The Personal History, Adventures, Experience, & Observation of David Copperfield the Younger (1935)

Director:

George Cukor

Writers:

Charles Dickens (novel)
Hugh Walpole (adaptation)

Release Date:

13 October 1935 (Finland)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Metro·Goldwyn·Mayer's Greatest Motion Picture

Plot:

When David's father dies, his mother remarries. His new stepfather Murdstone has a mean and cruel view on how to raise a child...

Plot Keywords:

Aunt | Stepfather | Nurse | Children | Maturation

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Edna May Oliver	...	Aunt Betsey
Elizabeth Allan	...	Mrs. Copperfield
Jessie Ralph	...	Nurse Peggotty
Harry Beresford	...	Dr. Chillip
Freddie Bartholomew	...	David - the child
Hugh Walpole	...	The Vicar
Basil Rathbone	...	Mr. Murdstone
Herbert Mundin	...	Barkis
John Buckler	...	Ham
Fay Chaldecott	...	Little Em'ly - the child
Una O'Connor	...	Mrs. Gummidge
Lionel Barrymore	...	Dan Peggotty
Violet Kemble Cooper	...	Jane Murdstone
Elsa Lanchester	...	Clickett
Jean Cadell	...	Mrs. Micawber

Also Known As:

David Copperfield (USA) (short title)

Runtime:

130 min | Germany:124 min | UK:145 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | Canada:G (video rating) | Australia:G

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

W. H. Henry, who had taken the role of Eustace McGargle in the London version of POPPY, desperately wanted the role of Mr. Micawber, but his wife was deathly ill, and he would not leave her bedside. He recommended that W.C. Fields be given the role, and the studio eventually complied.

Goofs:

Continuity: Micawber folds the paper of accusation twice.

Quotes:

Aunt Betsy Trotwood: Now that there's a child coming, what will you call your girl?
Mrs. Clara Copperfield: Perhaps it will be a boy.
Aunt Betsy Trotwood: Don't contradict. I have a pre-sentiment that it will be a girl. And I shall be her godmother. She shall be christened Betsy Trotwood Copperfield. She must be well brought up, I shall see to that. Far better than my impractical nephew would have done.
Mrs. Clara Copperfield: Mr. Copperfield has been dead only six months. It is cruel of you to speak unkindly of him to me.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Some of the Best (1949)

Soundtrack:

Good Christian Men Rejoice

The best cast, best rendition of a classic novel ever.

I've read "David Copperfield" at least a half dozen times. If it's not the greatest novel in the English language, then it's darned close to it. Like any Dickens work, there are plots within plots and scores of major and minor character. With the exception of excluding poor Traddles, this film catches the essence of the story better than any since--and I defy anyone to cite a better movie for casting the right actor with the right character. Of course, W.C. Fields' Mr. McCawber was superb and has been cited time and again as a great characterization, but it's also difficult to fault Basil Rathbone's Mr. Murdstone, Edna may Oliver's Aunt Betsy, Roland Young's Uriah Heep, Freddy Bartholomew's young David, Lionel Barrymore's Mr. Peggoty or Maureen O'Sullivan's Dora Spenlow. As well, George Cukor's direction and period details are top-notch, as is the screen adoption of a very complicated novel. It's simply one of the greatest movies ever made.