Product Description

I love Nicholas Nickleby! exclaims Roger Ebert of this vibrant tale of intrigue, passion and revenge. And what's not to love? Brisk, sparkling (Entertainment Weekly), marvelously acted (Time) and featuring as terrific an ensemble as we ve seen (The San Francisco Examiner), this Golden Globe-nominated* adaptation of Dickens masterpiece is a timeless romantic adventure you'll treasure for years! When the Nickleby family is betrayed in their hour of need, young Nicholas (Charlie Hunnam) must save the day. Join him on a remarkable journey that critics unanimously praise as a joy to watch (Leonard Maltin)!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #11677 in DVD
• Brand: BELL,JAMIE
• Released on: 2003-07-22
• Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English, French
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish, French
• Dubbed in: Spanish
• Dimensions: .25 pounds
• Running time: 132 minutes

Amazon.com
While it necessarily streamlines the Charles Dickens classic, this delightful adaptation of Nicholas Nickelby captures the essence of Dickens in all of its Victorian splendor and squalor. With Charlie Hunnam (the U.K. Queer as Folk) doing noble work in the title role, this quintessentially Dickensian tale begins with the death of Nicholas's father, and the subsequent scheme by his cruel uncle (Christopher Plummer, perfectly cast) to separate Nicholas from his now penniless sister and mother. Stuck in a squalid school run by the evil Mr. and Mrs. Squeers (Jim Broadbent, Juliet Stevenson), Nicholas escapes with his loyal friend Smike (Billy Elliott's Jamie Bell), whose lineage will determine the greedy uncle's fate. As he did with Jane Austen's Emma, writer-director Douglas McGrath has crafted a prestigious production that shifts effortlessly between comedy and tragedy without compromising its warm, inviting tone. His dialogue rings true throughout, inspiring a stellar cast including Nathan Lane, Alan Cumming, Edward Fox, and Timothy Spall. Dickens himself would almost certainly have approved. --Jeff Shannon

DVD features
The Nicholas Nickleby DVD offers a choice of superb anamorphically enhanced widescreen or full-screen format. The Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack is involving and atmospheric and makes the most of Rachel Portman's score. Also included is a very thoughtful and engaging commentary by director Douglas McGrath, which adds a whole new level of appreciation to the film. Another substantial extra is a solid 29-minute "making of" documentary featuring all the main cast and production personnel. The Life of Charles Dickens: "A Mirror to his Work" relates the book to Dickens's life with comments from the cast in an all-too-brief 12 minutes. The Cast on the Cast (16 minutes) features them chatting amiably on the afternoon of the New York premiere. Views on the Set simply produces five key shots from two different angles. The set is completed by a gimmicky trailer and a three-part photo gallery. --Gary S. Dalkin

From The New Yorker
The slimming of Charles Dickens's 1839 epic by the director Douglas McGrath focusses on an educated boy (Charlie Hunnam) who loses his father and then attempts to save the rest of his family from his abusive, wealthy uncle (Christopher Plummer). The film is picturesque and lively, and it rejects much of the extreme emotional and social distress of the novel. McGrath simplifies squalor and hardship in the name of entertainment. This Dickens-lite approach is saved from banality by some fine character acting (especially from Jim Broadbent and Tom Courtenay) and a brisk filmmaking style that makes the movie an easy read. -Bruce Diones
Copyright © 2006 The New Yorker