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Reviews
A Tale of Two Cities (1935)
Religious Imagery Is from Dickens
In response to one who complained about "forced religious imagery," I just want to say that Dickens's novel is absolutely loaded with resurrection imagery: the first section of the book is called "Recalled to Life.;" Dr. Manette has been "buried" in the Bastille for 18 years and returns to the world of the living; Jerry Cruncher's real income comes from his work as a "resurrectionist;" and Carton's unspoken prophecy on the scaffold shows how he has gained immortality in the minds of the family he helps. Not all this can be shown in a two-hour film (certainly not Jerry's work as a body-snatcher, given the Production Code), but the theme is undeniably there. That may be way the tag was placed at the end. Note,too, that Carton is not the only one willing to die to save a friend: Miss Pross's climactic struggle with Madame Defarge is another example of self-sacrifice.
Without a doubt, "A Tale of Two Cities" is my favorite of the Dickens novels, and this is one of my top five films of all time.