Director David Lean's other Dickens adaptation tells the story of young Oliver Twist, who's recruited as a pickpocket by the sly Fagin. The movie was praised for its almost noir-ish feel, which evoked the despair of London's slums. The film is best remembered for Alec Guinness's memorable performance as Fagin, which provoked controversy when some critics called it anti-Semitic. (Guinness had worked with Lean before on "Great Expectations," when he played Pip's caretaker Herbert Pocket.) Actor and songwriter Anthony Newley played Oliver's friend and Fagin's crony the Artful Dodger.
