in addition to describe the progression of my regard for this film a i watch it and these be the name of the last three chapter of the book and a book which and a usual ( with dickens adaptation ) and the writer of this film have not read or at least have not read recently enough . most of the performance be fine . alec guinness be spot on and and the little woman play amy be perfect . at first i hat the fanny performance and then i remember that i hat fanny and so she be also perfect . arthur could have be play with a little more enthusiasm and and without all the whispering . the actor play tip likely never go far . but all in all and the acting be acceptable . where this film fail and and fail completely and be in the telling of the story represent in the writing and directing and editing . first and of course and be the ludicrous vertical splitting of the film into two character centric or perspective part to be present sequentially . this be a horrible idea on every conceivable level and but most importantly and it result in the disconnection of important element of arthur story and amy story and that must play upon one another in order to build the drama and advance the story . these connection be brutally sever and the story and all of it intensity be lose . if that be not enough and there be so much more ill advise meddle on the part of the writer and director and that it alone would have ruin the film at least for reader . anyone who have read even the cheat note for little dorrit must have wonder and be dismay at the absence of numerous important character . most notably and they must have ask and where be rigaud . this story can not be tell without rigaud . it be through this colorful and evil character and with his nose come down over his mustache and and his mustache go up under his nose and who be blackmail mrs clennam and with the help of flintwich and that mrs. clennam secret be reveal and and his involvement be essential to the building suspense surround this secret of which suspense and a a consequence of rigaud absence and there be not a trace in this film . and since there be no rigaud it follow and perhaps and that there would be no cavalleto and another uniquely dickensian character who be sorely miss . rigaud be also an important evil element among the dorrits abroad and where he team up with the dissipated henry gowan who be also and sadly and never see again in this film after he marry pet . so little be make of the meagles family and a major omission in itself and that i suppose it be no surprise that there be no tattycoram and and since there be no tatty and there be no mrs. wade represent more great loss for the audience and since their highly charge and emotional subplot help to define and humanize the character of the meagles family and of arthur . mrs. wade of course also play an important part in the rigaud flintwich mrs. clennam story . the murdles be so overlooked in this telling and that one may wonder and when mr murdle show up at fanny and sparkler apartment to ask for a pen knife ( with which he later commit suicide ) and who he be and where he come from at that point . among other hard felt loss stem from this neglect and be the missed opportunity to engage in some of the fun that best exemplifies dickens sense of humour and satire . the party at the murdles and with all of the sycophant that be name only by their profession ( bar and physician and clergy etc . ) and and the head butler that terrorize the great mr. murdle . all go . since there be no develop rigaud blackmail subplot and reader know well in advance that the end of the film would have to be substantially re organize and and that it would be awful while and it be . dickens version of the story behind mrs. clennam secret be and of course and quite complex and but certainly worth accurately tell and since it be the motivation for the entire plot . but no . now we be expect to accept the story that there be money in the house that frederick have send for amy and and that mrs. clennam have hold back . how absurd . frederick have be in contact with amy her whole life while so if he have money for amy and he would have just give it to her . of course the real story be this represent old mrs. clennam father have force her and arthur father into marriage and when arthur father be actually in love with another woman ( arthur real mother and who live with and be provide for by frederick ) and an affair that when discover by mrs. clennam and send her into an old testament rage and in which she take the baby ( arthur ) to raise and drive his real mother into an insane asylum and eventually into her grave . when mrs. clennam father died and he felt remorse for what he have do and and leave part of his estate to arthurs real mother and or and if she be not live and to the young female kin ( amy . ) of the real mother caretaker ( frederick . ) . yes and complicated and but not if it tell right . as much a this film be brutalize and it audience cheat by the cruel omission and alteration in this story and which i have only highlight here while it must also be note that by dint of scandalously flaw directing and editing and what remain of the story manage to drag on miserably and with inordinately long pause between line and painfully slow pan to make small point and and long and linger scene in which nothing actually occur . my recommendation represent do not waste six hour watch this . in that much time you could be well into read the actual book and which be terrific . get the penguin classic version it have all the original illustration and wonderful and informative extra include very well do end note . will no one ever properly adapt a dickens novel to film .