those in Mr Crummles's traveling theatre company are brought to life with relish, and only deepen the sense of squalor surrounding the Squeeres's Yorkshire school and the gloom, evilness, and eventual tragedy suffusing the sphere of Uncle Ralph.
I've seen reviewers complain about Hunnam's title role as a serious miscast- "surfer dude lost in a period drama," said one; "delivers his lines like a schoolboy in his first play," said another. I don't agree, and found his acting just as convincing as that of other cast members - his only problem is that Nicholas exclusively represents the forces of good, which always makes for somewhat flat characterisation; but that would be Dickens's fault, not Hunnam's. In that respect it is a good thing that the scriptwriter has stressed the vengefulness of the character, gloating as he does over his uncle's downfall: it only helps to make him believable, and also to make him a powerful presence in the story rather than an impassive stander-by. Admittedly there is one rather gratuitous shirtless scene in which Hunnam displays a physique one would not likely have found in an impoverished mid-nineteenth century schoolmaster, but on the other hand: who would complain?
The rest of the cast is universally excellent, with Jamie Bell ("Billy Elliott") taking the laurels for his truly heart-rending depiction of Smike: here's one great actor in the making - the death scene is simply crushing. Christopher Plummer is fantastic as Uncle Ralph; Tom Courtenay portrays a most endearing Newman Noggs; and Edward Fox a most horrible Sir Hawke - to mention just a few. Among female roles Romola Garai stands out as a sweet and dignified Kate. The tongue-in-cheek casting of Barry Humpries (aka Dame Edna Everage, and thus credited in the end titles) as Mrs. Crummles is bound to provoke smiles.
Of course, to fit the 800+ page novel into two hours, a lot of sideplots and characters had to go. On the plus side, this keeps things moving at a pace sometimes lacking in Dickens's novels (though I was still bothered by one or two scenes that seemed to lack action; e.g., when Nicholas adminsters a well-deserved caning to Squeeres, the subtly deranged Mrs. Squeeres meekly stands by, even though she is holding a torch she might easily have used to ward off the attacker. But these are minor details).
Décor and costumes are lavish to say the least, and combine with imaginative cinematography to make this a true feast for the eyes. To top it all off there is the terrific musical score by Rachel Portman with a delightful title tune that will stay with you for days. So if you like period drama, I would say this is a must-see!
Movie Review: "The very definition of goodness."
Summary: 5 Stars
I can honestly say that "Nicholas Nickleby" is my favorite of Dickens' works. His sinister villain, his earnest, upright, innocent hero, and the beautiful Kate and their plight for financial independence from their evil uncle Ralph have the foundation of a classic. I've seen several adaptations, including the more faithful Bravo version, but I like this one the best. I believe Douglas McGrath, who tastefully brought "Emma" to the silver screen, has taken an already impressive work and improved on it. The movie moves at a nice pace without becoming drenched in melodrama or lingering over the "darker" side of the story; but neither does it shy away from the meaner aspects of Dickens' characters. Uncle Ralph, if possible, is even more wicked than Dickens wrote him. It does this in a perfectly tasteful and intelligent manner and also incorporates much if the sardonic humor found in the books, something I've found the Bravo adaptation lacks.In case you're unfamiliar with the story, the film revolves around the life of young Nicholas Nickleby and his sister Kate. Their father has died, leaving them in the hands of his older and much more financially-minded brother Ralph. Desiring to be rid of Nicholas, Ralph seeks him employment with Wackford Squeers, the owner of a boys' school in the north country. The institution puts on a good public face but is in reality a squalor where the boys are mistreated and abused while Squeers and his wife pocket what little income they can provide. While attempting to teach at this "school," Nicholas meets the crippled Smike, an orphan whom the Squeers keep on out of "the goodness of their hearts." Eventually his friendship with Smike will have a vast impact on not only his life, but that of his uncle Ralph as well.
