Muppet Sing Alongs: It's Not Easy Being Green Review

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(More customer reviews)This video is a great sing-a-long for all ages. I've been searching for this video for years on line. My son who has autism and is non-verbal loves this video and his old copy has had it from so much use.Please re-release this great Kernit the frog sing-a-long video so that all children can enjoy the magic of music at home. I don't understand why these videos disappear from the stores, surely they will sell.It is so hard finding good,clean videos anymore and this being such a classic from the muppets who are still very popular. I hope someone reads this and can offer this great muppet sing-a-long to the public to order as soon as possible.THANK YOU ! Sincerely Judy Keller from Ohio.

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Muppets on Wheels: Muppets SingAlongFun (1995) Review

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(More customer reviews)When my son first watched Muppets on Wheels he fell in love with it. The video taught him the names of car parts and the names of all types of trucks. We constantly sing those wonderful catchy songs. Even my mom has memorized all the songs. I would recommend all children to see this wonderful video.

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David Copperfield (2000) Review

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(More customer reviews)A sumptuous, wonderful adaptation; unexpectedly and disarmingly excellent.
I was a little hesitant going into this: having read the novel a couple of times and declared it my own, I had long fondly imagined the scenes and characters without any need for assistance, thank you very much.
Consequently, I felt the way many Tolkien fans must have felt before those three recent movies came out: leery that my coveted imaginings would be sullied by what might prove to be a jarrring and irreversible contamination.
These fears were misplaced, however. The full vitality of Dickens's bittersweet classic -- all the heaping joys and sorrows of life -- comes through quite powerfully in this handsome BBC version. After about 25 minutes I was literally on the edge of my seat.
Oh, and speaking of this version: they spent some money on it, you'll be happy to know. It's not one of those innumerable stuffy BBC dramas that take place (for budget considerations if nothing else) in an intolerable series of drawing rooms and antechambers. No, they did this one right: the blokes went outside and built some proper sets, and it shows.
Yes, though fully prepared to dislike it, I find myself here with little ammunition for complaint. I wish Traddles hadn't suffered deletion; he is one character I have difficulty picturing and could have used some help. Also, the actress who played Dora was not exactly my conception of her . . . but this is nitpicking.

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The classic David Copperfield was not just Charles Dickens' favorite work. It has been the most popular of his books since it was first published 150 years ago. Micawber, Peggotty, Betsey Trotwood, Uriah Heep, Mr. Creakle, Mrs. Crupp, and Mr. Dick... never were so many of Dickens' famous and vest-loved characters gathered together in just one of his works.They are all brought to life by a world-class cast including Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone), Oscar-winner Maggie Smith (The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie), Bob Hoskins (Hook), Nicholas Lyndhurst (Bullshot) and Pauline Quirke (The Elephant Man) in this sparkling adaptation.The most autobiographical of Dickens' work, David Copperfield often echoes the writer's own life. It tells a moving story of David's journey from birth to maturity, a journey which inextricably links his life with some of Dickens' most colorful and extraordinary families.Special DVD features include: Cast list; Masterpiece Theatre poster gallery; access to David Copperfield Web site featuring production notes, interviews with the cast and crew, a Dickens timeline, a guide to the featured characters, and more; scene selection; English audiotrack; and closed captions.One one DVD9 disc.Region coding: All regions.Audio: Dolby stereo.Screen format: Widescreen (Anamorphic)

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Wuthering Heights: Masterpiece Theatre (1998) Review

