David Copperfield

This film is not just "okay", its a masterful adaptation of one of the world's great novels. Whatever shortcomings it may have for modern audiences due to its age and the technical limitations of the time are more than compensated for by the immense care and effort lavished on the production and a cast that is impeccably "right". Truly, this is one of the finest jobs of casting you could imagine, as MGM was blessed at this time to have a slate of brilliant and irreplacable character actors. My favorites: W.C. Fields at his peak, born to play Micawber; the inimitable and wonderful Edna May Oliver, Betsy Trotwood to a T; and Lennox Pawle, unforgettable as Mr. Dick. And if I wanted to be really tiresome, I could probably name 8 others. Dickens would have been pleased!

A young boy grows to manhood in Victorian England. He will learn to deal with the early deaths of his parents. He will be cruelly abused by his sadistic stepfather. He will be betrayed by false friends. He will experience a brief, tragic marriage. He will also be showered with tenderness and affection from hearts good & true. He will grow to be a man made strong by adversity, but still wondering if he'll turn out to be the hero of his own life. He is DAVID COPPERFIELD.

Charles Dickens' masterpiece comes to marvelous life in this triumphant translation from literary classic into film. Enormous care was taken by MGM to get the look & feel just right - to make the viewer believe they were seeing the novel spread out before them, without a false moment from start to finish. (The Studio even went so far as to use special on-location exterior filming at Canterbury Cathedral, a segment that only runs for a few seconds.)

The all-star cast is remarkable:

Freddie Bartholomew, newly brought from England by his aunt, is perfect in the role of Young David; his anguish at the death of his mother is almost palpable.

Replacing a reluctant Charles Laughton, W. C. Fields proved a triumph in the comic role of the penniless Mr. Micawber, always confident of something `turning up.' (You might think Fields' American accent & mannerisms would tend to be grating, but he turns in what is arguably his finest performance. Fields had loved Dickens' novels for years and always kept a few in his vaudeville trunk. He knew the role and how to play it. Here he takes the character of Micawber, tweaks it slightly, and delights us.)

Lionel Barrymore, as the old fisherman Dan'l Peggoty, adding yet another exceptional portrait to his gallery of character parts.

Edna May Oliver is unforgettable as the stern, yet loving, Aunt Betsey, forever chasing donkeys off her property - fiercely defensive of those she cares for.

Basil Rathbone as Mr. Murdstone, dark & dangerous, full of passions & fury.

Maureen O'Sullivan as darling Dora, sweet & doomed.

Roland Young as an oily Uriah Heep, sniveling & devious.

Lewis Stone, Elizabeth Allan, Una O'Connor, Lennox Pawle, Elsa Lanchester, Violet Kemble Cooper, Madge Evans, Frank Lawton - all perfectly cast.

(Look for E. E. Clive, Lionel Belmore & Arthur Treacher in tiny uncredited roles. Sir Hugh Walpole, the celebrated English novelist who adapted the novel for the screen, appears as the Vicar.)

Savor this wonderful film again & again.

This version of David Copperfield is a little disappointing in that the lead characters (David, Agnes, Steerforth, Little Em'ly) are somewhat bland and don't reveal their depth of feeling or passion. But the actors who play the supporting characters are so superb that this version is worth seeking out for those who love Dickens' work. Aunt Betsy, Uriah Heep, Mr. Dick, Mr. Micawber, Dan Peggotty and Ham are fleshed out by actors who have true spark and understand that their characters are supposed to be a little larger than life.

W.C. Fields can act- he's not just playing himself here. Although Mr. Micawber is a somewhat Fields-ish fellow, Fields adds a touching sincerity to Micawber's belief that he will come out ahead someday to everyone's benefit. Micawber's denunciation of Uriah Heep is both fun and close to what one can picture from the novel.

A lot of plot is left out, since you can't really cram an epic like that into a 2 hour film- the BBC miniseries is better for depth of character and filling in plot holes- but this 1935 version can be considered a classic for those looking for a nice large-screen adaptation with some incredibly good character actors.

Having always heard of David Copperfield, but never having read the novel nor seen the movie, I finally decided to check out the DVD. I found it quite enjoyable with an all-star cast and good Dickensian backdrops.

I have always loved W.C. Fields, but have to disagree with those who say he steals the show. Although he is perfect as Mcawber, to me it is Edna May Oliver who steals the picture. She is delightful as the dotty aunt – especially standing up to Mr. and Miss Murdstone with the loony backing of Mr. Dick (a charming Lennox Pawle).

Of course Lionel Barrymore always makes the most of a part and does so as the gruff fisherman Dan Peggotty. Freddie Bartholomew is excellent as the young David. Elizabeth Allen is gorgeous and delightful as David's mother, while Basil Rathbone and Violet Kemble Cooper are cold and devious as the step-father and his housekeeper sister.

The entire cast is excellent, including Jessie Ralph as Peggotty and Herbert Mundin as the 'willing' Barkis. My only complaint – and this is from one who hasn't read the book – is that the miscellaneous characters get a bit confusing. A guy who apparently had been nice to David in school runs off with and abandons the adopted daughter of Peggotty's brother. Then two men fight during a shipwreck and David sees his school friend dead. Perhaps things were better spelled out in the book.

In any event, it is a quite charming film. Oliver and Field are delightful, along with the rest of the talented cast. I doubt that as better adaptation could be done today.

This version of David COPPERFIELD is quite a good one, in that it does trim the 800 plus page novel down to reasonable coherence. There are some characters that one misses, but they are understandably cut due to length considerations. While Steerforth and his betrayal of the Peggoty Family is in the film (including the dual tragedy at it's conclusion), the sub-story of Little Em'ly's friend Martha and the business regarding Steerforth's mother, Rosa Dartle, and Mrs. Mowcher were dumped (Mrs. Mowcher would have been hard to cast). Pity, Mrs. Mowcher's famous speech to David about not confusing her physical attributes with her mental ones is missing. Also Steerforth's butler Littimer appears once, but the film does not get into the ironic coda of his imprisonment. While Uriah Heep's villainy against Mr. Wickfield and his clients is shown, his willingness to dig up dirt against other "enemies" is not shown. In particular his treatment of Dr. Strong (David's second schoolmaster), his young wife, and Jack Dalton is not developed (which is sad as it proves Mr. Dick is not simple minded).

But those are minor points really. The best jobs in the film are the work of the performers under George Cukor's direction: Edna Mae Oliver as the crusty, wise Aunt Betsy; Roland Young as the evil, greasy Uriah Heep (his best villain part); and W.C.Fields as Wilkins McCawber (Dicken's tribute to his lovable but improvident father) is superb - the one time his comic personae met the proper dramatic role; and Lionel Barrymore as Dan Pegotty determined to find his lost, ruined niece. Freddy Bartholemew's performance as young David is wonderful. But I must admit that Frank Lawson is a trifle colorless as the grown up David (although he has a funny moment at a dinner that Dora (Maureen O'Sullivan) tries to prepare). It is a weakness but a small weakness in a nearly perfect film.