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Polanski develops dark adaptation of 'Oliver Twist'
By JEFF KORBELIK / Lincoln Journal Star
Friday, Sep 30, 2005 - 12:03:09 am CDT

Academy Award-winning director Roman Polanski rarely makes a bad film, and his adaptation of Charles Dickens’ “Oliver Twist” is no exception.

Polanski has re-teamed with “The Pianist” screenwriter Ronald Harwood to create an extremely dark adaptation, which may go down as one of the better versions of Dickens’ story.

Of course it should be dark.

Dickens’ story about an orphan boy finding his place in 19th-century London is grim. Polanski finds the right tone in costuming, lighting, art direction and cinematography to get the point across.

The child actors, led by Barney Clark’s portrayal of the title character, are adequate as is Jamie Foreman as the villainous Bill Sykes.

The most winning performance comes from the veteran Ben Kingsley, who is nearly unrecognizable as the pickpocket Fagin.

He is the movie’s center as he struggles with his own demons.

Are the children he cares for or the rings and necklaces he keeps squirreled away in a lockbox his treasures? When it comes time to decide, what will be his decision?

Of course, most of us know the answer, but watching Kingsley as Fagin wrestle with these questions is gutwrenching.

Polanski has made an artsy film laced with emotion. Fans of Dickens’ story should be happy with his adaptation.

It’s just that the story has been told so many times in so many different mediums — including the 1968 movie musical that won an Oscar for best picture — that I wonder if there will be much of an audience for it.

But I could be wrong. Because the story is so well known, and this one is so well done, it might be enough for it to draw at the box office.

Reach Jeff Korbelik at 473-7213 or jkorbelik@journalstar.com.