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(More customer reviews)Wuthering Heights is very nearly unfilmable - as three major film versions over the last 60 years have admirably proved. The 1939 version was a great film, but it wasn't Wuthering Heights. The 1970 version came closer to the spirit of Emily Bronte's novel and had a fine Heathcliff in Timothy Dalton, but was very much a child of its time and massacred by post-production cuts. The less said about the 1992 version, the better.
You could, therefore, be forgiven for approaching a made-for-television version with a cast of comparative "unknowns" with scepticism. You would, however, be wrong. This version of Wuthering Heights is stunningly good. More than that, Emily Bronte would have recognised it as the book she wrote.
No major characters are missing. No major events are missing. The book has been filmed faithfully, from beginning to end. The script is based closely on the novel and was plainly written by someone intimately acquainted with it. It keeps up the narrative pace throughout and even manages to incorporate the haunting links between past and future, future and past that the author intended, but no-one else has ever picked up on.
The performances are uniformly excellent. Robert Cavanah is breathtakingly good in that Everest of roles, Heathcliff. He scales the histrionic heights necessary to tackle the part without once toppling over the edge into melodrama - showing us the man's psychosis, and its origins, without ever quite letting go of his humanity. His Cathy, Orla Brady, matches him stride for stride - and it`s wonderful to see the "delirious" scene, where Cathy rips apart her pillow and starts sorting the feathers out, played in full and as written.
Edgar Linton is often seen as weak and insipid - which isn't how Emily Bronte wrote him at all - and Crispin Bonham Carter is superb in what is always seen as the "also-ran" role. His Edgar is a decent, humane and intelligent man, caught up in a situation he neither understands nor can control.
Praise, too, for Ian Shaw's Hindley. He brings a real edge of tragedy to the part, dragging our sympathy with him as he moves from tormentor to tormented.
The younger generation don't let the side down, either. Of particularly note is Matthew MacFadyen's engaging and coltish Hareton - inexplicably adoring of Heathcliff, and torn between his love for the man who destroyed his father and Catherine, the young woman he loves.
Last but very, very far from least - Polly Hemingway is flawless as Nelly Dean - in many ways the lynchpin of the whole story - there from beginning to end, holding the whole thing together. Her scenes with Heathcliff are memorable - with unforgettable touches such as the way she feeds him kitchen tidbits both as child and man.
Finally - a word of praise for Tom Georgeson, whose finely judged Joseph makes you wish we could see a little more of him. Joseph was an important minor character in the novel, and it's good to see him reinstated
The locations are superb - the Yorkshire Dales at their grim, wet, windswept best. The Heights is a real farm with real muck - not a Hollywood set-designer's naff idea of a gothic mansion. You can smell the manure and feel the rain.
Warren Bennett provided the hauntingly beautiful score - perfectly judged to match the prevailing mood of the film. The cinematography is non-flashy and sparing, the costumes right for the period and unobtrusive - the list is endless. There will probably never be a "perfect" version of Emily Bronte's masterpiece - but this one will do for me.

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This brilliant adaptation of Emily Brontë's timeless tale breaks new ground by covering the complete story of a love so powerful that it reaches beyond the grave. Orla Brady stars as literature's most controversial heroine, the spirited, but tragic Cathy. Robert Cavanah plays Heathcliff, the dark stranger whose love for Cathy leads him to take terrible revenge on anyone who comes between them.Nothing is known of Heathcliff's mysterious past when kindly Mr. Earnshaw adopts him into his family, but his daughter Cathy sees in him a soul very much like her own. They are divided by birth, class, and Cathy's jealous brother, but nothing can break the bond between them-not even when Cathy marries the wealthy gentleman Edgar Linton. Yet there are forces in nature that seem to be even more powerful than their love.

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Great Expectations (Masterpiece Theatre, 1999) (1999) Review

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(More customer reviews)This movie is excellent. I stumbled onto it on the Net accidentally because of the leading actor (Ioan Gruffudd) and his earlier portrayal of another classic character--Hornblower. Great Expectations is by far my favorite of Dickens and of all other classic literature, and this movie portrays the book wonderfully! Every scene--nearly every WORD can be found in some form in the book, from the younger Pip's nervous recital of Old Clem, to Orlick's reappearance and attempted revenge. As with all adaptations, there are a few drawbacks (and for this reason I would HIGHLY reccomend reading the book itself!). But I've seen very few movies adapted as accurately as this. Very very fine!

