The Old Curiosity Shop

There are four adaptations of The Old Curiosity Shop out on video (not counting the cartoon), but this is the only one to see. Alone of them, it has the true Dickens style and atmosphere. Its tone is not quite that of this particular novel, however, since in the absence of the narrative hand-wringing over Little Nell's plight - despite Natalie Ogle's compelling Little Nell - the comic, ebullient side predominates, and makes the overall effect closer to that of The Pickwick Papers.

The serial is word-heavy, as usual in BBC adaptations of the period. But as often with Dickens, that's a good thing. The script retains the full color and spirit of his dialogue, and the actors have a field day with it. Unlike later versions, it tells the story almost in its entirety. And it plays the melodrama out to the fullest.

The opening scene is especially neat: a pantomime-like introduction to the central situation, described mainly through the movements of the characters. It's as close as can be to a silent melodrama of the 1920s - as is perfectly appropriate. This impression is reinforced by the evocative theme, which calls to mind equally a theater organ and a calliope.

Again, with the pathos reduced, the story becomes more of a comic melodrama than it was in the book. But perhaps that was inevitable anyhow, given that the most vigorous characters are the comic villains. Note that I said "most" vigorous: _every_one in this rendition, even Little Nell's declining grandfather, seems to pursue life with twice as much energy as normal people ever could: part of what engenders the true Dickens feeling.

This production is the only one to present Quilp as something close to the diabolical monster he was - always railing, seething, chortling over the wrongs he does others. Trevor Peacock gives a good, strong reading of the character that almost encompasses the breadth of his excesses, the depth of his depravities. Later versions try to make him a more realistic character, which he isn't and can never be. Also, in a misplaced bow to political correctness, they minimize or eliminate his deformities. The serial shows them - as best it can, lacking an actual dwarf. Peacock gives him a crookback and crooked legs so that he only stands half as tall as everyone else (making doubly funny the reference to him as "a _species_ of dwarf"); the contrast is quite effective.

Unfortunately, in another respect Peacock is hampered visually. He doesn't have the face of a Quilp (unlike e.g. Andy Serkis, who played the similarly fiendish Blandois in the more recent production of Little Dorrit), he's more a Bill Sikes type, and the make-up people have been unable to make up the difference. The hairdressers, on the other hand, have gone too far, and given him a tease that doesn't look like the product of either natural growth or conscious affectation. In close-ups particularly, one has to exert effort to ignore it.

(Both Peacock and Serkis got some notices accusing them of overplaying their parts - but how can you overplay Punch? The difficulty is to keep the character large _enough_ - if the actor doesn't happen to be a puppet.)

In this serialization, unexpectedly, the star part - really the hero, in a sense - is the profligate but kind-natured Dick Swiveller. He's embodied in a charmingly balmy performance by Granville Saxton, a tall, moon-faced, dancerish type who might have stepped out of a Maxfield Parrish illustration to Mother Goose. The serial would be worth seeing for him alone.

But it's worth seeing front to back - a spirited, old-fashioned treat.

This is one of three main versions of Old Curiosity Shop available today, and this is by far the most thorough and true to the novel of the 3. It does of course suffer from low budget British 70s TV production, and is very slow in pace compared to modern adaptations. But it is this that allows it to be so thorough. Some of the acting is so so but some is really good (Trevor Peacock as Quilp is a Dickensian villain for the history books). Not available online so you will need to buy the DVD, but it is worth it. The 1995 is a very good but family friendly version. The 2007 version is skippable.

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Despite the poor reviews here, I find this series holds up very well on a repeat viewing, I first saw it aged 12 on it's original broadcast. Now, as then, Trevor Peacock's Quilp was what kept me watching. Evil yet gleeful, drinking and smoking and quiping nastily at all within range.

The production's weakness are the story's really, which cannot be helped. It is hard to work up much sympathy for the weak-willed grandfather, but Nell is easy to root for, as is Dick Swiveller, whose scatterbrained asides and meanderings are very good fun.

It feels dark and dirty and oppressive, yet there is good in the world, and Dickens keeps you wondering which will emerge victorious. (Dis)honourable mention to Sampson Brass too, his snivelling obedience and toadying is very well done.

The BBC productions of the 70s and 80s seem to be either loved or hated by viewers. If you are a modern viewer who can only watch one-dimensional, trendy shows with simple plots and fast editing, then any BBC movie from the 70s and 80s will bore you to death. If, however, you enjoy watching fine acting and more intricate plotting that is more in line with watching a stage play, then the old BBC movies are just for you.

This production of Charles Dickens' classic is a fine production that sticks to the classic very well. As usual with the old BBC, there is a lot of dialogue and very long scenes (again, more like watching a show in the theater than on the television screen). But the investment of time is always worth the effort, as you are able to absorb yourself fully in the adventures of Nell and her grandfather, as they try to escape the grasp of the vicious and villainous Quilp.

Trevor Peacock (in spite of his obvious wig) is deliciously wicked as Quilp. Anyone who believes these characters to be overacted should re-read Dickens; you will find that the characters in his classics are just as extreme, written in that unmistakably moralistic style that has become one of the hallmarks of Dickens' work.

Natalie Ogle portrays the sweetness and innocence of Nell in a way similar to Mark Lester's performance in 1968's Oliver, embodying a kind of angelic innocence surrounded by evil. The rest of the cast is colorful and amusing to watch, including Granville Saxton's humorous but eventually sympathetic portrayal of Mr. Swiveller, Colin Jeavons' very amusing Mr. Brass, and a terrific youthful performance from Annabelle Lanyon as the Marchioness.

A terrific production for those who enjoy these older BBC movies, which do not have the "snap, crackle, and pop" of (often less interesting) modern movies, but they do have something that many productions today are sorely lacking- great acting and scripting that you can really sink your teeth into.

I know for a fact that Sebastian Shaw and Trevor Peacock are capable of fine acting. However you won't find it here, from either of them or anyone else. William Trevor, who wrote the screen adaptation, is a fine novelist, poet and critic. But this is cringe-inducing.

It is about as awful a Dickens adaptation as one could imagine. The pace is slow, the acting obvious and one-dimensional. It's like watching Dickens for Marionettes.

I hope that's not because it comes from BBC Birmingham rather than London. I'm more inclined to think that the format, 9 30-minute episodes, suggests that this mini-series is meant for school use only. The show might be useful for scaring kids away from literature for the rest of their lives, if anyone had such a purpose.

Otherwise, stay away.