Mister Quilp is a 1975 British musical film directed by Michael Tuchner and starring Anthony Newley, David Hemmings and Jill Bennett. It is based on the 1841 novel The Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens, under which name it was also released.
Main cast
Anthony Newley as Daniel Quilp
David Hemmings as Richard Swiveller
Jill Bennett as Sally Brass
Sarah-Jane Varley as Little Nell
Michael Hordern as Grandfather / Edward Trent
David Warner as Sampson Brass
Yvonne Antrobus as Betsy Quilp
Sue Barbour as Stiltdancer
David Battley as Codlin
Windsor Davies as George, Mrs. Jarley's asst. Philip Davis as Tom Scott Peter Duncan as Kit Nubbles Brian Glover as Furnaceman Chris Greener as Giant Rosalind Knight as Mrs. George Ronald Lacey as Harris Bryan Pringle as Mr. Garland Paul Rogers as Single Gent / Henry Trent Maxwell Shaw as Isaac List Norman Warwick as Vuffin Mona Washbourne as Mrs. Jarley Malcolm Weaver as Acrobat Sarah Webb as Duchess
Release
The film was one of several "Family Classics" made into modern musical films by Reader's Digest. Mr. Quilp was theatrically distributed by EMI Films in the United Kingdom and by Avco Embassy Pictures in the USA.
Home media
In the VHS and Beta formats, it was released by Magnetic Video under the title The Old Curiosity Shop, though this release was heavily edited down by roughly 30 minutes. Viewers in the UK have reported seeing it played on television in the 1980s. To date, the film has never been officially released on DVD.
Critical reception
Critic Roger Ebert gave the film a mixed review, praising the music and Newley's performance, but criticizing the decision to center the film around the titular evil money-lender and failing to make the story compelling enough to hold interest.