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Ioan Gruffudd, Justine Waddell and Charlotte Rampling star in this adaptation of Charles Dickens' enduring classic Great Expectations, the story of a young orphan named Pip who lives with his sister and her blacksmith husband, Joe.One day Pip is sent to play at the residence of Miss Havisham, a frightening, elderly woman who seems locked in the past. She wears ancient bridal attire and never moves from the dusty upper rooms of her home. Miss Havisham's beautiful but contemptuous ward, Estella, makes Pip feel appallingly inferior, creating in him a desire to better himself-changing his life forever. But despite his efforts to improve himself, the frustrated Pip seems destined to remain Joe's apprentice. Until one day a lawyer calls to inform Pip that he has "great expectations:" Pip is to be released form his apprenticeship and educated in London as a gentleman! The benefactor who has made this life transformation possible, however, wishes to remain anonymous.

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The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby (1983) Review

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(More customer reviews)One of the finest theatrical productions of all time, no question. Beautifully staged and brilliantly performed; 39 of the world's best actors play more than 150 roles.
The DVD set should be better than this. (The play gets 5 stars; the DVD gets 1.)
It is improperly cut and sloppily transferred. A&E has released it (after much anticipation) not in its original four 2-hour acts but in the nine 1-hour episodes that they cut for broadcast on television, with intros and credits every hour. All they've done is transfer their 9-cassette VHS release, with intros, opening and closing credits and a "previously seen" commentary (meant for the TV audience watching it over a period of nine days) onto four DVDs, frustratingly marring the flow of the production. Not only does the play get interrupted every hour, but at one point you have to change discs mid-scene. In addition (and inexplicably) this DVD version is missing a scene that's on the VHS.
If A&E gets their act together, they'll rerelease this set and return this incredible play back to its original structure, without the cuts and interruptions. Isn't that the point of DVD? Bear in mind also that many of the glowing reviews on this site refer to the VHS set (and the play itself) and don't address the inept job of transferring the VHS onto DVD. (Amazon's reviewer even credits Jim Goddard as the director, when all he did was arrange cameras and make adjustments for taping; the actual directors of the play, Trevor Nunn and John Napier, go unmentioned.)
As you may have read in other reviews, the original stage production was four 2-hour acts in two parts (the running time of the play is actually 8 hours without the intermissions, not 9, as is stated in Amazon's review), and Parts I and II could be seen all in one day or over two consecutive nights. The designers of this set could have devoted one disc per part, without interruption, with one more disc for any extras (there aren't many). A four-disc set is excessive and inappropriate; it allows them to up their price while it weakens the experience of the play. (Peter Brook's 9-hour stage production of "The Mahabharata" is on two DVDs, in fine quality and half the price.)
I saw the play on Broadway in 1981 and, like most in that theater, fell in love with it. I've had the VHS version all this time and hoped that eventually it would be on DVD, carefully restored.
I would avoid buying this set and wait until they release one that's complete, uncut and faithful to the play. It's one of the greatest stage productions of all time. It features the Royal Shakespeare Company in its prime. It deserves better than this. The movies "Pearl Harbor" and "Dogma" got better DVD treatments. That's pretty sad.

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LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF NICHOLAS NICKL - DVD Movie

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Tale of Two Cities: Literary Masterpieces (1980) Review

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(More customer reviews). . .it was a good watch anyway. Chris Sarandon was outstanding in the roles he played of look-alikes Charles Darnay and Sydney Carton. He captured Carton's sardonic humor well, and evoked his melancholic fatalism and innate dignity with much pathos. A quite elderly Kenneth More put on a great performance as the officious but kindly banker, whose character provided much humorous dialogue. The character of Miss Pross, the sharp-eyed chaperone, was absolutely wonderful.

I never expect a movie to follow a novel very closely -- books and films are two completely different art forms and cannot be translated one to the other with good effect. As the movie begins we see the words "Based on the novel by Charles Dickens." With those words we are given fair warning that what is to follow is an interpretation of Dickens' vision.
What this film did was capture what is so wonderful about Dickens' novels -- the alternation between the humor and the darkness at the center of much human experience. The scenes were knit together flawlessly, so that a rather complicated plot taking part in two different places came together without confusion or awkward transitions. The pacing was artfully done, and the last 40 minutes or so were very suspenseful.
It's too bad the movie received so many bad reviews because it didn't follow the book. I've read the book and found it, like many of Dickens' works, to be wonderful, but also probably inaccessible to many readers. This film takes a good story and opens it up to those who may never open the book.

