Customer Reviews

David Copperfield

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I think this works for me because I have read David Copperfield several times and have seen several screen versions. True, because it is not a mini-series and is setup as reflections on the past from a present author confronted by his old friend on a visit by the seaside of Yarmouth and scene of much sadness and regret as well as joy, the story is broken, and the great stars of English cinema have only limited time to shine. But, the style and the acting and the filming locations and even the rather old fashioned music drew me into a well remembered world and reminded me that chosing life in the here and now and taking the good from the past and going on is always an option. This needs a restoration badly (the print has much "snow" specs) but somehow, I do not mind too much. The chosen scenes from the Novel and the speeches are amoung the best. So, if you already know the book well, this little series of scenes from it with great actors from the past is rather moving (just be ready to ignore the poor transfer).

I found Delbert Mann's David Copperfield available for online viewing after a random search, and sat down to watch it with little expectations, as most of the reviews I had heard were quite negative. As I watched it I was thinking, "Hey, this is pretty good, why does everyone dislike it?" As I continued watching, I though, "That was a strange choice in screenwriting, I wonder why they did that?" By the end I turned it off. Fox's David Copperfield is sketchily edited, with poor performances from main characters, inaccurate editing, and costumes and settings more fit for a Sherlock Holmes film than a Dickensian adaptation.

The writers opted for the flashback style used in some other versions, memories coming to David as he walks mournfully along the seashore immediately at his return to England from Switzerland. But when David did flashback, he did so disjointedly, making it difficult for people to follow unless you are thoroughly informed on what is happening. And if you ARE informed, then you'll have a problem with the content of the flashbacks - the scenes that were kept (which were few) were switched up and blended together (a.k.a Steerforth meets Uriah Heep), and so short there was no character development. The whole film was like watching a bunch of things happen to people you don't care for. I don't mind it when a director adapts the story - it's to be expected in a film of two hours that must encompass a novel of 700+ pages. Naturally scenes will be spliced or combined or deleted entirely. But this film focuses SO MUCH on David walking across the Yarmouth beach and the voices in his head. We see David brooding, ignoring fans of his books, saying rude things to an agonizingly air-headed Agnes. We see him hanging out with Steerforth who seems to be as much a main character as David himself. We don't see much of Betsey Trotwood, scarcely any Murdstones or Peggotty, no childhood interaction with David at the Wickfields. Uriah Heep is even more horrible than Agnes: spastic and irritating, and spitting out the word "umble" at intervals. It got to the point that it was hard to watch.


This film actually had some nice acting with the Peggottys and Mr. Micawber and especially young David and Steerforth at all ages. But the choices in storyline effectively negated the brighter aspects of this movie. Unless you are simply trying to see all the versions of David Copperfield, I see no reason to watch this film when there are so many better choices.

I will often find it difficult to sit through an entire movie at home, and will stop it after 30-45 minutes, then return to it later. But with this film, to my surprise, the first time I looked at the time expired, it was already over an hour, and I was happy to stay with it longer. The film is two hours, and it held my interest from start to finish.

It concisely gave us the story, with all its memorable characters. There's the mean stepfather Murdstone, loquacious Micawber, the willing Barkis and the Peggoty family, kind Aunt Betsey and her dimwitted Mr. Dick, Steerforth and Traddles, Copperfield's sweethearts silly Dora and wise Agnes, eely Uriah Heep, sweet Emily, and the rest of the wonderful Dickens characters.

It seems odd to me that Australia is seen as the great escape, the land to start fresh, and that all your problems are solved once you board that boat to Down Under. It seems like a condemnation of Britain, and I don't see why you can assume that things will work out well in Australia. It seems that you have a whole new movie about the emigrants trying to make a new life there.

When I was a child I read this book and it seemed very heavy, very oppressive. In the movie, the nastiness involved with Murdstone and Heep went by quickly enough, which I was glad of.

There is a life lesson at the end, an answer to the eternal question "why are we here?". The answer is that it is not good enough to be happy and loving. We must pass through the fire and become strong. I suppose there's something to that, though the intensity and type of fire we must pass through varies from one person to another.

This version of David Copperfield gets a thumbs up from me, and is well worth the dollar you have to pay for it at the supermarket. But I noticed that these dollar DVDs are disappearing from the supermarkets, and you have to pay a lot more for their DVDs, so why not order it from Amazon. It's cheap enough, and a good movie.

I had been searching for a copy of this movie for years. I scanned late night TV in case I might happen upon a showing, but no luck. I have never spied a video or DVD copy in any store but now, thanks to Amazon, I finally found it! I saw the original TV movie back in 1969 and was completely enchanted by it. Full scenes and dialogue from this film have remained in my mind for forty years! The atmosphere evoking 1850's England, the sweeping dramatic score, and excellent acting have always seemed, to me, to be superior to any of the multitude of other film and miniseries versions I've seen over the years. Although there are always limitations in adapting a novel to a two hour film format, I think Delbert Mann did an exceptional job.(Nevertheless, do yourself the favour of reading this unforgettable novel first.) Robin Phillips is well-cast as the handsome, romantic and troubled, David Copperfield, the "hero of his own life". With an unparalleled supporting cast filled with the elite of British theatre and film (Ralph Richardson, Edith Evans, Laurence Olivier, Michael Redgrave, Wendy Hiller) portraying the varied and fascinating Dickens characters, this is a little-known gem! I highly recommend this version of "David Copperfield" to all lovers of Dickens, literature, and British film. (I removed one star in my rating as the film copy is a bit worse for wear, but the bargain price more than compensates for that.)

