Customer Reviews

Nicholas Nickleby [Special Edition] (Full Screen)

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I was not aware that a movie had been made based on the book as I happened by it on a shelf in the video store. I'm typically drawn to movies based on classic literature. Though I've yet to read the book (so I don't know if the movie strays), I hoped the movie would be worth watching.

Nicholas Nickleby is a beautiful film. The acting is wonderfully done. Especially by Charlie Hunnam (?), Christopher Plummer, and Jamie Bell. Alan Cumming and Nathan Lane are delightful. I loved every minute they were on the screen. The young lady who plays Nicholas' sister is lovely to look at, gentle of spirit, and her face radiates innocence. Anne Hathaway (sp?) does a fine job portraying the sweet Madeline.

The story (which has already been summarized quite well) is very touching. If I'm moved to outward response, it has to be good. I found myself cheering on a couple occasions. Especially the scene in Dotheboys when Nicholas comes to Smike's aid.

The country scenery is lovely and beautifully filmed. I would've loved to have seen more of it.

You will find yourself embracing those who are good and waiting anxiously for the demise of those who are evil. Nicholas Nickleby will move you, inspire you and warm your heart.

that this was a great movie! During the first part I didnt know if I could continue watching or not because of the abuse that was going on, i just cant imagine... but then it took a turn for the better. As soon as nicholas stood up for a boy being abused I was hooked. The rest of the movie followed suit. He was a man of honor and goodness. He wasnt afraid to stand up for whats right even though he had his share and more of evil people and peril. I felt it was a tad rushed tho. They could have spent more time with the actors they ran into and also getting to know the girl he came to love. seemed it happened awful fast before they even knew eachother. I also havent read the book so i cant compare, but i still think it was a wonderful movie.

Upfront, I have never read the Charles Dickens novel, but something made me pick this film adaptation of the story up and buy it. If you're a fan of period films based on mostly classic novels, you should definitely enjoy this movie.

This is the story of a young man with great integrity who, after his father's death, has to struggle to keep his family together despite his corrupt uncle's intentions to keep him, his mother and sister apart. First he's got to take employment at a boys' school where the cruel headmaster and his wife abuse the boys constantly, but are particularly cruel to a cripple named Smike. Nicholas befriends Smike and learns to make him an extended part of his family, joins a theater group full of delightfully colorful and humorous people, and he falls in love with a girl who comes from a bad family situation.

One can easily see the moral of the story Dickens had penned portrayed here: Nicholas Nickleby is an admirable and noble character who, despite all the dark and evil people he and his family are surrounded by, perseveres with his integrity fully intact, and accepts people from low society with hearts into his life rather than dwell on the snobbishness he could have leaned toward given his priviledged upbringing before his father died.

Charlie Hunnam delivers a very powerful performance as Nicholas, and you find yourself rooting for him from the very beginning. Jamie Bell, as poor sweet Smike will likely evoke sympathy, hope, and tears, as I ended up crying myself. Christopher Plummer, Jim Broadbent, and Juliet Stevens are all effectively evil, and Anne Hathaway really surprised me since I didn't think she could carry a role like that of Madeline Bray. I absolutely loved Nathan Lane as the theater owner Vincent Crummles, but Alan Cumming as Mr. Folair made me laugh.

This adaptation is not only dark and alternately funny in all the right places, but the photography is clever and beautifully shot, the musical score accommodatingly atmospheric. The stage sets really depict the cruelty of the not so romantic after all Victorian Londontown, and equally capture the beauty and serenity of the English countryside.

This movie is absolutely wonderful in every aspect; gorgeous to look at, excellent acting and direction, wonderful screenplay, and emotionally involving. The DVD extras are really informative and entertaining as well. Don't pass this one by; add it to your collection today.

In a family where happiness ruled and where they always had enough, but never too much, Nicholas Nickleby grew up. One day his father decided to begin to speculate, which at that time was analogous to playing the stock market, as his older brother Ralph Nickleby made a great fortune in this manner. However, as for most speculators Mr. Nickleby was led into financial ruin and an early death instead of to a great fortune. On the brink of poverty the family seeks out their uncle Ralph, who helps the family, but with ulterior motives. The uncle sends Nicholas to a boarding school as a teacher where he is forced to witness the abusive Mr. Squeers assault the students, in particularl the young and crippled boy Smike. This turns into a turning point in Nicholas's life as he was raised to shelter happiness and spread joy of life.

Nicholas Nickleby is based on Charles Dickens third book with the same name, and this adaptation is remarkably well planned as it offers the same interesting characters and intrigue where Nicholas sets out to find the means to help his family. On his journey Nicholas encounters several different individuals of questionable and honorable character, which is a frequent theme in Dickens' writing as can be observed in Oliver Twist, Great Expectations, and David Copperfield. Nicholas is one of these honorable characters and the story is based around his good qualities as others attempt to corrupt or injure his persona. McGrath does a terrific job in creating an atmosphere where good and evil are evident allowing the story to be learned by young as well as old. In the end, Nicholas Nickleby offers a good cinematic experience that has something for everyone.

