Mister Quilp

'I may be simple-hearted but I think the world is grand' trills winsome Little Nell in the opening minutes of this musical version of The Old Curiosity Shop sponsored by Reader's Digest. Well, the film is terrible: two solid hours of excruciating overacting from Newley as the vile and dwarfish Quilp, phony sets and costumes which look as though they've only just been removed from the wrapping-paper, botched songs (by Newley) and choreography, lackadaisical direction, and lots of good character actors going to waste.