Oliver! (1968)

Reed's film is a treasure of universal entertainment that succeeds by focusing on compelling supporting characters like Fagin and the Artful Dodger rather than the less interesting Oliver. It is tastefully made with magnificent sets and strong performances, never stooping to cheap effects.

Ron Moody brings wit and magnificence to Fagin while Oliver Reed gives Bill Sikes dark menace. The film remains a strong child’s introduction to Dickens, buoyed by excellent supporting turns and justified Oscar wins for direction, sound and art direction.

The critic praises the unforgettable songs, art direction, and standout performances by Oliver Reed and Ron Moody, but finds the film chirpy and slight compared to the darker David Lean adaptation, questioning its Best Picture Oscar win.

The bouncy charm comes from the villains stealing the show, with strong turns from Ron Moody's Fagin, Jack Wild's Dodger, and others. Reed and the production team transform the stage musical into a lavish, boisterous film that serves as an object lesson in the uses of the medium.

The first half leans heavily on Lionel Bart’s songs and theatrical set pieces, which sometimes feel overdone on screen despite strong direction and performances. The second half succeeds more fully as the music and drama fuse, especially in the operatic final scenes with striking camerawork and tension.

Carol Reed has made a civilized, emotionally and craftily satisfying musical that treats Oliver Twist as a lyrical, macabre fable. It is easier to take than the 1948 non-musical version, with strong performances especially from Ron Moody as Fagin.

The film is an elaborate and faithful enlargement of the stage musical with marvelous sets evoking early 19th-century London. Reed's direction treats the story as a collection of set pieces, moving attention gently between big scenes while preserving a glowing innocence.

Bart’s stage hit has been adroitly opened out by Reed into a bright, shiny, heartwarming musical with lively production numbers and catchy songs. It provides sparkling family entertainment with minor faults like occasional staginess but strong ensemble performances and visual spectacle.

The film’s mix of grim subject matter and jolly musical numbers creates an uneasy ambivalence that Carol Reed’s direction does not resolve. Strong production design and some winning performances are undermined by inconsistent tone, an overly amplified soundtrack and repetitive choreography.