Martin Chuzzlewit

I was absolutely stunned by this BBC-miniseries: it's almost perfect in every way. It succeeded in producing the exact atmosphere of Dickens' novel as I recall it, with all the fine irony, the dark and the good sides of human nature, the description of the beautiful countryside as well as the ugly corners of the big city, the sumptuous costumes, I could go on and on, everything seemed to be in perfect place and exactly right.

Due credit should go to the director and of course to the writer, who did a great job in translating some 700 pages of Charles Dickens into a manageable script. The fact that the whole American section of the novel is left out, didn't bother me that much. In the book it's almost a novel within a novel, and since with the adaptation of novels of this scale one always has to make some concessions, it seemed a sensible choice to comprise the American adventure to one or two short scenes.

As to the actors, they really deserve the highest credit, it's unbelievable how a whole cast can be of such high standards. Tom Wilkinson as the hypocritical, greedy en pompous Pecksniff is absolutely great; equally good and entertaining is Pete Postlethwaite, and I also should mention Elizabeth Spriggs as the scruffy, boozing and ad-libbing Mrs. Gamp, the "nurse" who you wouldn't trust with your worst enemy let alone with a patient! Julia Sawalha (Absolutely Fabulous) and Emma Chambers (Notting Hill) as the Pecksniff-offspring are not only hilarious, but also develop their part in a very convincing and in the end touching way. On the other, more dark side of the spectrum of Dickens-characters, Keith Allen as the ominous Jonas Chuzzlewit is blood-chilling in his portrayal of a cruel and relentless son and husband. And so I could go on, until even such small parts as the spicy young Bailey (Paul Francis - how DO they get such a young kid to play so natural and easy?!).

If any, to me there's only one minor flaw in this production: the role of young Martin Chuzzlewit by Ben Walden. I don't know what to make of it. Here's a young actor with a handsome yet rather uncommon face, an awkward way of acting, and a curious, almost mumbling diction! He seemed a strange choice to play one of the major protagonists in the story. But another reviewer on this site mentioned of him, that he "casts a spell with his eyes and voice", so maybe that's another way of looking at him.

I give this production a heartfelt 10 out of 10.

Tremendous adaptation of the Dickens novel the author himself considered his best work.

Perfectly cast in every role its difficult to single out any one as best. Scofield of course is brilliant but perhaps the real standout is Phillip Franks as Tom Pinch, outwardly an odd looking man who possesses a soul of great compassion and kindness he gives an emotional heart to the entire enterprise. Set in beautifully realized surroundings with impressive attention to detail and directed so that the story never bogs down and focuses too long on any one plot thread this is perfect for any fan of the BBC or classic literature.

Martin Chuzzlewit as written by Charles Dickens becomes another of his young men who rise to success stories with a combination of their own perseverance and an unseen hand of fate which seems to be in control of destiny. Others like this are the more well known David Copperfield and Pip from Great Expectations.

There are two Martin Chuzzlewits, the first is the young Dickensian hero who is played by Ben Walden and there is grandfather Martin Chuzzlewit who is Paul Scofield who also plays his own brother Anthony Chuzzlewit.

The old Martin is one rich dude who is a doddering and miserly sort of man worried as to who might deserve the riches he's accumulated in life. Scofield has a flock of relatives who are hanging on every word and every breath hoping to find favor with the old guy. For strangely enough he's cut off young Walden and now the rest of them just think his fortune is up for grabs with his dying breath.

The worst of the Chuzzlewit relatives is a cousin named Seth Pecksniff who is an ostentatiously pious and inwardly scheming individual. He worms his way into Scofield's confidence and tries to undermine everyone else so that he and his daughters may profit. He's not above using his daughters for that end either though the daughters played by Julia Sawalha and Emma Chambers. Pecksniff is one of Dickens's most enduring if villainous characters and here he's played with full unctuousness going on all cylinders by Tom Wilkinson.

