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OLIVER’S SAVIOUR
David Lean’s Oliver Twist may be 50 years old next year but, thanks to Michael Winner, its images are now as clear as the day the film was first released in 1948. Restoration of the Dickens’ classic, starring Alec Guinness, Robert Newton, Kay Walsh and little John Howard Davies as the boy who “asked for more”, has been made possible by Winner’s continued support for the BFI Archive.
“Oliver Twist was one of the most memo- rable films of my childhood,” says Winner. “Great style, marvellous acting. Films like this are part of the cultural heritage of Britain.” ■
impressed with Breaking the Waves and also loved Secrets&Lies.YesIseelotsoffilms.Mindyou,I’m still worried about the industry here. The tax incentives are not as big as they claim although the Lottery money is very significant. The biggest financiers of films in the UK have been BBC2 and C4. But they are still minority channels looking for intellectual output for their minority audiences.
“The odd one breaks through but, in reality, they’ve lost millions. To have a proper film indus- try you must have a nucleus of films that are made for the public, not just for intellectual neighbours.
“As far as favourites among my own films - certainly The Nightcomers because of Brando. The Jokers and I’ll Never Forget What’s ‘is Name are very dear to me because they were very much my own life. Lawman was a very serious Western with a great cast built around my friend, Burt Lancaster.
“You can’t make people go to the cinema and I certainly never thought people would want to see Death Wish. It was very sombre and had no real set piece action. Yet it’s considered a water- shed in the States. I don’t regret doing the sequels
because in those days I was more concerned just to keep working. So when another Death Wish came along I could never think of anything better to do for that next six or seven months!
“The only film I truly regret not doing was William The Conqueror which was going to be for Universal in 1968. We had a fantastic script which centred on a love-hate relationship which ended in the incredible Battle of Hastings. Nowadays it would cost upwards of $100 million. I reckon it would have been bigger than Braveheart.
“My old films are still very much a part of my life and I can remember each and every one vivid- ly, even in fact where I was standing on every shot. A film is probably made up of some 2,000 cuts and each one has a little memory for me that has never dimmed. The sad thing is when the great actors and friends that you’ve worked with die; that real- ly does give you a feeling that you’re getting older.
“Now..,” Winner suddenly barks in his now inimitable and mischievous mock fury at yet another innocent and hapless assistant, quickly to dispel any further out of character morbidity, “where’s my bloody coffee?” ■ QUENTIN FALK
Photos this page: with Sophia Loren on Firepower (1979) • with Oliver Reed and Orson Welles on I’ll Never Forget What’s ‘is Name (1967) • with Charles Bronson on Death Wish 2 (1981) with Anthony Hopkins on A Chorus Of Disapproval (1989) • John Cleese and Diana Rigg in Parting Shots (1997) • inset above: John Howard Davies as Oliver Twist