Disregard the previous review. This is the best version of David Copperfield ever filmed. Later versions are longer, more lavish, with better DVD transfers; but none has ever surpassed this gem of a movie. Director Delbert Mann captures the spirit of Dickens' classic novel better than any other version ever produced. Its all here: the sheer evil of the Murdstones, Mr. Creakle, Steerforth & Uriah Heep, the mad humour of Micawber, Barkis & Mr. Dick, the generosity, kindness and loyalty of Aunt Betsy, Peggotty, the Micawbers & Mr. Wickfield, the foolish innocence of Little Emily & Dora, the self sacrificing love of Dan Peggotty, Ham & Agnes.
And the cast is magnificent (including Robin Phillips as David Copperfield). How can you beat a cast that includes Edith Evans, Ralph Richardson, Lawrence Olivier, Anna Massey, Richard Attenborough, James Donald, Cyril Cusack, Sinead Cusack, Michael Redgrave, Susan Hampshire, Emlyn Williams, Wendy Hiller, Pamela Franklin & Ron Moody (who is superlative as Uriah Heep)? You can't! And it has never been done. This is simply the greatest film version of David Copperfield ever made.

This INEXPENSIVE DVD seemed a bargain, as it was a period piece with a most illustrious cast. Being a lover of period pieces and a fan of Charles Dickens, I immediately snapped it up. Well, you get what you pay for. Despite the illustrious cast, this body of work is dead on arrival.

Robin Phillips gamely plays the part of David Copperfield. He is, however, a rather colorless chap and is not strong enough to hold this film together, which is unfortunate, as he is the linchpin around which this drama revolves. Told in a series of flashbacks, this contrivance is one of the weaknesses in the film, as it tends to be confusing and adds nothing to the film, but rather, detracts a great deal. This retropsective of David Copperfield's life shows him losing his mother at an early age and being left in the hands of an unloving stepfather. Pulled out of school to toil in a factory as a young child, he runs away and makes it to the home of his loving aunt who raises him. The viewer watches him grow up in Victorian England and sees how he fairs against the vicissitudes of life. The cast of characters with whom he interacts is vibrant, and it is they who manage to keep this two hour film somewhat afloat. Ultimately, however, it tanks.

The all star ensemble is a plethora of riches, with screen greats Richard Attenborough, Ron Moody, Lawrence Olivier, Ralph Richardson, Michael Redgrave, Dame Edith Evans, Wendy Hiller, Susan Hampshire, and Pamela Franklin lighting up the screen at different moments. Even their individual, luminous performances, however, are not enough to make this turkey work, so poorly put together and choppy is the film.

The DVD is offers some special features, such as a classic cartoon, a movie trivia game, and a DVD dictionary. The picture quality is only fair, as the picure is somewhat grainy and washed out looking, though the sound quality is good.

This DVD seemed a bargain, as it was a period piece with a most illustrious cast. Being a lover of period pieces and a fan of Charles Dickens, I immediately snapped it up. Well, you get what you pay for. Despite the illustrious cast, this body of work is dead on arrival.

Robin Phillips gamely plays the part of David Copperfield. He is, however, a rather colorless chap and is not strong enough to hold this film together, which is unfortunate, as he is the linchpin around which this drama revolves. Told in a series of flashbacks, this contrivance is one of the weaknesses in the film, as it tends to be confusing and adds nothing to the film, but rather, detracts a great deal. This retropsective of David Copperfield's life shows him losing his mother at an early age and being left in the hands of an unloving stepfather. Pulled out of school to toil in a factory as a young child, he runs away and makes it to the home of his loving aunt who raises him. The viewer watches him grow up in Victorian England and sees how he fairs against the vicissitudes of life. The cast of characters with whom he interacts is vibrant, and it is they who manage to keep this two hour film somewhat afloat. Ultimately, however, it tanks.

The all star ensemble is a plethora of riches, with screen greats Richard Attenborough, Ron Moody, Lawrence Olivier, Ralph Richardson, Michael Redgrave, Dame Edith Evans, Wendy Hiller, Susan Hampshire, and Pamela Franklin lighting up the screen at different moments. Even their individual, luminous performances, however, are not enough to make this turkey work, so poorly put together and choppy is the film.

The DVD is offers some special features, such as a classic cartoon, a movie trivia game, and a DVD dictionary. The picture quality is only fair, as the picure is somewhat grainy and washed out looking, though the sound quality is good.