You've Got To Pick A Pocket Or Two

It was back to a musical with an historical theme for the Academy Awards in 1968.

Despite that year being one of the most tumultous in American and world history, with riots, wars, assassinations and political turmoil dominating the headlines, Hollywood instead fell in love with Charles Dickens and a stage musical adaptation of his classic novel, OLIVER TWIST, which portrayed the seamy side of Victorian life on the streets of London in the 1800s.

OLIVER! had many wonderful songs, several of which still live on today, such as FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD, CONSIDER YOURSELF, AS LONG AS HE NEEDS ME, OOM-PAH-PAH and YOU'VE GOT TO PICK A POCKET OR TWO. Wikipedia says the movie starred a mixture of young unknowns and big names. Among the big names were Oliver Reed (Bill Sikes) and Ron Moody, who reprised his role from the London stage as Fagin. Moody got the movie part reportedly after it was turned down by Peter Sellers, Dick Van Dyke and Peter O'Toole. One of the less known stars was Mark Lester who played Oliver.

The movie was nominated for 11 Academy Awards and won 6 Oscars, including BEST PICTURE, BEST DIRECTOR (Carol Reed), BEST MUSIC, BEST ART DIRECTION, BEST SOUND and a special Oscar to Onna White for her elaborate choreography.

Here's the way Columbia Pictures promoted the movie.....

Oliver was a G-rated movie and, according to Wikipedia, the only such G-rated film to win a BEST PICTURE Oscar. That would be of particular interest considering the movie which won the Academy Award the next year.

Hollywood soon lost its love for musicals. OLIVER! was the last musical to win Best Picture until CHICAGO was so honored 34 years later.