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Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Potboiler Productions
United Artists
Not part of a collection.
EVERY FAMILY NEEDS A HERO.
Nicholas Nickleby, a young boy in search of a better life, struggles to save his family and friends from the abusive exploitation of his coldheartedly grasping uncle.
CinemaSerf
Nov 4, 2022 · via TMDB
When his father dies leaving his family not far short of penury, the eponymous young man (Charlie Hunnam) does a deal with his wealthy uncle "Ralph" (Christopher Plummer) that will ensure the comfortable survival of his mother and sister "Kate" (Romola Garai). This deal involves him travelling to the north of England to teach at the school of "Wackford Squeers" (a good effort from Jim Broadbent). Now this is a brutal man who beats and extorts from his pupils and from his factotum "Smike" (Jamie Bell) with abandon. Finally at the end of his tether, young "Nickelby" exacts some punishment of his own and absconds with the young "Smike" to make a life free from this abuse. Meantime his rather unscrupulous uncle is using the young "Kate" as a pawn in his dealings with the predatory "Sir Mulberry Hawk" (Edward Fox). Can her brother return home in time save her from a rather grizzly fate? This is one of Charles Dickens' weaker stories, I found. Once the gritty and darker first half hour or so is over, it falls into a pattern of rather unlikely serendipity. Too many coincidental relationships, friendships and dependencies start to turn it all a bit sour for me. Anne Hathaway adequately provides our hero with some love interest, and as with the brief appearances from Juliet Stevenson as "Mrs. Squeers" and the newly knighted Sir Tom Courtenay as the honourable and decent "Noggs" adds a bit of richness to the story, but handsome though he is, Hunnam hasn't quite the gravitas to take this on nor Plummer quite the dastardliness intended in the original book. It does look good, the costumes and settings all deliver well but somehow I always prefer adaptations of this author's work to be in black and white. Colour seems to overly sanitise his stories of poverty, cruelty and exploitation. It certainly does here.
User reviews courtesy of TMDB.
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Apple TV Store
Google Play Movies
YouTube
Fandango At Home
Charlie Hunnam
Nicholas Nickleby
Nathan Lane
Vincent Crummles
Jim Broadbent
Mr. Wackford Squeers
Christopher Plummer
Ralph Nickleby
Jamie Bell
Smike
Anne Hathaway
Madeline Bray
Alan Cumming
Mr. Folair
Timothy Spall
Charles Cheeryble
Romola Garai
Kate Nickleby
Andrew Havill
Mr. Nickleby
Stella Gonet
Mrs Nickleby
Hugh Mitchell
Boy Nicholas Nickleby
Tom Courtenay
Newman Noggs
Juliet Stevenson
Mrs. Squeers
Lucy Davis
Maid
Kevin McKidd
John Browdie
Edward Fox
Sir Mulberry Hawk
Nicholas Rowe
Lord Verisopht
Angus Wright
Mr. Pluck
Barry Humphries
Mrs. Crummles/Mr. Leadville
Eileen Walsh
The Infant Phenomenon
Daisy Haggard
Juliet in Play
Phil Davis
Brooker
Gerard Horan
Ned Cheeryble
William Ash
Frank Cheeryble
Sophie Thompson
Miss Lacreevy
David Bradley
Nigel Bray
Edward Hogg
Young Mr. Bray
Roger Ashton-Griffiths
Doctor
Angela Curran
Parent
Eve Stewart
Production Design
Rowley Irlam
Stunts
Douglas McGrath
Director
Lina Todd
Casting
Nina Gold
Casting
Gail Egan
Executive Producer
Robert Kessel
Executive Producer
Simon Channing Williams
Producer
Rachel Portman
Original Music Composer
Charles Dickens
Novel
Douglas McGrath
Writer
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FISFiC Vol. 1
2011
Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs
2015
Sign in to vote
Battle your watched movies head-to-head
Community Top Movies
Evil Dead II
1987 · 14 wins
The Dark Knight
2008 · 14 wins
Halloween
1978 · 13 wins
Final Destination
2000 · 12 wins
Halloween II
1981 · 11 wins
Trivia
Leaderboard →Playing as a guest — sign in to save your score and rank on the leaderboard.
Movie Trivia
Guess the movie from a clue — tagline, plot, cast and more. Pick from four posters.
What movie experience do you prefer?
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