The casting for this film is nothing short of exquisite. Douglas McGrath isn't afraid to cast British actor but American-unknown Charlie Hunnam in the lead. The young actor has a fluid intelligence in his performance and looks ideal in a period setting. Anne Hathaway ("The Princess Diaries") plays his love interest, and "Daniel Deronda's" Romola Garai is a beautiful and sweet Kate Nickleby. Throw in Christopher Plummer (whose snarling Uncle Ralph should have won an Oscar), Nicholas Rowe, Edward Fox, Jamie Bell, Nathan Lane, and Alan Cumming, and you have a well-rounded, top-notch cast. The roles are all performed with intelligence and insight, the costuming is lovely, and the script never lags.
From a family -- and indeed a Christian perspective -- I'm happy to report that McGrath's screenplay maintains the height of decency. Even when dealing with tedious and "offensive" elements, such as Sir Mulberry Hawke's pursuit of Kate, the film does its best to present the scenario in a way which won't offend mainstream audiences. There are some intense scenes at the Squeers' school, where children are flogged, but these scenes are kept to a minimum and never overly graphic. I particularly enjoyed seeing Nicholas defend the honor of Smike, Madeline, and his sister Kate. For those who haven't read the novel, the story ends with a surprising twist with little clues planted along the way to point you toward the truth. For those who do know the ending, it's handled beautifully and has great screen impact.
I was fortunate enough to see this on the big screen in a little theatre in the heart of the city while others were flocking to much bigger and less enthusiastic releases. I've looked forward to owning the DVD for a long time.
Movie Review: Delightfully humorous for such a dark tale...
Summary: 5 Stars
I love Dickens for the same reason I love Roald Dahl -- good always triumphs over evil (something we see far too little of in real life) and this adaptation of "Nicholas Nickelby" does not disappoint. Charlie Hunnam as Nicholas is wonderfully young but does not shrink from the challenges before him. Jamie Bell ("Billy Elliot") is so good as the abused and crippled Smike he makes me weep -- proving that his mesmerising performance in "Billy Elliot" was no fluke. This young man is the real thing, and I'll be first in line when his next movie ("Undertow," with Josh Lucas and Dermot Mulroney) is released. The supporting characters are flawlessly cast and add the humor needed to prevent drowning in the depressing darkness of Dickens' world. The butler to Nicholas' uncle has the most wickedly droll lines in the entire movie and will move you to fits of laughter at a couple of points.Nicholas Nickelby is a young man of nineteen when his father dies, thrusting him from his happy life into a world of grief and adversity, and leaving him responsible for the wellbeing of his young sister and his mother. Together they travel to London, accurately depicted as the dark, dreary, and even scary place it was in the nineteenth century, to seek help from their only other living relative, Nicholas' Uncle Ralph Nickelby. Ralph, very well portrayed by the always fabulous Christopher Plummer, is a cold-hearted old codger, evocative of Ebenezer Scrooge from "A Christmas Carol," interested only in furthering his own fortune any way he can, even if it means harming others. He only begrudgingly helps his dead brother's family, shipping Nicholas off to teach in a Yorkshire boys' "school" that is more like a prison camp, and obtaining employment for Nicholas' sister and mother as seamstresses. His behaviour grows even more heinous when he attempts to prostitute his niece, inviting her to his home ostensibly to act as a hostess, but in reality as a potential plaything for his lascivious business cohorts. Meanwhile, Nicholas finds himself doing the best job he can under very distressing circumstances, but eventually escapes the school, rescuing the crippled Smike and taking him under his wing.
If you've read the book you already know the rest, but out of consideration for those who don't know the story, I won't tell any more of it. This movie is beautifully photographed and visually rich; I wish I had seen it in the theatre. I highly recommend this film for anyone over six years old, although sensitive children might be disturbed by the malicious mistreatment of the students in the boys' school. It's also a great way to introduce reluctant students to the classic storytelling of Charles Dickens. I find that as a homeschooler, my own children are inspired to read far more difficult literature than they otherwise would if they have seen a really good film adaptation first.
Movie Review: Wonderful adaptation of a sweet novel.
Summary: 5 Stars
Everything about this is top notch, particularly the cast.