One of the daughters in fact at Wilkinson's urging marries an equally villainous cousin Jonas Chuzzlewit played by Keith Allen to further the Pecksniff fortunes. He also takes in 'students' to 'learn' architecture and he's got a lovely racket there in passing off promising student's drawings as his own work and living off the money they pay him to allegedly learn. He deals young Walden dirty that way, but most catch on to him including Walden with exception of good hearted Tom Pinch played by Philip Allen. Even he gets wise at one point.

Martin Chuzzlewit was written after Dickens had returned from an American tour and part of the novel has young Martin and a friend going to America to seek a fortune of his own. Dickens was not happy with what he saw in America and the Americans you see here are a merciless bunch of greedy film flam businessmen. That part of the novel got a short shrift in this production.

Considering how Dickens portrayed some of his own countrymen I can't really fault him for writing what he saw in the USA of the 1840s. Just the Chuzzlewit family or most of them are enough to make you gag.

This is a fine BBC productions impeccably cast and giving us a good picture of the United Kingdom of the early Victorian years. Best in the cast is Tom Wilkinson as Pecksniff. The word itself became a noun in the English language for hypocrite just mccarthyism became a synonym for slanderous accusation without proof.

When one of your characters becomes a noun, that's the greatest success you can have.

This was a novel about dishonesty. Dishonesty ranging from mild deception to robbery and murder most foul. And it is the dishonest who are the most memorable characters in the book - and in this TV adaptation. The tone too, ranges from comic to the most sombre shade. At its most comic is Sairey Gamp, grubby drunken "nurse" to the sick and helpless. Her dishonesty is as much self deception: the constant good opinion of herself held by the mysterious never to be seen "Mrs Harris" which Sairey Gamp endlessly quotes to the increasing irritation of her partner in nursing (and in drink) which leads to an explosive comic confrontation between all - three? Remarkable actor Pete Postlethwaite performs a remarkable transformation from down and out Tigg Montague to grandest of swindlers Montague Tigg, founder of The Anglo-Bengalee Assurance Company whose prospectus promises a paid up capital of "a two and as many oughts as the printer can get in the line". Dishonesty of another kind is represented by one of Dickens greatest creations: the odious sanctimonious hypocritical serial-forgiver and would be seducer Pecksniff (excellently played by Tom Wilkinson). Finally dishonesty of the blackest kind is represented by Jonas Chuzzlewit, murderer for money -with poison and bludgeon. When justice catches up with Jonas, actor Keith Allen vividly portrays a man suddenly in the shadow of the noose. In comparison the good, the prudent and the merely imprudent (Tom Pinch, Old Martin Chuzzlewit, and young Martin) are in comparison and perhaps inevitably - as in the book - a little colourless.) The silly recklessness of Mercy Pecksniff and the sour realism of her sister are particularly well brought out. Finally the dialogue - its unobtrusiveness as it goes between Dickens' original and David Lodge's own is exemplary. So too is the distinctive music - often with a loping rhythm suggestive of careful and wary footsteps.

A really excellent and entertaining production with a fine cast giving full measure to the most memorable characters and scenes. It is difficult to imagine it being bettered.

Martin Chuzzlewit is perhaps not Dickens at his best but it has the ingredients that make him such a great author in the first place and it deserves to be better known. This 1994 adaptation is fabulous in all areas, one of the best Dickens adaptations of the past 25 years. The production values are splendidly evocative, not too bleak or too squeaky clean, and the adaptation is shot with natural skill. The dialogue is very Dickenesian, with its fair share of funny and affecting parts, while the story while leaving some things out is compelling and faithful in spirit and style to Dickens, respecting his work rather than disregarding it. The pace is just right, the drama is given time to breathe but there's no signs of tedium, while as to hope from a Dickens adaptation the characterisations are rich. Of the fine performances, Tom Wilkinson dominates, a brilliant performance and he hits the arrogant and hypocritical sides of Pecksniff spot on. Phillip Franks is incredibly moving as Tom Pinch. Paul Scofield's titular character is played with splendid dottiness and the much missed Pete Postlethwaite is superb, and we also have an unforgettably hilarious Elizabeth Spriggs and Keith Allen who has never been better. All in all, an underrated book given classic treatment. 10/10 Bethany Cox