I've been ruined by the 2008 BBC version.
Thought I'd give this a go. What a drag.!
Respect to the many actors who have now passed away but this piece has aged dreadfully I'm afraid and isn't a patch on both Oliver movies or Alan Bates in Great Expectations. It's dreary with long drawn out scenes of unimportant elements of the novel, whilst completely ignoring some of the true story lines. Patricia Hayes & Miriam Margoyles give the award winning Dickensian performances but the rest fall flat. Jacobi looks confused & bored. There are great chunks of silence with him staring off set waiting for a cue. The scenes jump around with poor continuity, way too many extras in every scene...complete chaos. Max Wall is totally unconvincing as Jeremiah. Guinness is just Alec Guinness... little of Mr Doritt comes through. Actors waiting for a paycheck. Jacobi is too old for the part and it seems uncomfortable him falling for a girl young enough to be his daughter. Then there are the awful Hollywood fake cockney.."cor blimey mate, i don't mind if i do" Mary Poppins' accents.
Give it a miss, unless you like to watch paint dry.
Respect to the many actors who have now passed away but this piece has aged dreadfully I'm afraid and isn't a patch on both Oliver movies or Alan Bates in Great Expectations. It's dreary with long drawn out scenes of unimportant elements of the novel, whilst completely ignoring some of the true story lines. Patricia Hayes & Miriam Margoyles give the award winning Dickensian performances but the rest fall flat. Jacobi looks confused & bored. There are great chunks of silence with him staring off set waiting for a cue. The scenes jump around with poor continuity, way too many extras in every scene...complete chaos. Max Wall is totally unconvincing as Jeremiah. Guinness is just Alec Guinness... little of Mr Doritt comes through. Actors waiting for a paycheck. Jacobi is too old for the part and it seems uncomfortable him falling for a girl young enough to be his daughter. Then there are the awful Hollywood fake cockney.."cor blimey mate, i don't mind if i do" Mary Poppins' accents.
Give it a miss, unless you like to watch paint dry.