Nicholas Nickleby (2002 film)

Nicholas Nickleby is a 2002 BritishAmerican drama film written and directed by Douglas McGrath. The screenplay is based on The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens, which originally was published in serial form between March 1838 and September 1839.

Nicholas is horrified to discover his employers, the sadistic Mr and Mrs Squeers, run their boarding school like a prison and physically, verbally, and emotionally abuse their young charges on a regular basis. He eventually rebels and escapes, taking with him young crippled Smike. As they journey to London, they stumble upon a theatrical troupe owned and operated by Mr. and Mrs. Crummles. They cast them in a production of Romeo and Juliet, but despite a successful first night and the couples invitation to stay, Nicholas is determined to continue their journey to London to learn how his mother and sister are faring.Nicholas is reunited with his family, who welcome Smike as one of their own, and finds clerical employment with the friendly Cheeryble brothers. While thus employed, Nicholas makes the acquaintance of Madeline Bray, an artist who is the sole support of herself and her tyrannical father, him having gambled away his fortune and that of his late wife. Nicholas meanwhile discovers his sister Kate has been subjected to humiliating sexual attention from lecherous Sir Mulberry Hawk, a client of their uncle, who has encouraged the man to seduce his niece in the hope she will succumb and thus cement Hawks business relationship with him. ........

Source: Wikipedia