Astonishing how much of the novel makes it on the screen with humor and Dickensian plot twists intact. Hardly a moment goes by without some rollicking line, some absurd twist, The telegraphic and addictive clipped speech of Mr. Jingles done to perfection by the dashing Nigel Patrick. A wealth of English character actors fill out the scene, for instance BOTH Hermiones (Gingold & Baddeley) and my favorite little moment, the inimitable Joyce Grenfell, dressed as Brittania reciting her poem The Expired Frog. Henry Fowler got his best role ever as Sam Weller: the lean live wire cockney and the rotund, mild-natured Pickwick are a visual treat together. It is a sort of hobby of mine to find forgotten 'small' post war English film delights. This is near the top of the list.
Review of The Pickwick Papers
