The Charles Dickens Classic.
This is the classic adaptation of Charles Dickens' novel, starring Dickie Moore, the most popular child star of the 1930s. Oliver Twist is a poor orphan boy in 1830s London, wretched and abused by his workhouse master. When he flees the orphanage, he stumbles into the clutches of a gang of thieves, pick-pockets, and worse in London's seedy inner city where Dickens' most notorious villain, Fagin (Irving Pichel), resides. Fagin threatens to lead little Oliver into a life of crime and deprivation, but in true Dickensian style our tiny hero fights back. With the help of a kind benefactor, Mr. Brownlow (Alec B. Francis) justice will prevail once more for Oliver, but not before he has to learn some hard lessons. Directed by William J. Cowen, this is the quintessential version of Dickens' most enduring novel and a sure favorite for young and old alike.
Editor's Note
This is the first film version of the Dickens's 1839 classic. It is 19th-century England and an unknown girl tragically dies during childbirth. Her orphaned boy, Oliver, spends his childhood in the workhouse, treated harshly at the hands of the parish authorities. He eventually runs away to London where he meets Fagin, an old criminal who controls a gang of young thieves and introduces Oliver to a life of crime and corruption. The heartwarming conclusion is filled with unexpected twists.
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