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DVD : Nicholas Nickleby [2003] .
Rating: 
- Almost perfect Nicholas
This came as a bit of a surprise, suffice it to say, due to the photo used on the cover. I expected less but was so pleasantly surprised!
I read Nicholas Nickleby years ago and have no plans to read it in the near future. That said, I had forgotten much of the story. It is obvious, though, that even without remembering much of the book nor the story, there is much that has been left out of the movie. No matter. What is left here is perfect. Although we may never know why Ralph Nickleby lost his ten thousand pounds just by watching the film, we understand that there must have been some behind-the-scenes scheming going on and that's perfectly fine.
Although definitely a drama, the comedic elements work so well here to lighten the desperate dark Dickensian times.
The film is perfectly cast. Charlie Hunnam as Nicholas is delightful-- moral, upright, brave. Christopher Plummer was unbelievable. Although he's not seen too much of late, it's great to see him in such a plumb role here. He's marvelous-- nasty and cruel with a small amount of humanity left in him (very small and easy to dismiss) to make him extremely complex rather than a caricature. Nathan Lane was a scene stealer and added a large dose of much needed relief from the darkness. And Jim Broadbent and Juliet Stevenson were incredible-- Juliet Stevenson especially. She delivered each of her lines with perfection. At one point, her husband, the evil Mr. Squeers, tells her that she alone could take away any man's pride more quickly than anyone else in England. Recognizing the statement for the compliment it was meant to be, she responds adoringly.
I cannot recommend this highly enough. Highly watchable! And, for younger viewers (not too young, maybe 10 and up), this is a great intro to Dickens, too.
Rating: - charlie
this film is well worth a watch just 4 charlie i really enjoyed it charlie your lovely x please buy this dvd u wont be dissapointed trust me
Rating:
- Douglas McGrath Nicholas Nickleby is the Better Version
This is the better version to watch and have in your private collection. It has all the elements without going over the top. All the actors do a fine job and a always enjoy Anne Hathaway.
I would enjoy watching this version over John Dellimore version of Nicholas Nickleby anytime.
Rating: - Virtue - and audiences - rewarded
Despite being overlooked on release, Douglas McGrath's wonderful 2002 version of Dickens' tale of good rewarded captures both the feel and the sound of Dickens remarkably well. This world is indeed lived in, and the characters are vividly realised. The underplayed theatricality of Nathan Lane's opening and closing narration, allied to a strong sense of the cinematic sets the perfect tone right from the start, and its reprise at the ending is almost a well-deserved bow from the filmmakers.
It's even good enough to overcome the void at its center that is Charlie Hunnam, clearly cast for his looks since acting isn't a strong point. Indeed, it's bizarre that in a film with so many Americans, Canadians and Australians in its cast, the most unconvincing accent comes from a Brit, but Geordie Hunnam's curiously Scouse accent sticks out like a sore thumb, not only at odds with the rest of his family but also making him sound like a bored Beatle throughout - a kind of benign George Harrison without the `tache or the personality.
Thankfully his blandness is more than compensated for by some excellent work by Christopher Plummer's villainous uncle, avoiding the usual caricature the role inspires, and Jim Broadbent, Juliet Stevenson and Heather Goldenhersch (boasting such a perfect English accent I was surprised to find she was American) as the hideous Squeers family, embracing it and pulling it off magnificently, while Nathan Lane and Dame Edna Everidge are truly inspired casting as the open-hearted but financially challenged theatricals Mr and Mrs Crummles. There's fine work from Timothy Spall, Tom Courtenay, Phil Davis and, most surprising of all, even Edward Fox as well. It doesn't avoid the sentimentality but manages to turn it into genuine emotion, not least because no-one falls into the trap of wildly overplaying - even Dame Edna.
All in all an unexpectedly delightful, genuinely likeable, sincerely heartwarming film that deserved more success than it found - but as Mrs Crummles notes, in the great struggle between "those aged combatants art and commerce... art, it would appear from the receipts, is in its usual position of jeopardy."
Rating: - The BBC version is better
The 1977 BBC adaptation of Nicholas Nickleby, starring Nigel Havers, is better than this one in every way, with two exceptions: (1) at 325 minutes, the BBC version is much longer; and (2) while both stars are easy on the eyes, Charlie Hunnam is even cuter than Nigel Havers, and has a shirtless scene.
Hunnam is not a bad actor. He was excellent in Green Street Hooligans. But he does seem miscast, or poorly directed, as Nicholas Nickleby: he comes across as too tough, too soon. Nigel Havers captured the character's wide-eyed naivete perfectly; he's all gentlemanly sweetness until he can't take it anymore. I also couldn't help noticing that Hunnam has an accent of some kind that makes him sound ever so slightly like Elmer Fudd. As an American I don't have a finely tuned ear for these things, but while Hunnam's speech sounded perfectly natural in Green Street, it sounded less so in this movie.
The BBC version is also more faithful to the book. This one takes all kinds of liberties. Arguably this was necessary to cut the length down to two hours, but some scenes aren't shorter, they're just different. For example, in the book (and in the BBC version), when Wackford Squeers starts beating the crippled boy and Nicholas intervenes, Squeers strikes Nicholas in the face with his cane, and his wife and kids join the fight. In this version, Squeers, cringing and helpless, is unaided by his family - and this after the wife has threatened, in an earlier scene, to "fall out" with Nicholas "in a way that will spoil your beauty." It doesn't make sense.
If it's Dickens you're after, stick with the BBC. This version isn't bad, though, and the acting is decent all around. Standouts include Nathan Lane as Vincent Crummles, Juliet Stevenson as Mrs. Squeers, and Jamie Bell as Smike. And Dame Edna was a fun choice for Mrs. Crummles.
