![]() ![]() He lands a job working at a school, but doesnt get along with Wackford Squeers (Alfred Drayton), the brutal headmaster he works under. (Make no mistake, though: James D'Arcy in the title role leaves no heart unthrobbed.) Charles Dance is evil incarnate as Ralph Nickleby, and this makes his comeuppance all the more enjoyable. Nicholas Nickleby (Derek Bond) must try to support his family now that his father has died. Thankfully, the producers of this miniseries have followed Dickens' purpose in creating bold and memorable entertainment, while not losing sight of the moral center in the lovely, understated performances of the protagonists. And while the social themes of Dickens' works are not to be taken lightly, the entertainment value of his stories and of his characters - especially the baddies - is often not fully realized on the screen. Victorian costume drama too often chooses between mannerly drawing room theater and sobering social realism, Dickens tending toward the latter. But if these are weaknesses in the book, the producers of this adaptation have embraced them with joy and turned them into striking assets. Nicholas Nickleby is often put on the Dickens "B-list" because of the episodic nature of the story and its over-dependence on unrelated and eccentric characters. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |