David Copperfield (2000) (TV)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Peter Medak

Writers:

Charles Dickens (novel)
John Goldsmith (teleplay)

Release Date:

10 December 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot Keywords:

Aunt | Costume Drama | Debt | Father Daughter Relationship | Mother Son Relationship

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Michael Richards	...	Mr. Wilkins Micawber
Eileen Atkins	...	Miss Jane Murdstone
Anthony Andrews	...	Mr. Edward Murdstone
Frank MacCusker	...	Uriah Heep
Hugh Dancy	...	David Copperfield
Max Dolbey	...	Young David Copperfield
Sally Field	...	Aunt Betsey Trotwood
Edward Hardwicke	...	Mr. Wickfield
Freddie Jones	...	Barkis
Nigel Davenport	...	Dan Peggotty
Emily Hamilton	...	Agnes Wickfield
Julie Cox	...	Dora Spenlow
Sarah Smart	...	Clara Copperfield
Alan Howard	...	Mr. Spenlow
Alec McCowen	...	Mr. Jorkins

Runtime:

180 min | 60 min (3 episodes)

Country:

Ireland | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Filming Locations:

Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland

Company:

Hallmark Entertainment

Trivia:

Last film of Nigel Davenport.

Movie Connections:

Version of David Copperfield (1993) (TV)

So it's a story about breaking loose

How do you cut and structure David COPPERFIELD? If I recall correctly, the TV version back in 1969 made it a passage through grief to maturity. This one makes it the shaking off of a curse. Murdstone is a destroyer of women, and he sends David off to a training that will inevitably make David-- as it makes his hero Steerforth-- another such destroyer. From time to time David as narrator reminds us that he is making the mistake of succumbing to expectations, but in the end he successfully rebels. It's not the original, but it's not a bad take on the story.

Micawber has a similar triumph near the end of the story, and it's a shame that he wasn't allowed to shine in that triumph without the distraction of Michael Richards' physical comedy. Up to that point the Krameresque bumbling was not unwelcome, certainly a better alternative than trying to compete directly with the legendary W.C. Fields interpretation. Micawber's accent was odd, though, and it was mixed with unadulterated Kramer interjections.