Nicholas Nickleby (1947)

Based on Charles Dickens’s classic novel, Nicholas Nickleby tells the story of the eponymous young hero (Derek Bond, When Eight Bells Toll) and his attempts to save his family and friends from the clutches of his greedy Uncle Ralph (Cedric Hardwicke, The Ten Commandments). Staying true to the dark mood of the book, director Alberto Cavalcanti (Dead of Night) conjures up a triumphantly atmospheric adaptation featuring indelible performances from Hardwicke and Bond.

• Interview with BFI Dickens Season Curators Adrian Wootton & Michael Eaton
• Nicholas Nickleby (1903 short, courtesy of the Library of Congress)
• Original Trailer