Oliver!

Rating: 3/5

After In the Heat of the Night, it definitely seemed like Hollywood was heading in a new direction, but Oliver! was a bit of a step backward. It wasn't bad, but definitely had an older feel to it compared to where movies seemed to be going.

The 1960s were definitely the Oscar decade for musical winners. My Fair Lady, The Sound of Music, and then Oliver! The latter two are fantastic, especially The Sound of Music, so Oliver! had a lot to live up to by comparison, and it sadly falls a bit short. There were definitely scenes that I really enjoyed, namely the "Who Will Buy" sequence, but beyond that, I can't say that I was a major fan. To be honest, I truly don't blame the movie Oliver! for this, I just happened to discover that I wasn't the biggest fan of the musical itself. Prior to seeing the movie, I only knew bits and pieces of the music based on clips and references I'd heard as a lifetime musical obsessive, but I'd never listened to the soundtrack straight through or seen a production of the show.

Though it did seem a bit like Oliver! was the cinema's' last ditch effort to preserve the old ways of the movies, it certainly wasn't terrible. Just not on my list of favorite musicals.

1969 Honorary Award Winner for Achievement in Choreography - Onna White

1969 Best Picture Winner - Oliver!

1969 Best Director Winner - Carol Reed

1969 Best Art Direction - Set Direction Winner - John Box, Terence Marsh, Vernon Dixon & Ken Muggleston

1969 Best Sound Winner - Shepperton Studios

1969 Best Music, Score of a Musical Picture (Original or Adaptation Winner) - Johnny Green