Oliver! (1968)

Oliver! (1968) is a vibrant musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’s Oliver Twist that blends rousing song-and-dance spectacle with the darker realities of Victorian England. You follow young orphan Oliver as he flees a brutal workhouse and is drawn into London’s streets, where the Artful Dodger and Fagin train boys to pick pockets. Bright, exuberant numbers like “Food, Glorious Food,” “Consider Yourself,” and “You’ve Got to Pick a Pocket or Two” sit alongside heartbreaking, tense scenes involving the brutal Bill Sikes and the conflicted Nancy, who becomes Oliver’s protector. Watching the film you’ll experience a lively, colorful stage-style production—lavish choreography and memorable melodies—paired with gritty, emotional drama about poverty, identity, loyalty and redemption. The story moves between joyous ensemble sequences and intimate, affecting moments (Oliver’s loneliness, Nancy’s moral struggle, the kindness of Mr. Brownlow), building to a satisfying resolution that reveals Oliver’s past and secures his future. Family-friendly in spirit but emotionally honest, Oliver! offers both toe-tapping entertainment and a poignant portrayal of Dickensian hardship.

Actors: Mark Lester, Ron Moody, Shani Wallis

Director: Carol Reed

Runtime: 153 min

Genres: Drama, Family, Musical

7.2 /10 74 /100 7.4 /10 7.3 /10