Evangelicals Now
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Nicholas Nickleby

NICHOLAS NICKLEBY
Cert. PG
Dir./Screenplay: Daniel MacGrath

Dickens's novel was published in 20 episodes concluding in 1839. It is the story of the Nickleby family, left in dire straits when the father dies, suffering at the hands of their rich and wicked Uncle Ralph.

Nicholas is sent to teach at the dreaded Dotheboys Hall where the pupils are starved, beaten and humiliated, and where the headmaster, Wackford Squeers (played marvellously by Jim Broadbent) takes a special delight in torturing the disabled boy Smike (Jamie Bell).

It is a story of how love and caring humanity brings redemption. The turning point of the tale comes as Nicholas intervenes to save Smike from yet another thrashing. Smike and Nicholas run away and join a group of travelling theatre players, which includes the impressario's ageing daughter, known as 'the infant phenomenon'. Here we see the theme of finding acceptance among the less reputable members of society.

The film is worth seeing for the fine characterisations of Juliet Stevenson as the ghastly Mrs. Squeers, and Timothy Spall as one of Cheeriby brothers, who befriends Nicholas and through their benevolence set him on the right path.

Sadly, this minor masterpiece is much marred by the young US actors who play Nicholas and his beloved. And by the introduction of pretentious and poor dialogue in some of the more tender scenes by the director.

The film ends with Uncle Ralph getting his come-uppance as a street singer peals out the old hymn, 'Nearer and nearer draws the time, the time that shall surely be, when the earth will be filled with the glory of God, as the waters cover the sea'. Perhaps it was meant to be ironic, indicating that living over a century and a half after Dickens's exposure of many social evils, though many things have changed, human nature has not.

JEB
John Benton