The question of why anyone would bother to make another film version of Oliver Twist is not answered by director Roman Polanski. This works just fine as one of those tony, well-mounted adaptations destined to be shown in high school English classes, yet whatever the reason for tackling the picture (some have pointed to the parallels between the novel’s wandering orphan and Polanski’s own experience as a parentless child during World War II), the director hasn’t used his motivation to give the movie any sort of personal stamp. Cliffs Notes feel more connected to their author.
