For me, David Lean's film is still the best version of Charles Dickens' great novel. However, while flawed this 1933 version is worth seeing at least for curiosity value. It is too short at 70 minutes, and feels rather rushed narratively. Dickie Moore is cute as Oliver but looks comfortable and his performance consists of a lot of overdone facial expressions. I also didn't find the performance of Artful Dodger very believable either, Sonny Ray might have made a good Fagin but he is too old as Dodger. However, while slightly stagey at times dramatically, it is hardly cheaply rendered visually. And there are a handful of good performances. Lionel Belmore is a decent Mr Bumble, if never really erasing memories of Harry Secombe and Francis L. Sullivan, and Alec B. Francis a humble Mr Brownlow. But the three best performances are Doris Lloyd as a hard-edged but vulnerable Nancy, William Boyd as a frightening Bill Sykes and Irving Pichel as a suitably oily Fagin. So all in all, not one of my favourite Dickens, but better than anticipated, better than the 1934 version of Jane Eyre anyhow. 6/10 Bethany Cox
Review of Oliver Twist
