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Nancy (Oliver Twist)
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Nancy is a fictional character in the novel Oliver Twist and its numerous theatre, television and motion picture adaptations. She is a member of Fagin's gang and the lover, and eventual victim, of Bill Sikes. Though it is never explicitly stated in the novel, it is strongly implied that Nancy is a prostitute as well as a thief. Dickens expressly asserted this in his preface to the novel's 1841 edition ("the boys are pickpockets, and the girl is a prostitute").
Despite her criminality, Nancy is portrayed as a sympathetic figure, whose concern for Oliver overcomes her loyalty to Sikes and Fagin. By the climax of the novel she is emaciated with sickness and worry, and filled with guilt about the life she is leading.
Best films
(2005)
(1968)Played by the actors
Filmography of Nancy (Oliver Twist) (6 films)
Add to a movie listOliver Twist (2005)
, 2h10Directed by Roman Polanski
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Adventure, Crime
Themes Films about children, L'enfance marginalisée
Actors Ben Kingsley, Jamie Foreman, Barney Clark, Harry Eden, Leanne Rowe, Edward Hardwicke
Rating67%
In the 1800s, young orphan Oliver Twist is forcibly brought to a workhouse in an unidentified town In England on his ninth birthday. He and the other resident children are treated poorly and given very little food. Facing starvation, the boys select Oliver (through a lottery) to ask for more food at the next meal, which he tentatively does. This results in Oliver being chastised, and the workhouse officials, who are wealthy, well-fed, hypocritical men, decide to get rid of him. After nearly being sold as an apprentice to a cruel chimney sweep, Oliver is sent to Mr. Sowerberry, a coffin-maker, whose wife and senior apprentice take an instant dislike to the newcomer. After more poor treatment, Oliver snaps and attacks Noah, the snotty older apprentice, for having insulted his mother. Knowing his life with the Sowerberrys will only get worse, Oliver escapes on foot early the next morning.
Twist (2003)
, 1h37Directed by Jacob Tierney
Origin Canada
Genres Drama
Themes Films about children, Films about families, Medical-themed films, Films about drugs, Films about sexuality, LGBT-related films, LGBT-related films, LGBT-related film
Actors Nick Stahl, Joshua Close, Stephen McHattie, Gary Farmer, Michèle-Barbara Pelletier, Tygh Runyan
Rating61%
The film is similar in some ways to Seth Michael Donsky's 1996 film Twisted made prior to Tierney's film.
Oliver! (1968)
, 2h33Directed by Carol Reed
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Musical theatre, Musical
Themes Dance films, Films about children, Films about music and musicians, Théâtre, L'enfance marginalisée, Musical films, Films based on plays, Films based on musicals
Actors Mark Lester, Ron Moody, Shani Wallis, Oliver Reed, Jack Wild, Harry Secombe
Rating73%
A workhouse in Dunstable, England is visited by the wealthy governors who fund it. While a sumptuous banquet is held for them, the barefoot orphan boys who work there are being served their daily gruel. They dream of enjoying the same "Food, Glorious Food" as their masters. While eating, some boys draw straws to see who will ask for more to eat, and the job falls to a boy named Oliver Twist. He goes up to Bumble and Widow Corney, who run the workhouse and serve the gruel, and asks for more. Enraged, Bumble takes Oliver to the governors to see what to do with him ("Oliver!"). A decision is made to have Oliver sold into service. Bumble parades Oliver through the snow, trying to sell him to the highest bidder ("Boy for Sale"). Oliver is sold to an undertaker named Mr. Sowerberry, who intends to use him as a mourner for children's funerals. After his first funeral, Noah Claypole, Sowerberry's apprentice, insults Oliver's mother. Oliver attacks Noah in fury and Sowerberry forces him into a coffin while Noah fetches Bumble. Oliver is too angry to be intimidated by Bumble, who places the blame on not keeping Oliver on a diet of gruel, instead of meat, which made him strong. Oliver is thrown into the cellar as further punishment. Alone in the dark with a roomful of empty coffins, Oliver wonders ("Where is Love?"). While clutching the window grate, Oliver pushes it open and escapes.
Oliver Twist (1948)
, 1h56Directed by David Lean, George Pollock
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Comedy, Adventure, Crime, Melodrama
Themes Films about children, L'enfance marginalisée
Actors Alec Guinness, Robert Newton, John Howard Davies, Kay Walsh, Anthony Newley, Francis L. Sullivan
Rating77%
A young woman in labour makes her way to a parish workhouse and dies after giving birth to a boy, who is systematically named Oliver Twist (John Howard Davies) by the workhouse authorities. As the years go by, Oliver and the rest of the child inmates suffer from the callous indifference of the officials in charge: beadle Mr. Bumble (Francis L. Sullivan) and matron Mrs. Corney (Mary Clare). At the age of nine, the hungry children draw straws; Oliver loses and has to ask for a second helping of gruel ("Please sir, I want some more").
Oliver Twist (1933)
, 1h20Origin USA
Genres Drama
Themes Films about children
Actors Irving Pichel, Dickie Moore, Doris Lloyd, William Boyd, Alec B. Francis, Barbara Kent
Rating50%
An orphan boy in 1830s London is abused in a workhouse, then falls into the clutches of a gang of thieves.
Oliver Twist (1912)
Directed by Thomas Bentley
Origin United-kingdom
Themes Films about children
Actors Alma Taylor, Harry Royston
Rating57%