Nickleby's adventures come to life

by Charles Bodsworth
BBC News Online

Nickleby takes Smike under his wing

Billy Elliot actor Jamie Bell stars in a film adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic, Nicholas Nickleby.

Even if you have never opened a Dickens novel you may be familiar with his characters courtesy of various sentimental Christmas TV specials.

Thankfully, this big screen version of Nicholas Nickleby is bursting with famous names putting in rounded and subtle performances - and for them alone it is worth seeing.

But those television adaptations get Dickens right in at least one respect - he was writing for serialisation, with vast numbers of characters and storylines. Like all films, this one has to skip a lot of those and may disappoint some fans.

But if, like me, you have not read the book, the film presents a satisfying and fast-moving adventure story.

Though the Nicklebys are respectable country folk, they are forced to move to London to seek help from Nicholas' Uncle Ralph after the death of his father.

Plummer's performance is outstanding

Ralph Nickleby (a chillingly plausible by Christopher Plummer) sends Nicholas to work in the hellish Yorkshire boarding school Dotheboys Hall. There he meets and befriends Smike, played by Jamie Bell of Billy Elliot fame.

As Smike, Bell is a picture of misery - malnourished, crippled, abused and guaranteed to tug at your heart strings.

Charlie Hunnam (the tearaway schoolboy from Queer as Folk) also looks the part as Nicholas - blond, good-looking and wholesome.

Hunnam delivers the goods when Nicholas fights injustice - who would not cheer as he beats the hateful headmaster of the school black and blue?

Unfortunately, elsewhere, an inexperienced actor like Hunnam looks weak alongside the more seasoned stars and the film flags somewhat in his love scenes.

Nicholas escapes the loveless school and through his adventures builds himself a new family.

Yes, the film is heavy on the sentiment towards the end, but it is after all a kind of fairytale. And anyway, what could be more Dickensian than a proper schmaltzy ending?

Nicholas Nickleby opens in the UK on Friday.

Have you seen the film?

Is it a good adaptation? What did you think of the young actors?

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Send us your views on the form below.

Whilst some very commendable performances from the likes of Timothy Spall and Christopher Plummer and of course Jamie Bell, the film as a whole was very weak and wooden with absolutely no feel for the Dickensian style whatsoever when there could have been some truly marvellous characters portrayed - extremely disappointing. I have nothing to say regarding Charlie Hunnam.
Caroline Haines, UK

I too saw the preview last week and thoroughly enjoyed it. Edward Fox as the lecherous colleague of Ralph Nickleby, and Tom Courtney as Nobbs, stole the show for me. Highly rated.
Sue, Harrow, UK

I thought this was one of the best movies I have ever seen. The acting was brilliant and would recommend it to anyone who appreciates excellent British movies and is not into the rubbish that appears on our screens too often.
Shawn Pearce (Ms), New Zealand

I saw a preview a few days ago and thought it was very good. Jamie Bell was brilliant, even though I didnt rate his acting in Billy Elliot. The acting was generally very good, the script was excellent and well written and the film moved at a fast pace. It was slightly long at just over two hours but all in all it is highly recommended by myself.
Brett, UK

I thought it was very good, well acted, the costumes were excellent and the two hours passed quite enjoyably. My only criticism is it would probably be better as a TV drama and not a film.
Dawn Buckingham, Plymouth, England

Wonderful casting and playing almost totally ruined by the lead who is absolutely leaden.
Mark Brookes, UK

A most entertaining film with terrific performances (including a cameo from an Aussie dame - Edna Everage). My only criticism would be that at just on 90 mins a lot of the subplots in the novel have been removed. I think it could have easily gone for another 30 mins.
Richard Sallis, Australia

Fabulously filmed, though sadly, style seemed to be more important than content to the director.
Roy Tapping, UK

Entertaining easy watching for a Saturday night at the movies. Poor casting for the lead though. Tom Courtney stole the show as Nobbs and Christopher Plummer was superbly menacing as Uncle Ralph. Bravo to Jamie Bell for tugging at our heart strings as poor Smike.
H Fowler, UK

Charlie Hunnam cannot yet command the screen in quite a demanding role, and his relationship with Bell's Smike just doesn't gel. Jim Broadbent entertains but his performance gains laughs rather than the disgust of the audience. Sure, it's entertaining fare and a solid adaptation, yet it seems somewhat heartless underneath some of the showier cameos.

Overall, it needed a lot more dirt and grime with the camera being freed from its tight constraints to view the sweeping cities of London and Liverpool. Enough of the Hollywood sheen, let's see a Dickens adaptation that literally dishes the dirt and squalor.
Reece, UK