Oliver Twist

Oliver Twist

Year: 1997

Runtime: 91 mins

Language: English

Director: Tony Bill

FamilyDrama

Set in 1837 England, this new adaptation of Charles Dickens’s classic follows orphan Oliver, who flees a harsh sweat‑shop and journeys to London in search of family. There he falls under the sway of the cunning pick‑pocket leader Fagin, played by Richard Dreyfuss, while Alex Trench portrays the hopeful boy. The screenplay was penned by John Sacksteder.

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Timeline & Setting – Oliver Twist (1997)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Oliver Twist (1997). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

19th century

The story is set in 19th-century London, a time of severe poverty, crowded urban life, and rigid social hierarchy. Harsh institutions like workhouses and the legal system shape Oliver Twist’s fate. The atmosphere reflects the era’s social tensions and the precarious lives of the poor.

Location

London, Widow Corney Workhouse, Grosvenor Square (Mr Brownlow Mansion)

The action unfolds in London, beginning in a grim workhouse and moving through the city’s crowded streets. It visits the grand Grosvenor Square mansion, home to Mr. Brownlow and Rose Maylie, as well as the underbelly where Fagin’s gang thrives. The city acts as a stage for stark class differences, from squalid wards to affluent homes.

🏙️ London 🕰️ Victorian era

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:46

Main Characters – Oliver Twist (1997)

Meet the key characters of Oliver Twist (1997), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Oliver Twist - Alex Trench

An orphan who endures hunger and abuse in a workhouse and is drawn into London’s criminal underworld. He remains morally upright despite manipulation, showing resilience and curiosity. His search for his locket and clues to his lineage drive his longing for safety and belonging.

🧒 Orphan 💫 Innocence 🧭 Survival

Fagin - Richard Dreyfuss

A sly, aging mastermind who leads a gang of pickpockets and uses Oliver to recover stolen treasure. He guards Oliver’s locket as leverage, revealing a calculating and greedy temperament. Despite his charm, his actions reveal a ruthless interest in control and profit.

🧠 Mastermind 💰 Greed 🗝️ Manipulation

The Artful Dodger - Elijah Wood

A street-smart, charismatic boy who introduces Oliver to the gang and the art of theft. He acts as a guide in the urban maze, balancing mischief with a certain loyalty to his peers. His quick wit helps him navigate danger and courtrooms alike.

👦 Street-smarts 🪙 Quick-witted 🗺️ Navigator

Bill Sikes - David O'Hara

A brutal, violent thief and possible murderer who exerts peril over Oliver and the others. He is driven by fear of loss and greed, pressing himself to extremes to protect his hold on power and treasure. His brutality culminates in a dramatic downfall.

⚔️ Brutality 🗡️ Criminal 💥 Threatening

Nancy - Antoine Byrne

Sikes’ conflicted partner, torn between loyalty to the gang and compassion for Oliver. Her personal moral struggle leads to a tragic end, underscoring the costs of living amid crime. She embodies a complicated blend of kindness and fear.

💔 Loyalty 🕯️ Sacrifice

Mr. Brownlow - Anthony Finigan

A kind, protective guardian who senses Oliver’s true nature and offers him refuge. His benevolence sets the stage for a possible family connection and a hopeful future. He embodies generous authority and trust in the face of suspicion.

🤝 Kindness 🏛️ Authority 🧭 Belonging

Rose Maylie - Olivia Caffrey

A compassionate figure linked to Mr. Brownlow who offers Oliver kindness and support. She testifies to defend Oliver’s character and helps him find a place in a loving home. Her presence symbolizes mercy amid a harsh world.

💖 Compassion 🕊️ Mercy 🧭 Belonging

Widow Corney - Maria Charles

The overseer of the workhouse who wields power over Oliver’s early life and controls access to his locket. Her role highlights the bureaucratic coldness and self-interest that can govern institutions. She embodies the formidable yet vulnerable figure at the center of Oliver’s origin story.

🏢 Authority 💼 Control 🗝️ Possession

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:46

Major Themes – Oliver Twist (1997)

Explore the central themes of Oliver Twist (1997), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🏚️ Social Inequality

Oliver Twist highlights the brutal gap between the haves and have-nots in 19th-century London. The workhouse system, opportunistic criminals, and exploitative figures showcase how poverty channels people into desperate choices. The narrative uses Oliver’s plight to critique neglect, welfare, and the institutions meant to protect the vulnerable. It questions who bears responsibility for the vulnerable in a stratified society.

🔎 Identity

A thread of lineage runs through Oliver’s journey when the locket and portraits point to his possible connection to Mr. Brownlow’s family. The discovery schemes Oliver’s sense of self and place within a family and society. His struggle to claim belonging contrasts with those who seek to define him by crime or poverty. The theme probes how origins shape fate and belonging.

⚖️ Morality

The plot pits innocence against crime, testing loyalties and ethics within a criminal underworld and a compassionate circle. Nancy’s murder and the tension between ends and means highlight the moral complexities characters face. Oliver’s enduring goodness in a corrupt world prompts questions about justice and mercy. The narrative asks what it means to do right in a world of exploitation.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:46

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Oliver Twist Summary

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