I have to agree with the comments made by anne2knunn and Edina van Daalen. This is a pretty unimpressive and woefully skeletonized adaptation of a wonderful story. Gone is the rich tapestry of Dickensian characters. Miss Snevilicci, the Kenwigs, the Mantolinis, Miss Knag, The Wititterlys, Tim Linkinwater, Peg Sliderskew, Mr Lillyvick, Miss Petowker and others. Even the main players who are left are shallow interpretations. The plot is drastically altered to accommodate this skeletonization, and the whole story is turned into a nonsense. Gone also is the fatal duel between Sir Mulberry Hawk and Lord Verisopht, the outcome of which is one of the main reasons for Ralph Nickleby's fall. Also gone is Arthur Gride, Madeline Bray's prospective albeit unwanted bridegroom, and NOT Sir Mulberry Hawk as portrayed here. Another change is that the Brays were originally placed as living in the Rules of the King's Bench debtor's prison, and although perhaps not so important with regard to the storyline, exactly why the producers deemed it necessary to alter this point (or any other parts of the story) is beyond me. The Brothers Cheeryble are made to look like discards from the Wizard of Oz, and whoever thought up the idea of Barry Humphries playing Mrs Crummles must have been on magic mushrooms. No mention is given to the ultimate fate of the Squeers family or the school, and the closing scenes include the Crummles, who, according to the novel, have by this time emigrated to America.
As to the actual movie per se, it is plodding, patchy, and utterly uninspiring. With one exception, the cinematography (and even that isn't great), I tried, but failed, to find one saving aspect of the movie. Even the acting is at best mediocre, at worst atrocious. Relatively non-essential parts of the story are kept in, whilst other essential details of the story are cut out. In short, what promises at the start to be a reasonable production, turns out to be more than a bit of a mess, and somewhat of an insult to Dickens, and the lovers of his works. For me, this movie has to be one of the worst adaptations of a Dickens story ever made, and if Charles Dickens himself were to watch it from his celestial armchair, I'm quite sure he would pull out most of his celestial hair. Give yourselves a real treat and watch the RSC version instead.
As to the actual movie per se, it is plodding, patchy, and utterly uninspiring. With one exception, the cinematography (and even that isn't great), I tried, but failed, to find one saving aspect of the movie. Even the acting is at best mediocre, at worst atrocious. Relatively non-essential parts of the story are kept in, whilst other essential details of the story are cut out. In short, what promises at the start to be a reasonable production, turns out to be more than a bit of a mess, and somewhat of an insult to Dickens, and the lovers of his works. For me, this movie has to be one of the worst adaptations of a Dickens story ever made, and if Charles Dickens himself were to watch it from his celestial armchair, I'm quite sure he would pull out most of his celestial hair. Give yourselves a real treat and watch the RSC version instead.