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Muppet Sing Alongs: Things That Fly (1995) Review

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(More customer reviews)My 3-year-old wants to watch this one over and over. Lots of different kids of planes, but some of the songs are a little irritating, and the story line that is supposed to tie it all together is not often really related to the individual songs.

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Carl Davis - A Christmas Carol / Jeremy Kerridge, William Walker, Lorena Vidal, Royce Neagle, Steven Wheeler, John Pryce-Jones, Northern Ballet Theatre (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)There have been many versions of Dickens' classic story of holiday redemption, "A Christmas Carol," but there are none quite as unique or as beautiful as this ballet version performed by the Northern Ballet Theatre. With dynamic music composed by Carl Davis, this wonderful dance piece recounts the already familiar tale of the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge and his reconnection to the world through the haunting visitations of various Christmas ghosts. From its opening chant of "Marley is dead" to the heart warming finale where Scrooge sees a final farewell from his spiritual rescuers, this event is a treat for the eye and ear. The sets are impressive, yet functional with even the set changes done in a balletic style. The costumes also are impressive. One such example is the Ghost of Chistmas Yet to Come who becomes a truly terrifying image with its skull face peering out of a black hood complete with huge dark angelic wings and scythe. The ensemble dance group do a beautiful job in interpreting Davis' music, as well as Dickens' powerful tale. Needless to say, this is an excellent production and well worth your time.

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Bleak House (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)For once, I am happy to find a remake of a fine old Masterpiece Theatre offering that is as good as the original. "Bleak House" is currently available on an DVD with Diana Rigg as the most familiar name; and except for some incomprehensible line readings by a young character named Joe, it is a very good account of the Dickens novel. Having already appeared on Public Television, the remake has Gillian Anderson (yes, the one from "X-Files") as Lady Dedlock, and a cast of 80 speaking roles, many of which are played by actors that will send you searching the cast listings that go by too quickly at the end of each episode.The eight parts will be shown so that the first and last will run two hours and the four in between an hour each. I found the complex plot actually easier to follow in this version than I did in the earlier one. And while I prefer Rigg to Anderson, I think I can easily recommend this new adaptation over the other.The story--lawyers will hate it--involves the infamous Court of Chancery in which disputes over estates can be buried for years until the lawyers' fees make further legalizing unnecessary. Against this background, the case of Jarndyce vs. Jarndyce being a major part of it, we have the story of John Jarndyce (Denis Lawson), his ward Ada (Carey Mulligan), her companion Esther (Anna Maxwell Martin), and Ada's beloved Richard (Patrick Kennedy).The latter becomes obsessed with the case, while Esther becomes involved in the mysterious past of Lady Dedlock, who happens to recognize the handwriting on some legal documents delivered by the utterly immoral family solicitor Tulkinghorn (Charles Dance). I will not reveal any more of the plot, lest it spoil your enjoyment. You will wind up guessing much of it, but it is a lot of fun--unless you are a lawyer.Peripheral to the plot are the usual cast of Dickens "characters": Krook the junkman (Johnny Vegas) who finds some incriminating letters (and dies the strangest death in all fiction), Smallweed the moneylender (Phil Davis) who cannot walk by himself and must be "shaken up" by his weird niece every few minutes and who gets the letters, and Miss Flite ( Pauline Collins) who looks forward to "judgment day" when her case will finally be settled and she can set her birds free.Most interesting of all is the policeman Bucket (Alun Armstong), the first real detective in English fiction. Although he looks like a toady for the rich, he does his job and does it well, solving a murder case and being considerate to a certain lady who would suffer if her connection with the case should come out.Of course, the arm of coincidence in Dickens is a long one; and while a good deal of the plot does strain credulity, the acting and period ambience are of the highest level. The only thing that annoyed me was the director segmenting his "establishing shots" (exterior views of buildings to let us know where we are) into two or three rapid cuts with some electronic "whoosh" for each one. Pretentious and irritating after the first dozen or so.


