Thomas Bentley (director)
Studiocanal (studio)
Cert U (certificate)
96 min. (length)
14 May 2012 (released)
15 May 2012
To celebrate the bicentenary of Charles Dickens, Studiocanal releases two of his classics on DVD, one being The Old Curiosity Shop from 1934.
A rare treat not least thanks to Hay Petrie’s astonishing performance as the hideously deformed and dwarf-like Daniel Quilp, this b/w version manages to cram the complexity of the original story into 90min. of sheer movie delight – abridged of course.
The moving tale of young and gentle Nell Trent (Elaine Benson), who resides in an old curiosity shop together with her grandfather (Ben Webster) and with no friends other than young apprentice Kit already stirred readers in Dickens day.
Worried that his beloved Nell might end up penniless after his death, the grandfather secretly takes to gambling by night, borrowing heavily from the ever-scheming Quilp. When he loses and finds himself unable to pay back the debts, Quilp takes over the old shop and asks both Nell and her grandfather to pack up and leave. Collapsing in utter desperation, Nell urges her protective granddad to escape London and make their way to the Midlands, where they can begin a new life in anonymity – and as beggars. En route, they encounter all sorts of grotesque characters (well, it is a Dickens story), amongst them the owner of a travelling waxworks show who offers them some employment and much needed pennies. Alas, bad luck and more misfortune is on the heels when Quilp tries to track them down, as is the grandfather’s long last brother who has his own agenda for finding them.
The sets are magnificent, as it the atmospheric cinematography. One is never quite sure whether some of the set pieces were built larger to give Quilp’s dwarf-like physisque more authenticity, while the ramshackle curiosity shop and occasionally distorted angles compliment the exaggerated and absurd appearance of some of the film’s characters.
There’s also some interesting bonus material on the DVD, such as ‘Interview with BFI Dickens Season Curators Adrian Wootton & Michael Eaton’, ‘Interview with Dickens biographer Michael Slater’, Stills Gallery, and ‘Wonderful Dickens: Dickens' London’ - a 1924 silent film directed by Frank Miller.
Please note that the film’s aspect ratio is full frame and the sound is mono.
