Oliver (1968)
by Claire J Rottenberg
"Oliver," although an Academy Award
winner for Best Picture and Best Director (Carol
Reed), did not win similar Tony awards but it was
nominated for Best Musical (it lost to "A Funny
Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum"). The
excellent music score of "Oliver" won a
Tony award for the composer and lyricist, Lionel
Bart, and an Academy Award for the film's
musical arranger, Johnny Green. Overall,
"Oliver" won 3 Tony awards out of 10
nominations and 5 Academy Awards out of 11
nominations. In addition, Onna White won an Honorary
Academy Award for her choreography of the film
version.
Two minor songs and one song sung by Bill Sikes were
eliminated from the movie version. Except for Mark
Lester (Oliver), everyone in the cast did their own
singing, which is not surprising since the other
three singing roles (Fagin, The Artful Dodger, and
Nancy) were played in the film by stage performers
(Ron Moody, Jack Wild, and Shani Wallis). Ron Moody
and Jack Wild appeared in both the London stage
production and the movie version, but Jack
Wild's role was changed from the lead role of
Oliver in the stage version to that of The Artful
Dodger in the film version.