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Studio: Warner Home VideoRelease Date: 02/28/2006

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Nicholas Nickleby (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)Charles Dickens- love him or hate him, you must admit that there was never anyone like him. His books are full of social critiques, melodramatic romances, characters so eccentric that they border on crazy and of course jaw dropping coincidences. The books are also wildly entertaining.
There has been a revival of Dickens lately in the form of TV mini-series and Nicholas Nickleby is the latest. The title character has just lost his father in death and now, in his late teens, he must find a way to support and protect his sweet sister Kate and somewhat silly mother. Their only relative is their uncle, the greedy and cold Ralph Nickleby.
Ralph gets Nicholas a job as a teacher in Yorkshire and Kate a job assisting a dressmaker. Here is where the main problems of the story come into play. Both Kate and Nicholas have the same problems, they are too good looking and talented. That may seem like no problem but they have no money and their equals in station are jealous of them. Also, they have to fend off unwelcome advances at every turn. The young actors playing Kate and Nicholas manage to make their characters good without being saccarine, a challenge to say the least.
The Yorkshire school where Nicholas is sent is a horror, the boys are abused particularly the silent waif Smike. Nicholas befriends Smike and then protects him from a beating. Forced to escape with Smike, Nicholas is disowned by his uncle for being ungrateful. He is told that if he sees his sister and mother again, Ralph will throw them into the street. Nicholas agrees to leave but swears vengeance if Kate or his mother suffer in any way at Ralph's hands.
This is pretty much how the movie goes, more and more problems come up and the characters escape by the skin of their teeth. The rivalry between Nicholas and Ralph is very well acted and one of the highlights of this miniseries.
Dickens purists will doubtlessly complain about the many cuts that had to be made due to time constraints but they were needed for the film to run smoothly. All in all, this is a very good adaptation that does not modernize the tale too much. (This has been a problem in far too many adaptions of the classics, over-modernization)
There are abductions, rescues, duels, chases, forced marriages, and one BIG suprise ending. (no Dickens novel is complete without a murder/attempted murder, a suicide and a suprise ending)
If you are looking for an old fashioned soaper, this is it. I could not reccommend it for children since some of the abuses at the school are rather disturbing. However, this is how things were in the worse schools in Dickens's time and it is rather an eye-opener. I would say in American ratings, this movie ranges from a PG to a PG-13 so parents will have to make their decisions accordingly.

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A commence, brutal and passionate take of greed and love in Victorian England. A top-notch cast of veteran actors and rising young newcomers shines in a lavish new British production of the Charles Dickens classic. The hero, a penniless young gentleman, struggles to make his way in the world and protect his mother and sister, meeting up with the worst and best of humanity along the way. Charles Dance (The Jewel in the Crown) stars as Ralph Nickleby, with James D'Arcy (Rebel Heart) as Nicholas and Sophia Myles (Mansfield Park) as his beautiful sister, Kate. Other standouts include Lee Ingleby (Ever After) as Smike, Nicholas' faithful companion, and Dominic West (28 Days) as the lecherous Sir Mulberry Hawk.

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Masterpiece Theater: Oliver Twist (2000) Review

