Best Picture of 1968: Oliver!

"Please sir, can I have some more". You pretty much have to be dead to not have ever heard that line said. This line has been used as jokes in movies, or parodies in cartoon/ tv shows. People have used it as jokes in online videos or in public to their friends. Most people know that this is a line that was said by Oliver in the book Oliver Twist. This famous line also makes an appearance in the
Best Picture of 1968 Oliver!. The musical adaptation of the classic tale of a young orphan living in an orphanage. Oliver Twist gets caught up in an adventure he never could have imagined himself in. With crazy characters with strange ideas, or cute lads that can steal almost anything from anyone Oliver winds up great friends and a family to boot. However, in order to stay with this family he must get away from Bill Sikes because Bill thinks that by getting this new family Oliver is putting Bill's way of life on the line.


Romulus Films had a very interesting take on this film when they made it into a musical. It ended up working for them because it beat out: Columbia's Funny Girl; Embassy's The Lion in the Water; Warner Brothers' Rachel, Rachel; and B.H.E Productions Romeo and Juliet for the top prize that night. The National Film Archive also thought it was great enough to be selected for preservation in 1998.


I have to say that when I turned on this film and everyone started singing I had to pause the movie. Not because the singing was bad but because I had no clue that it was a musical. I thought I had gotten that wrong movie to watch and wanted to make sure it was right. Sure enough, it was the correct movie! It is also one of the most fun ones that I have seen on the Best Picture List. I thought it was a very funny and very charming film. I will say that the movie is called Oliver! but it felt it really was not about him. Not that I am complaining but it's just funny to me that they use this boy just as an excuse to take us to the places where the creators of the movie wanted to go. I am not sure if that is what they did in the book or play but that is what it felt like here. Whatever the case, this was a joyous film to watch.