England,
1951
Shown in 1970
CREDITS
- dir
-
David Lean
- prod
-
Ronald Neame
- scr
-
David Lean, Sidney Haynes
- cam
-
Guy Green
- cast
-
John Howard Davies, Alec Guinness, Kay Walsh, Robert Newton, Henry Stephenson, Frances L. Sullivan, Anthony Newley
- source
-
Janus Films
-
COMMENTS
David Lean in person for a tribute.
OTHER
When this classic film was first released, a storm of protest raged about Alec Guinness’s interpretation of Charles Dickens’ villainous Fagin. This famous character in Oliver Twist was considered to be anti-Semitic at the time, and although this was the opinion of a small group of New York censors, the film was viciously cut, so that Guinness’ performance was seriously shortened, with all subtleties lost in this re-editing. Now, at long last, in connection with our earlier tribute to David Lean, the original, uncut version is being presented today. This is its first showing on the West Coast, and it is hoped that the immortality of Dickens’ original novel will coexist with this brilliant recreation of all the magnificent characters we have known for so long.
—Albert Johnson
FACTOID #33
French New Wave actress Jeanne Moreau’s 1974 Festival tribute, called “a veritable orgy” for her fans by the Examiner’s Stanley Eichelbaum, included screenings of four films (The Lovers, Jules and Jim, Bay of Angels and Diary of a Chambermaid), an onstage interview with Moreau and an additional two hours of clips. Running nine to 11 hours (depending on the source), the tribute was the longest recorded at the Festival.
