The Old Curiosity Shop

It is almost three hours long but well worth every minute of it. Seldom has a novel by Dickens been so meticuliysly broght to life on film with such faithful adherence to the text. Dickens is always good if not outstandingly excellent, you can always rely on his stories, and therefore there are only successful screenings of his novels - they are like Shakespeare's plays impossible to fail in. The question is who makes the best performance here, as they are all excellent, but I think the price still goes to Tom Courtenay as the terrible Quilp, whom he succeeds in rendering even more ghastlty and abominable than he is already in the novel, as Courtenay adds so much to the character with his hypocrisy and cringing manners of outrageous guile that the interpretation becomes a masterpiece of acting. Peter Ustinov as the grandfather addicted to card gambling is also outstanding, like of course Sally Walsh as little Nell. All the other characters are more than execellent also. To this comes the heart-warming photography following the pilhgrims on their wanderings all over western England, choosing all the finest villages and landscapes on the way, to culminate in reaching the sea. It is an all around exquisite film and certanily one of the best Dickens adaptations ever, even if it is only for television.

This is one of the most charming and family-friendly Dickens adaptations I have ever seen, and I have seen almost all of them over many years of effort. The only other Dickens which have this family movie type atmosphere are versions of Oliver Twist and Christmas Carol, most of his others don't get such a treatment. But I think Old Curiosity Shop works so well in a family oriented version. It has the lovely young girl (Nell) and her grandfather for young people to get behind, and an abject and characitaured villain in Quilp who everyone loves to see the downfall of. In reality though the novel ends quite tragically, showing the audience the harsh realities of the times in which the story is set. This version does partially romanticise the ending and cuts a little out. This is fine for what else it has achieved.

Everything about this Movie version is superb! Actors, Scenics, Dialogue, Costumes and sets is is of top quality. While all the characters are excellent, Tom Courtenay's Quilp is the show stopper! This has got to be the very pinnacle of Dickens Film productions.

I rented this video mistakenly believing that it was a Masterpiece Theater offering. Initially, I was disappointed to see in the credits that it came from the Disney Channel. But only 15 minutes into the story, I realized that this was an excellent adaptation of Dicken's story. The period atmosphere was excellent, as were the costumes and sets. The acting was first-rate, particularly that of Tom Courtney as Quilp and Sally Walsh as Little Nell. Both of these parts could have been played too broadly by less accomplished actors. Sally Walsh's role could have easily become cloying, but she played it with radiant innocence. The villain, Quilp, might well have turned into a scenery-chewing, comic overstatement played by anyone but Courtney. I highly recommend this mini-series to anyone who enjoys film adaptations of 19th century British novels.

An owner of a curiosity shop loses it by gambling away money borrowed from an evil being, Daniel Quilp. The Made for T. V. movie starts up after this fact at the time Quilp (knowing the owner is old and senile can be put into an asylum) is hunting the grandfather for the fun of torturing him and giving false hope of riches to his acquaintances.

You cannot properly distill a serial that was made into a book and now into a quick 135-minute movie (screenplay by John Goldsmith.) So, I cannot blame them completely for cutting out the purpose of the story, but they did not have to make it all sugary and sweet. John Goldsmith

A few new things have been added or corrupted to be sure that it plays well on the screen. However, doing so has distracted again from the essence of the original story that has kept people spellbound through the years. The original was more of a serial and the Harry Potter of its time.

While Peter Ustinov made a good stab at the original grandfather, most of the other actors were a pale reflection of the originals in the book.

Well, Jonathan Coy as Rev. Pratchett makes a good speech about "Don't you see, there is nothing innocent or good that dies and is forgotten. We must hold to that faith or none'" It is close to the book where on that occasion the schoolmaster persuades her that "There is nothing, no, nothing innocent or good, that dies, and is forgotten;" its "blessed work" persists.

I wonder what is missing from this presentation as there is a version 3 hr. 4 min (184 min) (2 parts). A little further investigation leads me to believe the DVD is only the second half of the movie. And if you have not read the book, you can get lost.

The case says Eco Bridge home entertainment (2013) 188 minutes.

It lies.

The Aspect Ratio 1.33: 1 Filming location Ardmore Studios Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland 1994.