David Copperfield
by Gene Burdette, George Cukor, Hugh Harman
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Charles 'Buddy' Rogers, Frank Lawton, Freddie Bartholomew, Sterling Young, The FanchonettesDirector: Gene Burdette, George Cukor, Hugh Harman
Brand: Warner Brothers
Writer: Gene Burdette
Writer: Alexander Van Dorn
Writer: Charles Dickens
Writer: Howard Estabrook
Writer: Hugh Walpole
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround; English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); Portuguese (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround
Format: Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC, Subtitled
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 131 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2006-10-10
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Movie Reviews of David Copperfield
Movie Review: One of the best Dickens adaptations
Summary: 5 Stars
"David Copperfield" is practically a perfect film, even viewed more than three quarters of a century after it was made. It has the benefits of Dickens's story, an all star cast rarely matched in cinematic history, produced by David O Selznick (who a few years later gave us GWTW), directed by George Cukor ("Philadelphia Story", "Gaslight", "A Star is Born", "My Fair Lady"), with a musical score by Herbert Stothart ("Wizard of Oz", "Kismet").
The 30s were the best of times for Dickens films, including "Oliver Twist" (1933) with Dickie Moore, "Great Expectations" (1934) with Henry Hull and Jane Wyatt, "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" (1935) with Claude Rains, "Scrooge" (1935), "A Tale of Two Cities" (1935) with Ronald Coleman, and "A Christmas Carol" (1938) with Reginald Owen. No other decade would support so many adaptations. Selznick produced both "David Copperfield" and "A Tale of Two Cities" and Herbert Stolhart did the music for both. The casts were different, although Edna May Oliver, Elizabeth Allen, and Basil Rathbone appeared in both. "Great Expectations" was produced at Universal with almost no overlap.
The all star cast includes Edna May Oliver (Aunt Betsy), Freddie Bartholomew (young David), Frank Lawton (adult David), Basil Rathbone (Mr. Murdstone), W.C. Fields (Mr. Micawber), Lionel Barrymore (Dan Peggoty), Elsa Lancaster (Clickett), Mildred Dunwick, Maureen O'Sullivan (Dora), and Lewis Stone (Mr. Wickfield). If you look closely you'll even see a young Arthur Treacher playing a thief.
The great Edna May Oliver is best remembered for her roles as The Red Queen in "Alice in Wonderland" (1933) and the nurse in "Romeo and Juliet" (1936). She was nominated for an Oscar for her role as Mrs. McKlennar in "Drums Along the Mohawk" (1939)
Freddie Bartholomew plays young David. Freddie was one of the most famous child actors of the 1930s, appearing in "Little Lord Fauntleroy" (1936), "Captains Courageous" (1937) and "Kidnapped" (1938). Freddie gives his usual endearing performance. This was his first American film. Louie Mayer had wanted child star Jackie Cooper to play the role, but Selznick argued for someone with a British accent.
No one has ever been better at playing the villain or the rouge than Basil Rathbone, and he is as hateful in this film as he is in any of his other performances, partially because his venom is directed against a little boy and his dull mother. His performances in "Captain Blood" (1935), "A Tale of Two Cities" (1935), "Robin Hood" (1938), "Tower of London" (1939), and "The Mark of Zorro" (1940) are classic. He was twice nominated for an Oscar ("Romeo and Juliet" and "If I Were King"). He's probably best remembered as the heroic Sherlock Holmes in the 14 films he made between 1939 and 1946.
Elizabeth Allen plays Agnes. Her beauty is haunting and her sincerity is heart-felt, as she was when she played Lucy Manette in "A Tale of Two Cities". She made nearly 50 films in the UK and the US. She's not well known to US audiences because she returned to the UK after a contract dispute with MGM in 1938 - our loss.
The beautiful Maureen O'Sullivan is best remembered as Tarzan's Jane. She played Jane 6 times between 1932 and 1942, but she played many other roles during that time, including "Tugboat Annie" (1933), "The Thin Man" (1934), "Cardinal Richelieu" (1935), "A Day at the Races" (1937), "A Yank at Oxford" (1938), and "Pride and Prejudice" (1940). She slowed down in the 40s to devote time to her husband and 7 children, one of whom is the actress Mia Farrow. O'Sullivan plays the tragic Dora and does a terrific job.
BTW - Bartholomew, Rathbone, and O'Sullivan appeared in "Anna Karenina" the same year as they appeared in this film, also produced by David O Selznick.
Lionel Barrymore was probably the finest American actor of the first part of the 20th century, and second only to the Englishman Charles Laughton (who wife, Elsa Lancaster, appears in this film. BTW - Barrymore took over for Laughton who had to bow out). Barrymore appeared in more than 200 films between 1908 and 1956, and was twice nominated for an Oscar, winning once ("A Free Soul" ) in 1931 Though he's probably best known as the evil banker in "It's a Wonderful Life" (1946) and from his recurring roles in the Dr. Kildare and the Dr. Gillespie films, he gave us many memorable performances - as the innkeeper in "Key Largo" (1948), Thaddeus Stevens in "Tennessee Johnson" (1942), Grandpa in "You Can't Take it With You" (1938), and Billy Bones in "Treasure Island" (1934). Barrymore plays Dan Peggotty.
Lewis Stone plays Mr. Wickfield. He was a major star in the 20s and 30s and was nominated for an Oscar for "The Patriot" (1930). Between 1914 and 1953 he made more than 150 films; his memorable roles were as the warden in "The Big House" (1930), Doctor Otternschlag in "Grand Hotel" (1932), Commissioner Smith in "The Mask of Fu Manchu" (1932), and "Doc" in "Three Godfathers" (1936). He's probably best known for his continuing role as Judge Hardy in the Andy Hardy films (1937-46).
W.C. Fields was one of the greatest comedians in the first part of the 20th century, remembered and quoted to this day. He made 3 dozen films from 1915 to 1941 ("Never Give a Sucker an Even Break") and introduced such memorable characters as Ambrose Wolfinger and "The Great McGonigle". His casting as Mr. Micawber was brilliant, and Fields manages to keep his raucous humor under sufficient control to steal every scene he appears in. It's said that this was the only film in which Fields stuck to the script and avoided his usual string of ad libs. This he did because he admired Dickens' work.
Selznick is best remembered for "Gone with the Wind" (1939), but he was nominated for 8 other Oscars for films as diverse as "Viva Villa" (1934), "A Tale of Two Cities" (1936), "A Star is Born" (1937), "Rebecca" (1940) and "Spellbound" (1945). Beyond these, he was also involved in one capacity or another in such classics as "A Farewell to Arms" (1957) and "The Third Man" (1949) among the nearly 90 films he produced.
George Cukor, the film's director, began his career on Broadway in 1917 and stayed there until 1929, when he moved to film and made more than 50 films from 1930 to 1981, including 5 Oscar nominations and one win ("My Fair Lady" in 1964), a Lifetime Achievement Award from DGA, and an Emmy ("Love Among the Ruins", 1975). In the 30s Cukopr was busy bringing classics to film, with "Little Women" (1933), "Camille" (1936), "Romeo and Juliet" (1936), "Tom Sawyer" (1938), "Gone with the Wind" (1939), and "The Wizard of Oz" (1939).
The 130 minute film was nominated for an Oscar as Best Picture, Best Editing (Robert Kern), and Best Assistant Director (Joseph Newman), but didn't win. The Best Picture for 1935 was "Mutiny on the Bounty".
Summary of David Copperfield
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