The Old Curiosity Shop is a 1934 British drama film directed by Thomas Bentley and starring Elaine Benson, Ben Webster and Hay Petrie. It is an adaptation of Charles Dickens' 1841 novel The Old Curiosity Shop. Production The film was produced by British International Pictures, one of the two most prominent British film studios of the time, at its base at Elstree Studios. Bentley was a well-established director who worked on several of the company's presigous historical films during the decade. He had previously directed a number of Dickens adaptations during the silent era, but this was his only Dickens talkie. The film sought to achieve a "painterly" effect in its interpretation of the original work. The recreation of the grotesque elements of Dickens' novel has led to it being described as an "expressionist nightmare". Cast Elaine Benson as Nell Ben Webster as The Grandfather Hay Petrie as Quilp Beatrix Thomson as Quilp's Wife Gibb McLaughlin as Sampson Brass Lily Long as Sally Brass Reginald Purdell as Dick Swiveller Polly Ward as The Marchioness James Harcourt as The Single Gentleman J. Fisher White as The Schoolmaster Dick Tubb as Codin Roddy Hughes as Short Amy Veness as Mrs. Jarley Peter Penrose as Kit Vic Filmer as Tom Scott References Bibliography Harper, Sue. Picturing the Past: The Rise and Fall of the British Costume Film. British Film Institute, 1994. External links 1934 films 1934 drama films Films shot at British International Pictures Studios 1930s English-language films Films based on The Old Curiosity Shop Films directed by Thomas Bentley Films set in England Films set in the 1840s British drama films British black-and-white films 1930s British films