He lives on a rotting barge. He’s drowning in debt to a man who owns two bloodthirsty Dobermans. He’s basically a walking anxiety attack in a tattered trench coat. If you grew up watching Oliver & Company, you probably remember Fagin as the bumbling, kind-of-sweet guy who just wanted to keep his pack of dogs fed. But if you actually go back to the source material—Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist—the character is a total nightmare.
Seriously. Dickens’ Fagin is a "receiver of stolen goods" who literally grooms children to be criminals and ends up facing the gallows. So how did Disney take one of literature's most hated figures and turn him into a lovable underdog? It wasn't just a random creative choice; it was a massive tonal shift that saved the movie from being way too dark for kids.
Oliver and Company Fagin: The Master of the "Good-Hearted Petty Thief"
Honestly, the Oliver and Company Fagin we see on screen is the definition of a "loser with a heart of gold." Voiced by the legendary Dom DeLuise, this version of the character is a frantic, clumsy, and deeply lonely man. Instead of a gang of pickpocketing kids, his "family" consists of a Jack Russell Terrier named Dodger and a motley crew of other strays.
Disney’s writers had a tough job here. They needed a character who was technically a criminal—after all, he does try to ransom a kitten—but who remained sympathetic enough that we wouldn't want him to go to jail.
They pulled it off by making his motivation survival, not greed.
He’s not trying to get rich. He’s trying to stay alive. Bill Sykes, the loan shark, is the real monster here. Fagin is just a guy caught in the middle. You've probably noticed that Fagin treats his dogs like his own children. He reads them bedtime stories! That’s a far cry from the Dickens version who would probably have sold the dogs for a quick pound.
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Breaking Down the Dom DeLuise Magic
You can't talk about this character without mentioning Dom DeLuise. He didn't just read the lines; he basically lived them. DeLuise was famous for his frantic, wheezy, high-energy comedy, and he brought all of that to the recording booth.
Reports from the production say he ad-libbed a ton of his dialogue. That nervous energy? That was mostly Dom. It’s what makes Fagin feel so human. When he’s panicking about his "inventory" or trying to explain his situation to Sykes, you can hear the genuine terror in his voice. It turns what could have been a flat character into someone you actually care about.
By the way, did you know Fagin’s design was meant to look a bit like a "shaggy dog" itself? His hair, his oversized clothes—he fits right in with his canine roommates.
Why the Character Shift Was Necessary
In the 1838 novel, Fagin is... well, he's a lot. Charles Dickens has faced massive criticism over the decades for the antisemitic tropes used to describe the original Fagin. He was depicted as "the Jew" far more often than he was called by his actual name. He was a caricature of greed and malice.
When Disney decided to adapt the story for a modern-day (1988) New York City, they had to scrub all of that away.
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- Personality: From a cold manipulator to a neurotic, well-meaning failure.
- The "Gang": Replacing exploited children with street-smart dogs.
- Fate: Instead of a grim execution, Fagin gets a happy ending at a birthday party.
If Disney had stayed "faithful" to the book, Oliver & Company would have been a horror movie. Can you imagine a G-rated flick where a guy is sentenced to hang at the end? Not exactly the vibe you want after "Why Should I Worry?"
The "Ransom" Plot: A Moment of Weakness
One of the most interesting parts of the Oliver and Company Fagin arc is when he actually decides to kidnap Oliver. Well, sort of. He finds the gold-plated collar and realizes Oliver belongs to a wealthy family on Fifth Avenue.
It's his one "villainous" moment.
He’s so desperate to pay off Sykes that he ignores his conscience for a split second. But look at how he handles the meeting with Jenny. He sees a little girl who is heartbroken over her lost kitten, and he immediately folds. He can't do it. He pretends to "find" the cat in a box and hands him back for free.
That’s the moment he officially stops being a Dickens character and becomes a Disney hero. He chooses his humanity over his survival. Of course, Sykes doesn't care about "humanity," which leads to that insane chase on the subway tracks.
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The Survival of the Underdog
Fagin’s "trike"—that weird combination of a scooter and a shopping cart—is a perfect metaphor for his life. It’s a mess, it’s held together by luck, and it probably shouldn't work, but it does.
In the 1980s New York City setting, Fagin represents the people who fell through the cracks. While Jenny Foxworth lives in a mansion with a butler, Fagin is living on the water, literally and figuratively. The movie doesn't judge him for being poor; it judges Sykes for being cruel.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Writers
If you’re looking back at this character today, there are a few things to take away, whether you're a trivia buff or a storyteller yourself:
- Redemption is about Action: Fagin is redeemed not because he says sorry, but because he risks his life to save Jenny from Sykes’ car.
- Voice Casting Matters: DeLuise’s performance is a masterclass in how to make a "pathetic" character likable. If the voice had been darker or more gravelly, the character would have felt threatening.
- Context is Everything: If you're adapting an old story, you have to be willing to change the "sacred" parts of the original to fit modern values. Disney knew the original Fagin wouldn't fly in 1988, and they were right.
Honestly, the next time you watch the movie, pay attention to the scene where Fagin is alone on the barge before the dogs come home. He’s talking to himself, looking at his meager belongings. It’s one of the few quiet moments in a very loud movie, and it tells you everything you need to know about him. He's just a guy who needs a win.
Ultimately, he gets that win. Not in the form of money, but in the form of a family that includes both his dogs and a new friend in Jenny.
To really appreciate the evolution of this character, you should compare the 1988 animated version with the 1968 musical Oliver! or the 1948 Alec Guinness portrayal. You'll see just how far Disney went to turn a villain into a friend. Check out the behind-the-scenes features on Disney+ if you want to see the original concept art for Fagin—he almost looked a lot more grizzled before they settled on the softer, more "shambolic" look we know today.