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(More customer reviews)The poor reviews this movie has received (in both the DVD and VHS formats) I feel are totally unwarranted. This is my favorite put-to-film Dickens novel (except for the various "A Christmas Carol's" out there), and I am ecstatic that this version is finally available on DVD.
Now, in this adaption, I believe the prequel works very well. I think it makes this a much more comprehensive movie and gives the characters involved (especially Monks) much more depth. And, because of the length of this version that I am reviewing, it allows the viewer to get to know each character much deeper than the other filmed versions available. We get to know Oliver's parents and Aunt Rose up close, although it is done through liberties taken by the producer and not necessarily Dickens himself. I do feel, however, the great novelist would not particularly mind in this case.
The acting is as good, if not better, than pretty much most period epics I have seen. The actors play off of each other well - they match their roles perfectly. The costumes and sets are excellent. They have captured the early Victorian period so well - both the good and the bad - it's almost as if the viewer is peering through a looking glass into the past.
As for the story following Dickens' original novel...well, I have yet to see any movie follow a novel to a "T." It just doesn't happen, unfortunately, with virtually any put-to-film novel. But this follows the original, as a whole, much much closer than the other versions I have seen - definitely more than "Oliver," and infinitely more than the Disney version with Richard Dreyfuss, which was made into a totally different story than what Dickens had intended.
Don't let the nearly 6 hour length scare you off - there is no time during this whole version where one is bored (unless they are a child - definitely not a children's movie!). Being a fan of epic period movies, I found this to be as enticing as any other epic novels put to the screen.
Bravo to all involved!

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In this extraordinary production, storyteller Alan Bleasdale broadens the scope of Charles Dickens' classic tale of an orphan in 19th century England and the characters who influence his destiny.Oliver Twist is a drama of dark comedy, astonishing vivacity and soaring imagination, but ultimately, a story that celebrates the resilience and triumph of a little boy's spirit.

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Oliver Twist (Masterpiece Theatre, 1999) (2000) Review

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(More customer reviews)The poor reviews this movie has received (in both the DVD and VHS formats) I feel are totally unwarranted. This is my favorite put-to-film Dickens novel (except for the various "A Christmas Carol's" out there), and I am ecstatic that this version is finally available on DVD.
Now, in this adaption, I believe the prequel works very well. I think it makes this a much more comprehensive movie and gives the characters involved (especially Monks) much more depth. And, because of the length of this version that I am reviewing, it allows the viewer to get to know each character much deeper than the other filmed versions available. We get to know Oliver's parents and Aunt Rose up close, although it is done through liberties taken by the producer and not necessarily Dickens himself. I do feel, however, the great novelist would not particularly mind in this case.
The acting is as good, if not better, than pretty much most period epics I have seen. The actors play off of each other well - they match their roles perfectly. The costumes and sets are excellent. They have captured the early Victorian period so well - both the good and the bad - it's almost as if the viewer is peering through a looking glass into the past.
As for the story following Dickens' original novel...well, I have yet to see any movie follow a novel to a "T." It just doesn't happen, unfortunately, with virtually any put-to-film novel. But this follows the original, as a whole, much much closer than the other versions I have seen - definitely more than "Oliver," and infinitely more than the Disney version with Richard Dreyfuss, which was made into a totally different story than what Dickens had intended.
Don't let the nearly 6 hour length scare you off - there is no time during this whole version where one is bored (unless they are a child - definitely not a children's movie!). Being a fan of epic period movies, I found this to be as enticing as any other epic novels put to the screen.
Bravo to all involved!

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In this extraordinary production, storyteller Alan Bleasdale broadens the scope of Charles Dickens' classic tale of an orphan in 19th century England-and the characters who influence his destiny.Oliver's mother, Agnes, struggles against the tragic circumstances that ultimately leave Oliver a penniless orphan. At the Parish Workhouse, he is forced by other boys to ask for more food, and as a result, is sold as an apprentice to a miserly undertaker. He runs away and is taken in by master thief Fagin, who is in league with a murderous pair determined to see that Oliver never inherits the fortune he deserves. Life twists and turns again and again for Oliver, landing him in alternately dangerous and hopeful circumstances.Oliver Twist is a drama of dark comedy, astonishing vivacity and soaring imagination, but ultimately, it is a story that celebrates the resilience and triumph of a little boy's spirit. Special DVD features include: materials and activities for educators; a link to the Masterpiece Theatre Web site; closed captions; and described video for the visually impaired.On three DVD5 discs.Region coding: All regions.Audio: Dolby stereo.Screen format: Letterboxed.

