Markedly Dickens-lite in comparison, Carol Reed's film nonetheless won six Oscars and boasts a fascinating gallery of great British character actors, apart from Moody: Oliver Reed as Sikes, Leonard Rossiter and Hylda Baker as the Sowerberrys, Harry Secombe as Bumble, Peggy Mount as Mrs Corney.
For Captain Phillips, Greengrass (son of a merchant seaman) kept the Somali actors apart from Tom Hanks until the moment the pirates boarded the ship, described by Hanks as "the most vibrant day's shooting I've ever been a part of".
Only the HM role classification clearly sets these two pivotal actors apart.
Greengrass deliberately kept the Somali actors apart from Hanks to improve their performances, he said.
All of the original actors, apart from the male lead role, were recast in June 2007, and Sophia Myles, Jason Dohring and Shannyn Sossamon replaced them.
The 48-year-old actor, who apart from Batman is best known for his roles in Top Gun, The Doors and True Romance, certainly boasts a decent enough pedigree for the job.
"When I had a chance to work with him, everyone I know was jealous because this guy was the real deal - he was a consummate actor but apart from that, an incredibly generous good man".
The Clurman's wide space can swallow small casts, and Ike Schambelan's direction at times places the actors far apart, dissipating the intimate, funnier moments.
The director Passion Hansome's decision to situate most of the action far back into a wide and deep stage undermines the play's energy, as does positioning the actors yards apart during moments of heated argument.
With few actors involved apart from UNICEF, rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts are proceeding slowly.
