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Nicholas Nickleby Cast: Charlie Hunnam, Jamie Bell, Jim Broadbent
An Unsung Hero
It's about time to make room on the big screen for a lesser-known Charles Dickens hero, Nicholas Nickleby, while others like Pip in Great Expectations and Oliver in Oliver Twist (last seen onstage at the Esplanade) take a backseat. It is laudable that director Douglas McGrath (who also directed Jane Austen's Emma) is brave to tackle the less familiar material, which is not to say that Nicholas Nickleby - which received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Musical or Comedy in 2003 - is of lesser material to depict on screen. As with other Charles Dickens classics, Nicholas Nickleby is tragic yet epic, and a bittersweet journey for the hero. This movie adaptation touches almost all the necessary themes: family, politics, society and love, through some of the major characters. Although the movie is centred on the protagonist, Nicholas Nickleby (played by Charlie Hunnam), it is the supporting cast that saves the movie from being an egotistical ho-hum no thanks to his rather uninspiring performance. Stellar turns by Jim Broadbent (who won an Oscar for Iris) as the malevolent rundown school owner Wackford Squeers and Christopher Plummer (last seen in A Beautiful Mind) as the selfish and malicious uncle Ralph are A-grade scene-stealers. Tipping the balance of the 2 evil characters are 2 camp and jolly fellows from a touring theatre company - Vincent and Mrs Crummles played by Nathan Lane and Barry Humphries respectively. Lane delivers the funny lines, while Humphries goes on drag (like his alter ego Dame Edna Everage) and titillates the audience with his theatrical expressions. An unappreciated Alan Cumming (X-Men 2) plays Mr Folair as a sidekick to the duo to hilarious laughs too.
Nicholas Nickleby is essentially the hero of this story. He leaves for London with his mother (Stella Gonet) and sister (Romola Garai) after his father's death to seek help from their wealthy uncle Ralph who wickedly exploits and manipulates them to his own gains. Through a series of providential events, the hero finds salvation, love and hope for a new life for his family. A poignant one would be his beautiful friendship with the mistreated slave at the dilapidated school, Smike (played by Jamie Bell, the protagonist in Billy Elliot) that resonates with brotherhood and love that while seemingly small, is significant. The complex and enriching myriad of characters that embellish the show is ironically its downfall because despite the movie reaching the 2-hour mark, it seems there is always more to tell, and loose ends. We are perplexed at the origins of Ralph's vile and ambitious nature. Similarly, we wish the romance between Nickleby and Madeline Bray (Anne Hathaway of The Princess Diaries fame) was more fleshed out than just left at loving glances thrown at each other. No matter, Dickens would be proud. This is a stellar British cast putting on dazzling performances and the story is rich with themes of love, friendship, family and images of the dirty streets and inns of London. Rating: |
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