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Moll Flanders (2pc) (Mobile Masterpiece Theatre) (1996) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is the BBC/Masterpiece version of MOLL FLANDERS (most recent version) and definitely a film to buy if you are fond of English literature adapted for film. This is a long film 3 hours and 40 minutes, and was shown over several nights on our local PBS station. I own the DVD and it is excellent. The costumes, settings, etc. are fabulous and accurate and comparable to other Masterpiece dramas on DVD such as the recently released WIVES AND DAUGHTERS.
Moll Flanders (played by Alex Kingston) was an incredibly resourceful woman. Daniel Defoe (author of ROBINSON CRUSOE, 1719) wrote Moll Flanders and in some respects Moll is a mirror-twin to Robinson. While Robinson battled nature Moll battled civilization. Civilization in late 16th-early 17th Century England was ragged around the edges. We hear much about slavery during this period, but life for the ordinary working-class male and female was just as ugly. Through Moll we learn just how ugly life could be and what it meant to survive, especially for those not "To the Manor Born" and in some cases those who were. Poverty, illness, sexism, seduction, rape, murder--Moll sees it all. In spite of all this, Moll has her moments of gracious living, so you won't be watching a poor tattered Moll during the whole film. Moll is elegantly dressed most of the time, and the settings for the action in this film include everything from the finest drawing rooms in Tudor style manors to a plantation house in the English colony of Virginia.
Moll marries five times, and each marriage is perfectly logical, pragmatic, and a choice she makes to survive. Moll turns to the camera in each instance and asks, "What would you do" much as Defoe asked the reader the same question. Her marriages face incredible odds. Her favorite beau Jemmy, played by Daniel Craig (The Ice House), surfaces over and over. Are these two star-crossed lovers or destined to be together? The end will tell.
I like Moll, and though she's been characterized as a "bad girl" I don't think she was at all. Moll took what she was handed and made the best of it. Moll was street smart before the term was invented. More than one of us is descended from someone who faced these incredible odds of survival. Does Moll beat the odds, you'll have to see the film to find out. A special treat--the wonderful Diana Rigg as Mrs. Golightly.

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Nicholas Nickleby Review

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(More customer reviews)I have viewed four versions of this Dickens classic and find the BBC set starring Havers to be the most consistantly satisfying. The oldest version is processed from a print too damaged to produce a satisfactory result from the audio or visual standpoint. The stage version by the Royal Shakespeare group has many wonderful things about it but I miss the visual images of the architecure and countryside which are so much a part of the author's world. The recent version staring Dallimore is short on Dickensian humor and the heavy handed music score does too much to sink the performance.
Unlike another reviewer, I do not find Havers too old for the role of Nicholas. He is supposed to be 19 and many 19 year olds look much older than Nigel does. The best things about this BBC version are the wonderful views of the countryside and the look of the houses and towns.
The music is minimal but with Dicken's contant scene shifts I don't find that I miss it. The actors are true to the reputation of British television actors. Mostly trained on the stage, they are dependably wonderful. One might choose other actors in other versions as being one's favorites for this or that role, but overall this seems to be the choice for a good basic rendering of this classic.

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Nigel Havers stars as the young Nicholas Nickleby in the BBC’s triumphant adaptations of one of Charles Dickens’ most celebrated novels. Upon the death of his father Nicholas, along with his mother and sister, finds himself destitute and at the mercy of his stern Uncle Ralph. Ralph cruelly dispatches his niece to a dressmaking establishment, while Nicholas is sent to a vile and oppressive boarding school for unwanted and unloved children run by the sadistic Wackford Squeers. Darkly satirical, angry, funny and hugely entertaining, Nicholas Nickleby is filled with the richest assortment of oddball characters that could only have originated from the quill of Charles Dickens.

