Polanski's 'Oliver' gives classic tale a twist

Because the two dozen adaptations to date of Charles Dickens' 1838 novel "Oliver Twist" include two marvelous feature films -- David Lean's 1948 edition and Carol Reed's multi-Oscar-winning 1968 musical "Oliver," one assumes a 2005 version will illuminate a new vision.

Especially given that the director is one as accomplished as Roman Polanski, in full classic/period mode as in "Tess," he must have some fresh way to imbue the material.

He and screenwriter Ronald Harwood chop the first nine years off the story and include a coda that will be new to many.

They present an unusually sympathetic, victimized Fagin -- an emphasis also given to contemporary portrayals of Shylock in "The Merchant of Venice." Both characters are Jews whose ethnicity now is neutered if noted at all.

Polanski and Harwood both won Oscars for their previous collaboration, "The Pianist" (2002), and here do well by what they bring technically to their reunion.

But their "Oliver Twist" is half a marvel, muted mainly by an ensemble that would seem second level even on a Masterpiece Theater production. Couldn't Polanski tell they were collectively pallid, save Ben Kingsley and one or two others•

The new version begins as the foundling Oliver Twist (Barney Clark) celebrates his 9th birthday by being dumped in a gloomy workhouse to do menial labor and to subsist on minimal portions of gruel.

His naive impertinence results in his sale to a coffin maker, which leads to a whipping, an escape and his trek by foot to London, where he falls in with a den of pickpockets administered by the fence Fagin (Kingsley) and quarterbacked by The Artful Dodger (Harry Eden).

It is during his London period that Oliver meets his benefactor, Mr. Brownlow (Edward Hardwicke).

But the boy becomes an unwitting accomplice to the ruffian Bill Sykes (Jamie Foreman), whose bulldog is Bullseye (played by Turbo) and whose moll is the unevenly drawn and notably young Nancy (Leanne Rowe).

The film looks and sounds terrific. The score by Rachel Portman, who won an Oscar for "Emma," is rich with empathy and tension. The mostly dressed-down costumes are by Anna B. Sheppard.

Cinematographer Pawel Edelman complements ideally Allan Starski's production design, Jindrich Koci's art direction and Jille Azis' set decoration -- equaled or surpassed this year only by the work of others on "Cinderella Man."

So much more, then, the sense of deprivation in the ensemble.

Kingsley is fine enough, his Fagin's paranoia peering out from behind bad teeth and a big -- but not hooked -- nose.

Frances Cuka manages in very few words to deliver a fully embodied Mrs. Bedwin, servant to Mr. Brownlow.

But as pleasing as it is that there isn't a spoiled-brat child actor in sight, Clark's Oliver and Eden's Dodger are inexpressive vacuums.

Foreman plainly has the mechanical skills to make Sykes formidable, but he typifies the cast in lacking the personality size to fill such a classical role.

Rowe strives to play both sides of Nancy -- the yearning for Sykes' affection and the sympathy for a little boy fallen low, but Polanski strands her, exposing her inexperience.

Try as we might, we can't feel anything about these characters. Their scenes are nicely etched, but the performances are sketches that force us to cross-reference earlier interpretations for guideposts. Additional Information:

Details

'Oliver Twist'

Director: Roman Polanski

Stars: Barney Clark, Ben Kingsley, Jamie Foreman

MPAA rating: PG-13 for disturbing images