Review: Nicholas Nickleby (2002)

Tomorrow I'll be faced with the start of the dreadful ordeal known as Camp NaNoWriMo. I can sum up my feelings about this in two words: horrified screaming. But meanwhile, here's another review!

I really don't know what to think of this film. On the one hand, it sticks fairly close to the book. On the other... well, more about that later.

Side note: The theme music isn't as memorable as the series', and it's much more jolly. It's all right, but it doesn't make much impression.

Nicholas Nickleby is a 2002 film adaptation of Charles Dickens' third novel. This version was released a year after the 2001 miniseries -- the first miniseries I ever reviewed, and which I personally prefer to the film.

Recognisable actors:
Charlie Hunnam (Alan in Crimson Peak) as Nicholas
Jim Broadbent (Professor Kirke in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe 2005) as Wackford Squeers
Christopher Plummer (Captain von Trapp in The Sound of Music) as Ralph Nickleby
Jamie Bell (voice in Tintin in The Adventures of Tintin) as Smike
Anne Hathaway (Fantine in Les Misérables 2012) as Madeline
Timothy Spall (Mr. Venus in Our Mutual Friend 1998) as Charles Cheeryble
Tom Courtenay (Mr. Dorrit in Little Dorrit) as Newman Noggs
Romola Garai (Emma in Emma 2009) as Kate
David Bradley (Riderhood in Our Mutual Friend 1998) as Madeline's father
Phil Davis (Smallweed in Bleak House 2005) as Brooker
Nathan Lane (voice of Timon in The Lion King) as Crummles
Edward Fox (Mr. Brownlow in Oliver Twist 2007) as Sir Mulberry
Alan Cumming (voice of Black Beauty in Black Beauty 1994) as Mr. Folair

...And I'm sure I've missed someone, but that's a long enough list!

Unlike the series or the book, the film is narrated by Mr. Crummles. I'm not sure what I think of this decision. On the one hand, it gives Mr. Crummles more to do. On the other, he's a minor character with no real plot significance, and the book manages just fine without him narrating it.

The opening credits are shown on a sort of puppet-stage-thing. I prefer the series' beginning, but this fits the film's more theatrical interpretation of the story.

In the first few minutes there's a completely unnecessary scene which I always skip. Come to think of it, you can skip the whole opening narration without missing anything. The story proper only begins when the Nicklebys arrive in London.

In this version Mrs. Nickleby and her children visit Ralph, instead of him visiting them. Why bother making such a minor change? Did the director just want to show those creepy stuffed birds in Ralph's house? Madeleine Bray also makes her first appearance here. I'm pretty sure in the book she never even met Ralph until he tried to force her to marry that snake Gride (who's conspicuous by his absence in the film).

Nicholas, Kate and Mrs. Nickleby, with Newman Noggs in the background.

Ralph Nickleby

Film!Ralph doesn't make such an immediately villainous impression as series!Ralph. It might be because I can't help thinking of The Sound of Music when I see film!Ralph, while series!Ralph only makes me think of Mr. Tulkinghorn. Actually, no one makes much impression at first. Mrs. Nickleby isn't as whiny and silly as her book counterpart, while Nicholas and Kate fade into the background until they speak.

Squeers's first appearance was another disappointment. I was expecting someone as vile, repulsive and barely human as book-and-series!Squeers. Instead, film!Squeers looks almost normal... except for his eye. That's as hideous as in the series.

Squeers and Nicholas

The film's music was just average at first, but it improves later on. I was surprised to find I quite liked it after a while.

This adaptation is very... sanitised might be the best word. The book and the series were pretty grim. Dotheboys Hall and the Squeers were absolutely revolting. In the film, they're still evil and disgusting, but the sheer brutality, horror and soul-crushing misery of the school -- to say nothing of the nausea induced by the Squeerses -- is considerably lessened.

Mrs. Squeers in the series could induce "AAAAAHHHHH! KILL IT! KILL IT WITH FIRE!" reactions in viewers simply by appearing. Here her first appearance only made me grimace. Likewise, Fanny Squeers actually looks like a person and not a walking barrel of lard.

Poor Smike is as tragic here as in the series 😭 My heart broke at the moment when Nicholas reaches for a book and Smike jumps back as if he expects to be hit 😭

Smike. Poor, poor Smike 😭😭

I don't remember Nicholas and Smike reading together in the series, but that's a change I absolutely approve of. Unfortunately that heartwarming moment quickly becomes heartbreaking when Squeers finds them and nearly throttles Smike.

Aww... and oww 😢

Nicholas beating Squeers is as awesome in the film as in the book and series. In this version Nicholas agrees to take Smike with him at once. I think I like that interpretation more than his initial hesitation in the series. (Yes, I did just say I like something in the film more than in the series. Should I hand out smelling salts in case the shock is too much for someone?)

Nicholas: "From this night forward the world shall deal by you as it does by me."

Me: *bursts into tears*

Kate's job at the Mantolinis is mentioned only in passing. Her first appearance since Nicholas left London is when Ralph introduces her to the vile Sir Mulberry Hawk. This scene is gross and horrifying in the book and series, where Hawk and his friends are roughly the same age as Kate, but the film adds a whole new level of ickiness by making Hawk as old as Ralph *shudders*

Nicholas and Smike meet the Crummles and their theatre. For some incomprehensible reason, Mrs. Crummles is played by a man. Why? Did the director think it would be funnier? After a brief stay with the theatre Nicholas learns Kate is in trouble, so he and Smike set off for London.

I cheered when Nicholas confronts Ralph. Whatever else can be said of the film, it gets the awesome moments right!

When Brooker appeared for the first time I did a double take. Surely that wasn't-- Could it be-- I checked the credits, and it was! Smallweed has apparently been "shake me up"ed so much that he's been shaken right into another of Dickens' works!

Brooker, who surprisingly never calls anyone a brimstone beast.

(People who haven't seen Bleak House must be wondering what I'm talking about. All I can say is, watch Bleak House.)

The Cheeryble brothers are the latest characters who aren't as good as their series counterparts. There's nothing wrong with them, but they just aren't as jolly and, well, cheery as I expected.

The Cheerybles

Arthur Gride is nowhere to be seen in the film. Instead Hawk tries to force Madeline to marry him. Why? Did the director want to cut down on the number of characters? Meanwhile, poor Smike is very ill 😢

Madeline

Smike's death is always heartrending 😭 I cried so much I had to stop the film because I couldn't see through the tears 😭

Why, Dickens? Why did you kill Smike?

Thank goodness Ralph gets his comeuppance! This Nicholas's behaviour in this scene is much more gleeful than series!Nicholas. I can understand his wish to repay his uncle's cruelty, but he's just lost his friend. Wouldn't he be more depressed when revealing the truth about Smike's identity? He is in the series; I can't remember how he acted in the book.

Why, of all the ways to end the film, did the director decide to bring back Crummles and his theatre? And have Crummles speak directly to the audience? That was just weird. On the bright side, Nicholas marries Madeline and Kate marries Frank (who barely appears in the film and left so little impression I didn't even remember his existence until the wedding!), and they get a happy ending in spite of all the earlier misery 😄

Nicholas and Madeline at Smike's grave 😢

As a general rule miniseries based on classic novels are better than film adaptations. Miniseries have more time to include more subplots and generally stay closer to the book. Films tend to be rushed, with an awful lot removed. I had low expectations when I started this film. I'm pleased to say it isn't as bad as I feared.

As far as Dickens adaptations go, this film is just average. Not as good as the series, but not a complete disaster.

Is it available online?: I don't think so

Rating: 6/10.