Nicholas Nickleby (2002)
Note: Spoilers
galore.
I never appreciated Dickens before.
Never. Well, okay, you'd have to be an idiot not to
get "A Christmas Carol." But I never understood the
whole Dickens thing other than that. And then I saw
"Nicholas Nickleby" and my whole mind opened up to
the author.
This epic, novelesque telling of
the classic Charles Dickens tale is as heart-breaking
as it is heart-warming. It is filled with the most
wonderful, biting, and witty moments as well as the
most tragic, heartfelt and beautifully emotion ones.
The proverbial "You'll laugh, you'll cry..." would
perfectly describe the basic experience of seeing
this movie. But its much more than that. Wrapped in
modern themes (especially in these excruciatingly
conservative times of George W. political living),
the film reminds us all that families aren't about
blood, they are about love. A theme that has reigned
supreme for about a decade now, at least since "Mrs.
Doubtfire," this paradigm is no better personified
than by "gay" ideals. Perhaps that is why the film
has so many homosexual undertones.
From the opening narration by the
whimsical Nathan Lane, we know we're in for a heightened
retelling. But the film rolls almost immediately into
one of the most grim and depressing Dickensian visions
of a boy's school to be seen in modern cinema. This
isn't so much a school as a prison camp where the
young men are treated like little more than cattle,
or at best, slaves. It is wretched to watch but it
emerges as a perfect place for our hero, the titular
Nicholas, to establish himself as an engaging presence.
Charlie Hunnam (of Britain's "Queer
as Folk") is simply remarkable as Nicholas. I'll be
the first to acknowledge that I've never seen an episode
of the gay-themed series, British or American, so,
luckily for me, I got to see Hunnam in this role with
fresh, new eyes. The poster for the film features
Hunnam's modelesque, silky-smooth face peering out
at the viewer, all smiles. Looking at it in the theater
lobby, he struck me as far too phony. Worse yet, for
some dumb reason, I thought it was Jaime Bell, the
enchanting young star of "Billy
Elliot" all grown up and turned into a Abercrombie
and Fitch clone. How silly is that.
Anyway, Bell appears in this early
Boy's school segment as Smike, the crippled, whipping
boy of the cruel headmaster and his wife. When Hunnam
and Bell befriend one and other, the homoerotic sparks
fly. Now, this is without me knowing both of them
were in purely "gay" themed presentations as idealized
young gay icons. Watching these two unite to fight
injustice and cruelty is nothing short of inspiring
and delightful. It is no small feat for Hunnam, who
truly inspires here, but he is aided ably by Jim Broadbent
and Juliet Stevenson as two of the most overbearing
and cruel villains in all of film history. They are
deliciously evil and watching Hunnam rise up against
them is simply awe- inspiring.
To make the film even more gay,
Nathan Lane appears and rescues the boys. Lane is
twittering and gleeful and every other "gay" sounding
adjective you can think of. He's married too, I kid
you not, Dame Edna. The film becomes simply gay, gay,
gay in its midsection. And the joyfulness is simply
infectious. The film suggests that the love between
men is the ultimate expression of devotion. It is
wondrous.
But the carefree happiness can't
go on forever and the evil- doers of the film return
to make their despicable presence known. Again Hunnam,
as Nicholas, gets numerous opportunities to prove
himself the most good and honest and pure hero to
grace the screen in eons. We swoon yet again.
But alas the homoeroticism dies
in this final segment as Smike falls for Nicholas'
sister (sure...) and Nicholas falls for the Quaker-like
purity of Anne Hathaway ("The Princess Bride"). Now,
I'm sorry, this is the only place where the film lost
me. To buy Bell or Hunnam as heterosexual is almost
impossible. Sadly, in a world of stereotypes, they
have not only their past film roles but their undeniable
chemistry in this film working against them. It is
only in an Oscar Wilde- esque twist of fate ending
that makes their inability to make their sexual love
for one and other visible credible by any stretch
of the imagination (and it is a stretch).
Still, ultimately, this one nagging,
unfulfilled, modern-day, great expectation of all
the gay men in the audience cannot undermine the pure
brilliance that is "Nicholas Nickleby." Writer/director
Douglas McGrath ("Emma") creates a pitch- perfect
modern visualization of this film that never becomes
campy or in-jokey. There is not a single moment in
the film that belies Dickens' original plot. There
is not one literal moment that rings untrue or seems
touched by modern impressions. Yet in telling the
story honestly and true to the original, McGrath has
opted to infuse the piece with a modernistic feel
by using actors who represent much by their persona
simply by appearing in the film. Its no accident that
Hunnam and Bell and Lane and Dame Edna and Alan Cummings
play pivotal roles in this film. It is not so much
that they simply represent homosexuality but rather
they represent honor, chivalry, goodness, kindness,
inspiration, frivolity, wittiness, and an overwhelming
sense of gentlemanly politeness that is integral to
making the plot work.
McGrath's attention to detail is
notable in every picture on celluloid. His ability
to write sparkling and inspiring dialogue is apparent
in every line that is uttered. His sense of entertainment
is notable in every frame of this magical, majestic
and loving film. This film does more than simply bring
Dickens to life, it brings anyone who is lucky enough
to see it to life. It reminds us that goodness, kindness,
honesty and valor are still the most admirable qualities
that any man can possess.
Could anything be gayer than that?
Note:
Also with Christopher Plummer, Timothy
Spall, and Heather Goldenhersh.
This is at least the 4th filmed
version of the novel.
Viewed at the Dobie in Austin in
December 2002 at a press screening. I went to the
Dobie in the morning to a press screening of Cocteau's
remastered "La Belle et la Bete" and was told by this
guy who knows Harry Knowles (and who is on "The Reel
Deal") about the screening of this film later in the
afternoon so, even though I wasn't officially invited,
I attended. This screening was apparently a last minute
deal set up by the distributor or the company promoting
the film. Also at the event were Martin and Corey
from the "Reel Deal" cable access show and Marjorie
Baumgarten of the Austin Chronicle. Others had went
to a screening of "Personal Velocity" that morning
and there was talk of there being a screening later
in the evening, but I'm not sure of what. Whatever
it was, I hadn't been invited.
