DAVID COPPERFIELD

US, 1935, 130 minutes, Black and white.
W.C.Fields, Freddie Bartholomew, Edna May Oliver, Roland Young, Elizabeth Allan, Basil Rathbone, Una O’Connor?, Lionel Barrymore, Elsa Lanchester.
Directed by George Cukor.

David Copperfield has become a cinema classic. This long version of Dickens' novel nevertheless had to eliminate many characters and episodes. Freddie Bartholomew at the peak of his career as a juvenile actor is very good in the title role. There were many character actors who contributed excellent performances. The most outstanding and unexpected at the time was W. C. Fields' interpretation of Micawber. Roland Young is very good as Uriah Heep and Edna May Oliver has some dignity as Aunt Betsy. Basil Rathbone is an usual a sinister Mr. Murdstone. There are agreeable performances from Lionel Barrymore, Elsa Lanchester, Una O’Connor? and others.

The film had all the values of MGM production and the backing of David O. Selznick. The writing is very good in capturing the atmosphere of Dickens' novel and sketching in the characters quickly. The film was directed with great taste by George Cukor. Cukor, from the New York stage, had established a reputation quickly for literate films with good taste. He was the director at this time of the Norma Shearer/Leslie Howard version of Romeo and Juliet. He was to have a very long and successful career making striking films with such people as Katherine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy. Cary Grant. He was to win an Oscar for his direction of My Fair Lady in 1964.

Another version, made for the Dickens centenary and for showing on television, was made by Delbert Mann in 1969. This film also had a star cast, especially of English actors and actresses led by Laurence Olivier, Ralph Richardson and Edith Evans. It seemed more of a summary of David Copperfield rather than a cinema version. The thirties' version still has its place as a classic.

1. The film is considered a classic? Why? The thirties Hollywood treatment of Dickens, style, content?

2. The quality of M.G.M. film making in 1934 and its presentation: black and white photography, musical score incorporating old themes and modern score? The recreation of 19th century England, acts and costumes, atmosphere? How authentically that of Dickens?

3. The quality of the adaptation of such a large novel to the screen? The reverence for Dickens, his characters, situations? Reverence for his humour, social observation, insight into human nature? Was there a conscious effort to make a screen classic of a literary classic?

4. The comparison of the film structure to the novel's structure? The introduction of the page and David's autobiography? The episodic nature of the film and the episodic nature of the novel? Sufficient focus on David, the other characters revolve around him, his perspective on his life, on people, and society?

5. The impact of the sequence of his birth: the introduction to Clara and her suffering, Aunt Betsy Trotwood and Edna May Oliver's interpretation of her? Too mannered or interestingly eccentric? The relationship of Aunt Betsy to Clara, to the baby? The preparation for Aunt Betsy's treatment of David throughout the film? How sympathetic a character? The pathos of Clara?

6. Clara as a widow, the way she was bringing up David? The introduction to David an a young boy - how sympathetic? Audience sentiment towards David? (sentimental? Freddie Bartholomew’s precise English tone?). The introduction of the Murdstones? Their harshness, his courting of Clara and marrying her? David's suspicions? The effect of the marriage on Clara? The lessons, the beatings, Murdstone sending David to York? The pathos of Clara’s death? The harshness of Jane Murdstone? Their visit to Aunt Betsy after David ran away? The significance of David's running away and the long journey and the way it was visualized? Aunt Betsy's treatment of the Murdstones? The shooing away of the donkeys and of the Murdstones? Symbolism? The presence of Mr. Dick and his eccentricity, his simplicity and yet his wisdom? Aunt Betsy relying on him?

7. The world of the Peggottys? Peggotty and her devotion to Clara, and to David? Barkis and the fact the he was ‘willing’? His proposal to Peggotty and her acceptance? The world of Dan Peggotty and the coast, Emily as a child and her relationship to David, her standing at the and of the pier in seeming danger? Ham and his place in the household? The widow and her continual complaining? A happy atmosphere of childhood and freedom?

8. Expectations of the Micawbers? The well-known aspects of Mr. Micawber's character? How well embodied by W. C. Fields? How much W. C. Fields and how much Micawbar? His household, evading his creditors, Mrs. Micawber and the house and the family? Strong characterization? Micawber's sympathy, optimism, helping of David especially in his leaving his work? (Dickens' comment on child work by the presentation of David at work?)?

9. The return to Aunt Betsy, her wisdom in getting him educated, his staying with the Wickfields? Old Wickfield and his weakness? Agnes as a simple child and her devotion to David? The preparation for later events? His schooldays as happy days? The particular incidents illustrating this and their value?

10. The introduction of Uriah Heep? As an evil man, what was Dickens attacking in his character? The false accent on humility and his whining and whingeing manner? Trying to ingratiate himself to good favours? Yet his hold and control? His cruel hold over Wickfield and encouraging his drinking, changing the books? His hold over Micawber? His gradual rising over the years? David's antipathy? Micawber's decision to expose him? The dramatics of the exposure sequence and his continuing to whine his way out of danger? David and his freeing of the Wickfields? Of Micawber?

11. The representation of Steerforth an idolized from school, as the man about town, David's happiness with him? The irony of bringing him to the Peggottys? The pathos of Emily's running away, the way the novel was broken, the pathos of Dan Peggottys searching for her? The visualizing of her death? Was this imaginatively appropriate?

12. Why did David fall in love with Dora? What did she represent? Why was he blind to Agnes? The nature of his love? The visit to the theatre, the courtship? Her girlishness, the marriage, her inability to prepare a meal, her illness, her death and her bequeathing Agnes to him?

13. How satisfying a heroine was Agnes? Her devotion to her father, to David and final happiness?

14. How interesting a character is David Copperfield? How much to be identified with Dickens himself? A 19th century man? Poverty, oppression, education, self-made, happiness. a career?

15. How well did the film have insight into human nature, how much wisdom, sentiment. social observation?