Oliver Twist (1999 TV series)
A 1999 ITV adaptation of Charles Dickens' novel.
Oliver Twist is a 1999 drama serial produced by ITV, based on the 1838 novel by Charles Dickens. The serial is notable for its extensive use of invented backstory and significant alterations to the original plot.
Quick Facts
- Based on
- Oliver Twist, Charles Dickens
- Writer
- Alan Bleasdale
- Director
- Renny Rye
- Starring
- Robert Lindsay
- Keira Knightley
- Michael Kitchen
- Sam Smith
- Julie Walters
- Theme music
- Paul Pritchard
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Language
- English
- Series
- 1
Facts from the source article.
Plot
Edwin Leeford, owner of a country estate, falls in love with his neighbour Agnes Fleming, who lives with her widowed former sea-captain father and her young sister Rose. After Agnes becomes pregnant, she learns Edwin is married, with a long-estranged wife and a teenage son. Edwin is called to Rome by a dying uncle who plans to leave him a fortune as compensation for his unhappy marriage. His wife Elizabeth follows him there and murders him after he inherits. She then tries to convince their son Edward to murder Agnes, but his inability to do so triggers a seizure, and Agnes runs away, believing Edwin abandoned her. Rose witnesses the attack and escapes, traumatized. Agnes trudges to a town, collapses at the local workhouse, and dies in childbirth. Her baby is christened Oliver Twist and sent to a foundling farm. At nine, Oliver is moved back to the workhouse, where he is starved and beaten. Other boys compel him to ask for more food, and the workhouse board sends him away. He is apprenticed to Mr. Sowerberry, an undertaker, but after the apprentice Noah insults his mother, Oliver escapes to London. There, the Artful Dodger takes him to a dwelling of young thieves under Fagin, a former magician from Prague. Edward Leeford, Oliver's half-brother, now living in London with his mother, uses the pseudonym Monks and contracts Fagin to make Oliver a criminal, as their father's will left most of his estate to Agnes's child but disinherited him if the child showed bad character. Oliver is set up to be arrested for pickpocketing, but a bookstore owner's testimony exonerates him.
Controversy
The adaptation by Alan Bleasdale attracted controversy for beginning with two hours of backstory, much of it invented, before reaching the plot of the novel. Bleasdale also altered well-known sections, changing almost every detail enough that the drama plays like an original story. For instance, Monks is changed from an irredeemable villain to someone who reforms and starts a family.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who stars in Oliver Twist (1999 TV series)?
Oliver Twist stars Robert Lindsay, Keira Knightley, Michael Kitchen, Sam Smith and Julie Walters.
How many episodes of Oliver Twist (1999 TV series) are there?
Oliver Twist has 4 episodes across 1 season.
When did Oliver Twist (1999 TV series) first air?
Oliver Twist first aired on 28 November 1999.
When did Oliver Twist (1999 TV series) end?
Oliver Twist last aired on 19 December 1999.
More in Television Shows Produced by Harlech Television
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced