great cinematic musicals made   twenty year spell rightly labelled golden era genre musicals prior that musicals since true classics seem invariably made period singin rain american paris band wagon seven brides seven brothers oklahoma south pacific king i many more stand tall much cherished products age perhaps last great musical golden era carol reeds  oliver freely adapted dickens novel vibrant musical film version successful stage production magnificent film winner six oscars including best picture awardbr br orphan oliver twist mark lester lives miserable existence workhouse mother died moments giving birth him following incident one mealtime booted workhouse ends employed funeral parlour oliver doesnt settle particularly well new job escapes troubled days makes long journey london hopes seek fortune oliver taken wing child pickpocket called artful dodger jack wild turn works fagin ron moody elderly crook charge gang childthieves despite unlawful nature job oliver finds good friends among new family also makes acquaintance nancy shani wallis girlfriend cruellest feared thief all menacing bill sikes oliver reed many adventures oliver discovers true ancestry finds actually rich welltodo background chances reunited real family jeopardised bill sikes forcibly exploits oliver making accomplice particularly risky ambitious robberiesbr br oliver brilliantly assembled film consistently pleasing eye excellently acted talented cast moody recreates stage role considerable verve stealing film youngsters energetic performance fagin lester wild well young pickpockets wallis enthusiastically fleshes nancy role reed generates genuine despicableness sikes musical numbers staged incredible precision sense spectacle onna whites oscarwinning choreography helps make songanddance set pieces memorable lively performers skillful direction carol reed also play part unforgettable tunes include food glorious food consider yourself youve got pick pocket two id anything oompahpah immensely catchy songs conveyed via well put together sequences film thoroughly entertaining experience never really loses momentum entire  minute duration sit back enjoy