Charles Dickens has had several of his works adapted numerous times, but with each story, there is an adaptation that stands out as the definitive movie for the source material. Dickens created an extensive body of work in his lifetime between 1812 and 1870, with 15 novels, five novellas, and hundreds of short stories. He was well known for creating characters that were well-defined and have endured long after his death.
Characters like Ebeneezer Scrooge, Nicholas Nickleby, David Copperfield, and Oliver Twist remain some of the most popular characters ever created, with each having been adapted for film and TV numerous times. Alongside these characters, Dickens created several other stories that were incredibly popular in his lifetime, and when cinema first became a thing, several of his stories were adapted. Many of these stories are still read, celebrated, and shared today, but with the many adaptations of the work, it’s important to look at which are the best adaptations from the original stories.
10 Scrooge (1951)
A Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol is likely Dickens’ most adapted work, with everything from A Muppet’s Musical version to animated films, and more. The story is still widely known, but the best adaptation is also one of the earliest in terms of how well it told the story. Scrooge, starring Alastair Sim in the titular role, is a faithful retelling of the classic Christmas story, with narration at the beginning and end quoting the text the film is adapted from. The heartwarming story of Scrooge as he is visited by three ghosts who help him to become kinder and adopt the Christmas spirit.
9 Great Expectations (1946)
Great Expectations
The story of Great Expectations has enjoyed great success as a novel which is still studied in schools and universities around the world to this day, but the story has not been adapted to film so many times as Dickens’ other works. Potentially, this could be due to the length and complexity of the story, which makes it difficult to condense below two hours. However, when the film was adapted for the 1946 film by David Lean, it won two Oscars and was nominated for three more.
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8 Nicholas Nickleby (2002)
The Life And Adventures Of Nicholas Nickleby
The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby was originally released by Dickens as a series of short stories. The story features elements in common with A Christmas Carol, such as a miserly old man who is cruel and a young nephew who seeks to be a much more positive influence on those around him. The 2002 adaptation features a star-studded cast with a young Charlie Hunnam in the title role and marked the beginning of several significant actors’ careers.
7 Oliver! (1968)
Oliver Twist
As with many of Dickens’ stories, Oliver Twist takes a look at the divide between classes in society and the cruel way orphans were neglected during his lifetime. In 1968, a musical adaptation of the story starring Mark Lester, and directed by Carol Reed was released to huge critical acclaim. Oliver! earned five Oscars at the Academy Awards and a further six nominations. The musical format lent itself well to the story and helped modernize the tale despite the period setting. In addition, this version of the story is the most parodied and referenced thanks to the iconic music.
6 The Personal History Of David Copperfield (2019)
David Copperfield
Dickens’ novel, David Copperfield, marked a turning point in his career as the book possessed lightly autobiographical elements. It was at this point that Dickens began writing more about adulthood, growing up, and love. The novel follows the life of the titular character from youth to manhood and sees him grow through several challenging trials before he eventually lands on his feet through the writings he had kept since he was a boy. The 2019 film starring Dev Patel and several beloved British actors was well-received and earned a BAFTA.
5 A Tale Of Two Cities (1935)
A Tale Of Two Cities
A Tale of Two Cities divides its attention between multiple places and people in a story that occurs around the time of the French Revolution. The 1935 movie condenses the story and revolves around a plot involving two men who look alike, Charles Darnay and Sydney Carton, who both fall in love with Lucie Manette. The film is widely regarded as the most faithful adaptation and includes much of the original story. It was also nominated for two Oscars and praised as a career-leading film for the star Ronald Colman, who played Carton.
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4 The Old Curiosity Shop (1995)
The Old Curiosity Shop
In 1995, Disney adapted one of the less popular works of Dickens in a made-for-TV movie, titled The Old Curiosity Shop. Similar to Dickens’ other early works, it centers on a story about the divide in class with a young girl named Nell and her grandfather being pursued by a wealthy businessman who is owed large sums of money from Nell’s grandfather. The story is heartwarming and, despite not receiving a general release, this adaptation is the best iteration of the story.
3 The Pickwick Papers (1952)
The Posthumous Papers Of The Pickwick Club
The Pickwick Papers was another Dickens adaptation by Renown Pictures, who also made the 1951 adaptation, Scrooge. The film is a comedy featuring the Pickwick Club who travel around England and create reports on interesting curiosities they find. The story is based on Dickens’ first novel which was also originally published as serialized stories. The film was nominated for an Oscar and serves as the best adaptation of Dickens’ earliest work.
2 Little Dorrit (1987)
Little Dorrit
Little Dorrit starring Derek Jacobi was released in 1987 and is based on one of Dickens’ later works. It follows the story of a man who returns to London after his father passes away, and he quickly gets involved with a seamstress and her incarcerated father. The film was released in two parts, with each being around three hours long. The first half is told mainly from the perspective of Arthur Clennam (Jacobi), before shifting to Little Dorrit’s (Sarah Pickering) point of view. The film also featured Alec Guinness as Arthur’s deceased father.
1 Bleak House (1920)
Bleak House
Bleak House has received very few film adaptations of the story, but the best comes from 1920. A silent, black-and-white adaptation of a long-winding interconnected story between a woman suspected of murder and a fraudster lawyer with multiple wills. The story was written as a serial about several different characters all loosely connected to the legal case at the centre of it all. It has since been adapted for TV, replicating the serial format which has also received acclaim as a faithful adaptation of Charles Dickens’ original work.