Charlie Hunnam is absolutely angelic as Nicholas. (Keeping in mind angels can be both comforting and fierce, as needed.) He gives a beautiful, vulnerable performance, and it's hard to drag your eyes away from him whenever he's on screen - even when he's opposite Jamie Bell or Christopher Plummer. He's just fascinating to watch, and I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot more of him in years to come. Indeed, we would have already if he weren't so choosy about his roles.
Also, I'd like to point out, he is British not American as some reviewers here have claimed. He is from Newcastle, in England.
Romola Garai is sweetly dignified as Kate and, to her credit, a bit easier to engage with than Kate is in the book. Jamie Bell is heartbreakingly authentic as Smike, as is Christopher Plummer - albeit in a very different way - as Uncle Ralph. Bell's physical transformation is moving in itself.
Alan Cumming is a delight as always, and Timothy Spall radiates goodness and happiness as Mr. Cheeryble, which is a nice change of pace from his usual roles. Heather Goldenhersh (Lina in TV's "The Class") is a wonderful, funny surprise as Fanny Squeers, and Kevin McKidd's John Browdie is hilarious. The fantastic David Bradley (lately Filch in the Harry Potter films) has a small role as Mr. Bray, too, which delighted me no end.
Amazingly, the movie does not suffer much from being under two hours long. As a fan of the book though, as well as most of the people in the cast, I wished it could have been longer. I just didn't want it to end so soon. Only the special features seemed lacking. The director's commentary was surprisingly boring. I'd have liked to see more of the cast in the cast segment and heard full-length commentary from some of them as well - particularly Hunnam, Bell or Plummer.
The sets and costumes are first rate as is the writing. I particularly enjoyed Nicholas and Madeline's scene towards the end. (Trying not to spoil it for anyone by being too specific.) Dickens leaves their conversation to the imagination, but McGrath fills it in surprisingly well. It's believable (and refreshingly open and honest) of the characters in a private moment and completely relatable for a modern audience. It's also utterly, sweetly endearing due to the performances of Charlie Hunnam and Anne Hathaway. Just a beautiful scene all around.
Lastly, and unexpectedly, this film features one of the best on screen kisses of all time. Perfect, timeless, and truly romantic.
Movie Review: Amazingly good!
Summary: 5 Stars
Being an English lit major, I don't know how I missed this movie in the theaters, but thankfully just saw the DVD -- again, and again, and again. I rarely recommend a film to my parents in no uncertain terms, but this DVD got my recommendation to them twice in the same day. This story is amazing, and the film adaptation superb.I won't bother going into the detail on the plot, since others have already done a remarkable job of that. I have an antique version of this book, which is so lengthy, it spills into a second volume.....800 pages worth! This is one long book. Anytime you adapt a novel for film, a different medium, a more concise version for the film is needed, to prevent filmgoers from a 10-hour running time. The triumph of this film is that the spirit of the book and the author Dickens are kept even while some scenes and characters must be edited out of the film. A bit of narrative at the beginning and end of the film are beautifully done and tie it up with a figurative ribbon.
The central theme in the film, while by no means the only one, is the friendship between Nicholas and Smike. How a character who has known true familial love is able to transmit that love to one who has only known despair, is probably the most heartwarming aspect of this film.
The entire film is extremely well cast. I must correct what I believe is an unfortunate slight some reviewers have given to Charlie Hunnam and Anne Hathaway. I don't know what these reviewers were looking for in these two roles. I think Charlie has given an admirable and powerful performance in the lead role: a fatherless, 19-year old who grows up to be a man. He learns to step up for himself, defend the defenseless Smike and his sister's honor, and cause Ralph Nickleby to accept responsibility for his actions. Anne Hathaway is radiant and expressive in her role, which to be honest, does not get much ink in Dickens' novel.
There are so many excellent individual contributions in this film: cinematography, set design (notice how the decisions regarding color scheme help develop the tone), costumes, music by Rachel Portman. The "making of" feature and the running commentary by Douglas McGrath on the DVD give some very valuable insight into the story, character development, and the editorial/directorial decisions he made on the film. I also loved the on-film commentary by Nathan Lane's character at the movie's conclusion, which contains some terse nuggets about life.
A superb film! I rarely purchase DVDs, however this is one I will watch for years to come.