Oliver Twist (1948)

The film that changed my life: John Hurt

Oliver Twist by David Lean (1948) I've had a lifelong admiration for Alec Guinness and I watched all the Ealing comedies adoringly, but in Oliver Twist I felt he pushed himself to new extremes. He translated his thespian techniques to the screen quite seamlessly, parading a supreme understanding of the camera. His performance was so considered, so subtle. So much more than simply acting out a script with dialogue. Watching him, one became colossally aware of the fact that thought translates on the screen. David Lean 's direction and his great cinematography enhanced this sense, of course. The most memorable image, for me, is that of Guinness's character, Fagin, looking out over the crowds of Victorian London. It emphasised that what's important is the image on the screen, above everything else – an important lesson for any actor performing in the adaptation of a literary source. I've been in a few literary adaptations.
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