Year of Release: 1935Country of Origin: USA
Director: George Cukor
Cast: Edna May Oliver, Elizabeth Allan, Basil Rathbone, Lionel Barrymore, W. C. Fields
Plot outline: Charles Dickens' classic tale of an orphaned boy's fight for happiness and the colourful characters who help and hinder him (IMDb).
David Copperfield was an outstanding vehicle for supporting actors, as Dickens had stuffed his novel with memorable, colourful characters. Basil Rathbone is particularly good as David's detestable, abusive stepfather. Edna May Oliver's tantrums are often hilarious, while Elizabeth Allan is sweetness personified as David's mother. Lionel Barrymore was the biggest name in the cast, but his character has only a small part. In his heavy 'old fisherman' makeup, he is almost unrecognizable. W.C. Fields is a surprise in the role of Micawber. His distinctive drawl is dropped in favour of an adopted British accent, but his comic timing remains intact. Fields was a late arrival to the cast, replacing Charles Laughton who felt inadequate for the comic role. Writer Hugh Walpole, who helped adapt the novel to the screenplay, makes the only acting appearance of his career. He plays the Vicar. David Copperfield is a great movie, but not a perfect one. Sometimes it is overly sentimental, and little Fay Chaldecott (playing Emily as a child) wasn't much of an actress (I guess it would have been too expensive for MGM to contract Shirley Temple from Fox). (BK)
My judgement: **1/2 out of 4 stars
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