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Nicholas Nickleby (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)I can honestly say that "Nicholas Nickleby" is my favorite of Dickens' works. His sinister villain, his earnest, upright, innocent hero, and the beautiful Kate and their plight for financial independence from their evil uncle Ralph have the foundation of a classic. I've seen several adaptations, including the more faithful Bravo version, but I like this one the best. I believe Douglas McGrath, who tastefully brought "Emma" to the silver screen, has taken an already impressive work and improved on it. The movie moves at a nice pace without becoming drenched in melodrama or lingering over the "darker" side of the story; but neither does it shy away from the meaner aspects of Dickens' characters. Uncle Ralph, if possible, is even more wicked than Dickens wrote him. It does this in a perfectly tasteful and intelligent manner and also incorporates much if the sardonic humor found in the books, something I've found the Bravo adaptation lacks.
In case you're unfamiliar with the story, the film revolves around the life of young Nicholas Nickleby and his sister Kate. Their father has died, leaving them in the hands of his older and much more financially-minded brother Ralph. Desiring to be rid of Nicholas, Ralph seeks him employment with Wackford Squeers, the owner of a boys' school in the north country. The institution puts on a good public face but is in reality a squalor where the boys are mistreated and abused while Squeers and his wife pocket what little income they can provide. While attempting to teach at this "school," Nicholas meets the crippled Smike, an orphan whom the Squeers keep on out of "the goodness of their hearts." Eventually his friendship with Smike will have a vast impact on not only his life, but that of his uncle Ralph as well.
The casting for this film is nothing short of exquisite. Douglas McGrath isn't afraid to cast British actor but American-unknown Charlie Hunnam in the lead. The young actor has a fluid intelligence in his performance and looks ideal in a period setting. Anne Hathaway ("The Princess Diaries") plays his love interest, and "Daniel Deronda's" Romola Garai is a beautiful and sweet Kate Nickleby. Throw in Christopher Plummer (whose snarling Uncle Ralph should have won an Oscar), Nicholas Rowe, Edward Fox, Jamie Bell, Nathan Lane, and Alan Cumming, and you have a well-rounded, top-notch cast. The roles are all performed with intelligence and insight, the costuming is lovely, and the script never lags.
From a family -- and indeed a Christian perspective -- I'm happy to report that McGrath's screenplay maintains the height of decency. Even when dealing with tedious and "offensive" elements, such as Sir Mulberry Hawke's pursuit of Kate, the film does its best to present the scenario in a way which won't offend mainstream audiences. There are some intense scenes at the Squeers' school, where children are flogged, but these scenes are kept to a minimum and never overly graphic. I particularly enjoyed seeing Nicholas defend the honor of Smike, Madeline, and his sister Kate. For those who haven't read the novel, the story ends with a surprising twist with little clues planted along the way to point you toward the truth. For those who do know the ending, it's handled beautifully and has great screen impact.
I was fortunate enough to see this on the big screen in a little theatre in the heart of the city while others were flocking to much bigger and less enthusiastic releases. I've looked forward to owning the DVD for a long time.

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I love Nicholas Nickleby! exclaims Roger Ebert of this vibrant tale of intrigue, passion and revenge. And what's not to love?Brisk, sparkling(Entertainment Weekly),marvelously acted(Time) and featuringas terrific an ensemble as we ve seen(The San Francisco Examiner), this Golden Globe-nominated* adaptation of Dickensmasterpiece is a timeless romantic adventure you'll treasure for years!When the Nickleby family is betrayed in their hour of need, young Nicholas (Charlie Hunnam) must save the day. Join him on a remarkable journey that critics unanimously praise as a joy to watch(Leonard Maltin)!

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The Charles Dickens Collection, Vol. 1 (Oliver Twist / Martin Chuzzlewit / Bleak House / Hard Times / Great Expectations / Our Mutual Friend) (1999) Review

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(More customer reviews)This DVD set is a great entertainment value. Unfortunately, the set advertises closed captions but my new JVC television with closed caption ability shows no closed captions for any of the titles. The BBC productions really need subtitles for the hearing impaired. For some reason they don't have a policy of adding this enhancement to their DVDs'.

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In these six acclaimed adaptations of his classics we enter Dickens's vibrant Victorian London encountering the outsized comic characters social commentary epic love stories and dark murder mysteries that have made these stories so timeless.System Requirements:Length: 1920 minsFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre:DRAMA UPC:794051234421

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