- Almost perfect NicholasThis came as a bit of a surprise, suffice it to say, due to the photo used on the cover. I expected less but was so pleasantly surprised!
I read Nicholas Nickleby years ago and have no plans to read it in the near future. That said, I had forgotten much of the story. It is obvious, though, that even without remembering much of the book nor the story, there is much that has been left out of the movie. No matter. What is left here is perfect. Although we may never know why Ralph Nickleby lost his ten thousand pounds just by watching the film, we understand that there must have been some behind-the-scenes scheming going on and that's perfectly fine.
Although definitely a drama, the comedic elements work so well here to lighten the desperate dark Dickensian times.
The film is perfectly cast. Charlie Hunnam as Nicholas is delightful-- moral, upright, brave. Christopher Plummer was unbelievable. Although he's not seen too much of late, it's great to see him in such a plumb role here. He's marvelous-- nasty and cruel with a small amount of humanity left in him (very small and easy to dismiss) to make him extremely complex rather than a caricature. Nathan Lane was a scene stealer and added a large dose of much needed relief from the darkness. And Jim Broadbent and Juliet Stevenson were incredible-- Juliet Stevenson especially. She delivered each of her lines with perfection. At one point, her husband, the evil Mr. Squeers, tells her that she alone could take away any man's pride more quickly than anyone else in England. Recognizing the statement for the compliment it was meant to be, she responds adoringly.
I cannot recommend this highly enough. Highly watchable! And, for younger viewers (not too young, maybe 10 and up), this is a great intro to Dickens, too.
Rating:
- charlie this film is well worth a watch just 4 charlie i really enjoyed it charlie your lovely x please buy this dvd u wont be dissapointed trust me
Rating:
- Douglas McGrath Nicholas Nickleby is the Better VersionThis is the better version to watch and have in your private collection. It has all the elements without going over the top. All the actors do a fine job and a always enjoy Anne Hathaway.
I would enjoy watching this version over John Dellimore version of Nicholas Nickleby anytime.
Rating:
- Virtue - and audiences - rewardedDespite being overlooked on release, Douglas McGrath's wonderful 2002 version of Dickens' tale of good rewarded captures both the feel and the sound of Dickens remarkably well. This world is indeed lived in, and the characters are vividly realised. The underplayed theatricality of Nathan Lane's opening and closing narration, allied to a strong sense of the cinematic sets the perfect tone right from the start, and its reprise at the ending is almost a well-deserved bow from the filmmakers.
It's even good enough to overcome the void at its center that is Charlie Hunnam, clearly cast for his looks since acting isn't a strong point. Indeed, it's bizarre that in a film with so many Americans, Canadians and Australians in its cast, the most unconvincing accent comes from a Brit, but Geordie Hunnam's curiously Scouse accent sticks out like a sore thumb, not only at odds with the rest of his family but also making him sound like a bored Beatle throughout - a kind of benign George Harrison without the `tache or the personality.
Thankfully his blandness is more than compensated for by some excellent work by Christopher Plummer's villainous uncle, avoiding the usual caricature the role inspires, and Jim Broadbent, Juliet Stevenson and Heather Goldenhersch (boasting such a perfect English accent I was surprised to find she was American) as the hideous Squeers family, embracing it and pulling it off magnificently, while Nathan Lane and Dame Edna Everidge are truly inspired casting as the open-hearted but financially challenged theatricals Mr and Mrs Crummles. There's fine work from Timothy Spall, Tom Courtenay, Phil Davis and, most surprising of all, even Edward Fox as well. It doesn't avoid the sentimentality but manages to turn it into genuine emotion, not least because no-one falls into the trap of wildly overplaying - even Dame Edna.
All in all an unexpectedly delightful, genuinely likeable, sincerely heartwarming film that deserved more success than it found - but as Mrs Crummles notes, in the great struggle between "those aged combatants art and commerce... art, it would appear from the receipts, is in its usual position of jeopardy."
Rating:
- The BBC version is betterThe 1977 BBC adaptation of Nicholas Nickleby, starring Nigel Havers, is better than this one in every way, with two exceptions: (1) at 325 minutes, the BBC version is much longer; and (2) while both stars are easy on the eyes, Charlie Hunnam is even cuter than Nigel Havers, and has a shirtless scene.
Hunnam is not a bad actor. He was excellent in Green Street Hooligans. But he does seem miscast, or poorly directed, as Nicholas Nickleby: he comes across as too tough, too soon. Nigel Havers captured the character's wide-eyed naivete perfectly; he's all gentlemanly sweetness until he can't take it anymore. I also couldn't help noticing that Hunnam has an accent of some kind that makes him sound ever so slightly like Elmer Fudd. As an American I don't have a finely tuned ear for these things, but while Hunnam's speech sounded perfectly natural in Green Street, it sounded less so in this movie.
The BBC version is also more faithful to the book. This one takes all kinds of liberties. Arguably this was necessary to cut the length down to two hours, but some scenes aren't shorter, they're just different. For example, in the book (and in the BBC version), when Wackford Squeers starts beating the crippled boy and Nicholas intervenes, Squeers strikes Nicholas in the face with his cane, and his wife and kids join the fight. In this version, Squeers, cringing and helpless, is unaided by his family - and this after the wife has threatened, in an earlier scene, to "fall out" with Nicholas "in a way that will spoil your beauty." It doesn't make sense.
If it's Dickens you're after, stick with the BBC. This version isn't bad, though, and the acting is decent all around. Standouts include Nathan Lane as Vincent Crummles, Juliet Stevenson as Mrs. Squeers, and Jamie Bell as Smike. And Dame Edna was a fun choice for Mrs. Crummles.
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