Nicholas Nickleby

A comic, brutal and passionate tale of greed and love in Victorian England.

A vengeful uncle, a headmaster from hell, upper-class wastrels and twin benefactors.These are just some of the larger-than-life Dickens characters portrayed to perfection in this lavish new production from Britain's Channel Four.

Featuring Charles Dance (The Jewel in the Crown) as Ralph Nickleby, the wealthy and cold-hearted uncle whom Nicholas (James D'Arcy) and his sister, Kate (Sophia Myles), turn to when their father's death leaves them destitute.Nicholas eagerly takes on a teaching job at a boy's boarding school, but flees after rebelling against the unspeakable horrors there.Meanwhile, his sister's beauty attracts menacing attention from a group of rich, boorish swells.With powerful enemies marshaled against him, Nicholas struggles to find his way in the world and rescue his family.