Nicholas Nickleby is one of the most famous - and least-read - of the novels of Charles Dickens. It's mainly through film that we know the story. It was filmed first in 1903 and has been shot again at least half-a-dozen times.
And there's no doubt that this 127-minute effort, written and directed by Charles McGrath, is one of the better attempts to bring this sprawling tale of a family's progress through adversity to the screen. It's by far the best version I've seen. For a modern reader, Dickens does pile on pathos and sentiment too thickly. But while McGrath doesn't spare us the sentiment, it seems very genuine - and is very moving.
While Nicholas Nickleby is centred around its young protagonist (played very capably by Charles Hunnam), it's really a tale shaped by two brothers - Nicholas's father, also called Nicholas, and his uncle, Ralph (Christopher Plummer).
Nicholas the elder has devoted his life to caring for and loving his family - wife, son and daughter. Ralph, on the other hand, has devoted his life to usury and greed. And when Nicholas the Elder dies, leaving his family penniless, his family must turn to Ralph for aid.
Uncle Ralph consigns young Nicholas to Dotheboy Hall, a Yorkshire boarding school, where he is to act as Usher - a combination of untrained teacher and warder. At Dotheboys, the boys are beaten and starved into submission, under the capable ministrations of the sadistic Wackford Squeers (Jim Broadbent) and his fearsome wife (Juliet Stevenson).
Here young Nicholas meets Smike (Jamie Bell), a crippled and abused boy who had been abandoned at the school as a child, and who has been working as an unpaid slave ever since. After cruelty is piled on cruelty, Nicholas has had enough. When Squeers takes up his cane to give Smike yet another beating, Nicholas seizes it, and thrashes him instead. And he escapes, with Smike, to London.
And there, in London, the young Nicholas finds that his uncle Ralph has been attempting to set his sister Kate up as little better than a whore - a titillating sweetmeat for the delectation of rich clients. And that's just part-way into this engrossing, richly-detailed tale of 19th century England.
One of the features of this adaptation is its strong casting, including our own Barry Humphries in a unique double-role, and a warm-hearted performance from Nathan Lane as the travelling theatrical entrepeneur Vincent Crummles. But the star turn comes from Christopher Plummer as Uncle Ralph. This is an extraordinarily impressive performance, of evil incarnate. The power of his acting, particularly in the closing scenes, transfigures the drama. Few other actors would be capable of acting of such intensity and depth.
All in all, this is a deeply satisfying and emotional account of a classic 19th century novel, and one which merits repeated viewings.
The anamorphic transfer is first-class, with good tonal values in both the crowded, dirty city and interior scenes, and in the contrasting vibrant, clean countryside exteriors. Colours are bold when required, but with a gentle tone overall evocative of the english landscape.
The 5.1 Dolby Digital surround has no tricked-up special effects, but paints an effective aural panorama, with great clarity of dialogue and with very effective spatial separation for atmosphere.
An audio commentary by writer/director Douglas McGrath is the only special feature; this has been well thought-out. McGrath speaks with constant reference to the screen, and his thoughts about the book and his observations about casting and the making of the movie are contantly fresh and enthusiastic.
