Yes, I’m still Celebrating the Dickens’ Bicentennial!
By
Kristin Battestella
One
would think I’d eventually run out of Dickensian material to review in this 200
year party, but no! So what better time but the Christmas season to end our
Victorian conversations?
The
Christmas Carol – I stumbled
upon this 1949 half hour on one of our new retro channels- love them- and wow,
found two of my favorite things together:
Vincent Price reading Charles Dickens! Price is so young indeed for this very
early television production, but he’s animated, suave, and even cheeky during
his onscreen transitions. He’s clearly enjoying this little holiday
dramatization! Though black and white, there’s also a fittingly aged, green
patina to the video, which retroactively creates a further vintage. Arthur Pierson’s (Hometown Story) adaptation has all the quintessential dialogue and
memorable iconography even if the acting is the dated with the expected but put
on British-ness. The direction feels stilted as well, with bare bones sets, awkward
cues, some choppy editing, and simple camera filming. However, most of this is forgivable
considering the budding television concepts and infancy of the medium post-war.
Though few, the ghostly effects are surprisingly well done for the time. With such a short time frame, the work is
considerably condensed, too. The unusual looking Ghost of Christmas Past and subsequent
two ghostly visitors only receive one essential scene each. Thankfully, fun
music accents the paired down design, and the quick simplicity makes this one
just right for the Dickensian classroom.
Great
Expectations – A dynamite
ensemble- including the endearing John Mills (Swiss Family Robinson) as Pip, a wonderful Martita Hunt (Brides of Dracula) as the freaky Miss Havisham,
an enchanting Jean Simmons (Guys and
Dolls) debuting as the young Estella, and of course, Alec Guinness again – makes this award winning 1946
black and white Dickens adaptation glorious. From the scary Magwitch entrance
and childhood abuses to Miss Havisham’s decrepit house and London refinement, the pace, emotion,
likeable people, and ironic circumstances are all here. Naturally, the timeline
and some condensing are necessary for these two hours, and it looks as though
there are some weird sped up actions in some scenes. However, this film doesn’t
look dated and old as some might expect, but rather perfectly period. The mood
and atmosphere are excellent, be it the depressed or the festive, and stunning décor
recreates splendid London
heights and demented Victorian lows. Subtitles will be a must for some to catch
all the accents and old speak, granted. But who needs modern adaptation drivel
coughgwynethpaltrowcough when this version is still damn near spectacular?
Oliver Twist – This once lost 1922
silent adaptation is obviously not for everyone thanks to the early jumpiness
and over emoting players of the time. However, the sepia tones, blue evening
tints, and even red chrome work accent the jovial scoring and add to the poor London setting onscreen. Jackie Coogan (Fester from The Addams
Family!) as Oliver is also tiny and cute against horror pimp Lon Chaney as
Fagin. Chaney is wonderfully hunched and decrepit, yet bemusing and seemingly
feeble – but we know better! Despite some of the primitive presentation, it’s
still very easy to root for Oliver and his goodness in the battle against
deceit and the criminal underbelly. I’m sure there are people today who can
relate. There isn’t a lot of rewatchability here, however, and this 70-minute
charmer would be nice for kids – except you need to really know the story or
pay serious attention to the title cards. The intertitles pack in a lot of the
tale- even for a silent film, they seem, well, wordy if I may say so! The
length and pace also feel long, but Dickensian scholars and film historians
will enjoy a thorough study.
The Light of Faith – It’s not Dickensian but rather a Lon Chaney connection, but this surprising 1922 short is included on the Oliver Twist DVD. This frame within a frame story of the Holy Grail is a little heavy handed and again of its time with then-contemporary settings and drama. However, this also once lost and only partially rediscovered tale is very colorful, with numerous rainbow tints and pleasant musical arrangements. Some segments are perhaps too sweet with typical action, but the medieval insert looks good. It’s fun to see Chaney in the then-modern style, too. He’s simple and eventually desperate- but it’s for the right reasons. The pre-code, pre-Depression depictions of poverty and hunger are also intriguing. If you can get over the over accentuated theatrics, Chaney fans and film students should give this little piece the attention it deserves.
On the literary front, this year I’ve also received
two special Dickens related books. Although at this rate, I probably won’t get
to novel Drood by Dan Simmons or the
illustrated The Life of Charles Dickens by
John Forster until next Christmas! For more Victorian viewing and Dickensian
rants, don’t forget to follow our Charles Dickens label. Now what the heck am I
to do with myself for 2013?
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