Critical Moments

The Dickens addicts, of whom I am told there are some half a million in this country alone, should find little fault with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s picturization of “David Copperfield.” At the barn-like Capitol the other night where the film is showing, a capacity audience voiced its approval of Cukor’s effort to transcribe to the screen this appealing story of the trials and tribulations of “hard luck” David.

In producing “David Copperfield,” Mr. Cukor, who also directed “Little Women” has again followed the original story with a surprising faithfulness, yet he has managed to keep the continuity intact. Naturally the film is not slavishly patterned on the book but what omissions were made are unimportant. The Dickens flavor has not been lost.

ENTIRELY SATISFYING SENTIMENTALLY

If you care for the sentimentality of Charles Dickens you will find this picture most satisfying. It is beautifully produced, expertly acted and well photographed. I do not remember seeing a better adaptation of a great novel. No detail has been too small to be overlooked, the spirit of Dickens’s time has been successfully {SPAN}impris###d{/SPAN} upon this roll of film.

As for the cast, too much cannot be said in their favor. Leading the honors is W. C. Fields who, as the nearly grotesque, optimistic, flamboyant Micawber, gives as fine a performance as the screen has ever seen. This great comedian demonstrates why he stands so far ahead of his contemporaries. Some of the cast, over-impressed with the alleged sacredness of Dickensque characterizations, were fearful of “letting go.” They stuck strictly to the scenario but Fields realized that Micawber was a man and he also knew that humor had not changed very much in the past century. An embarrassing situation not too macabre has always caused laughter and Fields, cast in the role of a most unfortunate fellow, was not afraid of “acting up” a bit. He gives life and zest to his characterization and makes the audience believe that Micawber actually lived. Another player who acted naturally was young Freddie Bartholomew as the boy David, suffering the tyranny of his stepfather. If this boy with that winsome face of his, doesn’t cause enough tears to wet down the Boulder Dam then American womanhood has suddenly gone tough. Basil Rathbone as Mr. Murdstone, the villainous stepfather is superb. He is one “heavy” who earned every “hiss.” Others noteworthy performances are by Edna May Oliver, Madge Evans, Lewis Stone, Lionel Barrymore, Roland Young and Frank Lawton.

YOUNG BARTHOLOMEW NEW TO FAME

To go back a moment to Freddie Bartholomew, the young David. This 10-year old Englishman was, before he appeared in “David Copperfield” completely unknown in this country and virtually unknown in England. When Selznick was looking for a juvenile to play the title role in walked Bartholomew. He had never before appeared on the screen and was brought here by his aunt with the sole idea of playing “David Copperfield.” He had some experience on the English stage and when Selznick saw him he hired the youngster without further ado. I believe that he will rapidly become an international favorite.

“David Copperfield” will undoubtedly be a tremendous box-office hit. The novels of Dickens have never lost their appeal. The homely virtues, the folksiness, the concern with types we all know, their direct emotional appeal, their color—all these elements have kept them alive in a world that has changed only in externals.

“David Copperfield” has the added attraction of dealing with a child, an orphan who is mistreated, an appeal that never fails to evoke sympathy. In making this novel into a film M-G-M have not toned down the original—it should come as a sort of emotional purge for those who gain pleasure out of a good cry.