Charles Dickens wrote the novel of Nicholas Nickelby as an indictment of the infamous "Yorkshire Schools" - English public schools in Yorkshire where unwanted children (bastards, etc.) were sent to be "educated" for the lowest possible price. One headmaster was jailed on account of his cruelty. With the purpose of denouncing these schools, Nicholas Nickelby shines forth with Dickens's trademark ironic wit. I'm happy to report that this film adaptation is faithful to the spirit of the original work - dark and monstrous when portraying evil at work, bright and cheerful when good triumphs.

It's been some time since I read the book, but from what I remember, the film follows pretty closely with the action. Of course, it's necessarily abbreviated, but not detrimentally so (but see below). Nicholas, his sister Kate, and their mother have recently lost the patriarch of the family, and travel to London to see if his (extremely rich and selfish) uncle can help them get through their financial difficulties. Uncle promptly sends Nicholas off to teach as Dotheby's Hall, run by the notorious Squeers. He befriends a poor orphan named Smike, who is constantly abused by Squeers and his wife. Eventually, Nicholas has had enough and flees the school with Smike, setting up further adventures as he makes his way back to London to be with Kate and his mother.

Jamie Bell's performance as Smike is the absolute highlight of the film. He cowers, limps, and somehow folds himself into the very representation of a crippled, malnourished, and abused boy. Christopher Plummer's scenery-chewing Uncle Ralph is also impressive, as are the performances of the principles and the entire supporting cast. The direction is sure, London is suitably dank and smokey (although, oddly, the mud and filth doesn't seem to get onto the characters' clothes), and the score is quite nice.

Although the story follows relatively closely to the book, there are times when Dickens's irony is instead shown as melodrama - one of the problems with adapting Dickens is that his sardonic wit is often part of the narration, not part of the characters. Apart from the Squeers family, Nicholas Nickelby's original sarcasm is buried. Likewise, with the cutting of characters, it's the comic relief characters that are sacrificed (e.g. Tim Linkwater (?) and Miss Lacreevy). The movie simply isn't as funny as the book, but still, full marks for what must have been a tough adaptation from a 750 page book! For my money, Ang Lee's "Sense and Sensibility" is still the best film made from a "classic" English novel. This film is quite close, though.

The DVD edition is quite nice - the director is unusually candid and well-spoken, so the behind-the-scenes featurettes and the director's commentary are quite good.

The story of "Nicholas Nickleby" is nothing if not an affirmation that Good will always triumph over Evil. And Charles Dickens has a fine time in the novel on which this film is based, telling us Nicholas' story and that of his family, friends and enemies.
It is always a risk transferring a classic such as this to the screen, especially one so long in length, where it becomes a matter of choosing the right moments to bring to the screen intact and which others not to. The best adaptations are those that visualize those moments that will give the viewer the essence of what an author intends on the printed page.
Douglas McGrath the director and writer here proved that he has what it takes for such an enterprise in his loving adaptation of "Emma" with the glowing central performance of Gwenyth Paltrow. He is arguably less successful here with Charles Hunnam as Nicholas but overall, this film gets to you on the sheer will of the filmmakers and the performers to do justice to Dickens' time-honored and beloved story.
McGrath's "Nicholas Nickleby" is well paced, beautifully shot and well cast with Christopher Plummer, Tom Courtenay and Romola Garai doing exceptional work.

I thought this was a very touching movie. In in the movie, Nicholas seemed to have lost everything. But it showes to have hope. And the cool thing is, that this story could of happened to anyone. And there are no extra efects, but it is still a very nice movie with lots of fealings. That is what makes it a wonderful mmovie. I bet Charles Dikenson would be proud! I would give it 10 stars if I could!

Jamie Bell's performance as Smike is well worth the time/price spent on the movie. He was convincing all the way through and is the reason I've watched this movie multiple times.

this movie was very entertaining. being ahuge dickens fan myself, i recommend it to all fans of his work.

more importantly, after seeing jaime bell in billy elliott and in this film, playing smike, it is crystal clear this young man needs to make more motion pictures.

I haven't read the book, but watching the movie and enjoying the characters has definitely put Nicholas Nickleby up there on my "to-read" list! The acting was great; there was a good balance of comedy and drama. It's just a good story all around. Visually, I really enjoyed the film's look, especially the colors and cinematography. The dialogue did get rather soft in some scenes--in fact, I had to flip on the subtitles a few times, but I was so involved in the story that I didn't mind doing that to find out what was going to happen next. This is just a good good story, without a lot of the trash that completely permeates today's movies and books.