DAVID COPPERFIELD (DVD) DVD

David Copperfield
A distinguished cast highlights this made-for-TV adaptation of one of Charles Dickens' best-loved novels. Young David Copperfield (Daniel Radcliffe) is loved by his mother Clara (Emilia Fox), but does not get along with his foul-tempered stepfather, Murdstone (Trevor Eve). After biting Murdstone during a fight, David is forced to attend a boarding school operated by the vicious and humorless Mr. Creakle (Ian McKellen). After Clara suddenly dies, David is sent to work; while his labors are tiring and poorly compensated, he finds a benefactor in the good-hearted Mr. Micawber (Bob Hoskins) and his wife (Imelda Staunton). However, Micawber does not manage money well, and winds up in a debtors prison. Left to his devices, David sets out to find one of his few surviving relatives, his eccentric Aunt Betsy (Maggie Smith). The years pass, and the grown-up David (Ciaran McMenamin) has struggled to build a better life for himself, with the help of Betsy's attorney, Mr. Wickfield. David also becomes friendly with Wickfield's daughter Agnes (Amanda Ryan), but he finds a nemesis in the lawyer's clerk Uriah Heep (Nicholas Lyndhurst). David also marries a simple woman named Dora (Joanna Page), but their union brings him little happiness. David Copperfield was a co-production of the BBC and WGBH Boston. It received its American premier on the acclaimed anthology series Masterpiece Theatre. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Cast Bob Hoskins as Micawber Maggie Smith as Aunt Betsey Trotwood Ian McKellen as Mr. Creakle Ciarán McMenamin as David Copperfield Pauline Quirke as Clara Peggotty Emilia Fox as Clara Copperfield Trevor Eve as Mr. Murdstone Zoe Wannamaker as Miss Murdstone Alun Armstrong as Daniel Peggotty Imelda Staunton as Mrs. Micawber Amanda Ryan as Agnes Micawber Michael Elphick as Mr. Barkis Tom Wilkinson as Narrator James Thornton as Oliver Milburn as Dawn French as Cherie Lunghi as

Crew Sarah-Jane Cornish - Art Director Janey Fothergill - Costume Designer Mike O'Neill - Costume Designer Carrie Hilton - Costume Designer Simon Curtis - Director Rebecca Eaton - Executive Producer Robert Lane - Composer (Music Score) Andy Collins - Cinematographer Adrian Hodges - Screenwriter Charles Dickens - Book Author

David Copperfield
Wonderfully eccentric Dickens characters populate this production of David Copperfield, thanks to brilliant casting and acting. Peggoty, Wilkins Micawber, Uriah Heep -- all are here in full caricature as director Simon Curtis dramatizes one of English literature's most oft-told and best-loved stories. Delightful performances abound: Bob Hoskins is so good as Micawber, David's ne'er-do-well friend for whom a job is always about to "turn up," that he may well replace W.C. Fields as the definitive film Micawber. Hoskins is warm, funny, generous -- a philanthropist with nothing to give. Careful not to unduly hyperbolize his character, Hoskins infuses him with just enough idiosyncrasy to make him wholly human and perfectly Dickensian. Just as remarkable as Hoskins' performance is Maggie Smith's as David's aunt and protector, Betsey Trotwood. She has spit and fire, and woe unto anyone who dares to tread upon her garden or threaten the interests of young David. With her lashing tongue, she easily overmatches cruel Mr. Murdstone Trevor Eve and his wicked witch of a sister -- with the help, of course, of Mr. Dick Ian McNiece, who is as benign as he is rotund. As Creakle, Ian McKellen deserves a ten on the scale of cruelty for complacently nibbling on cheese while telling David that his mother has died. Nicholas Lyndhurst is suitably slimy as devious Uriah Heep, and Daniel Radcliffe is engaging in the role of young David, exhibiting innocence and vulnerability. The only flaw in the film may be the performance of Ciarán McMenamin as the adult David. Although McMenamin is satisfactory in the role, he lacks the magic and charm projected by the other actors. All in all, though, this version of Copperfield may stand as the best of all, and it's suitable for the entire family. ~ Mike Cummings, All Movie Guide
 

Sally Field: Screen Actors Guild, Best Actress in a Television Movie or Miniseries (nominated)

General Specifications: Language Options: Subtitle Options: Sound Processing: Additional Features: cc Cast list Poster gallery Access to the "David Copperfield" website, including production notes, interviews with the cast and crew, a guide to the featured characters, a Charles Dickens timeline, and other resources Scene selection Closed captions MPAA Rating: NR DVD Discs Included: 1 DVD Sides: 1 DVD DVD Region Code: Content Length: 190 min Part of Series: ExxonMobil Masterpiece Theatre   DVD Chapters: Side #1 -- 1. Introduction to Part One [3:24] 2. David's Childhood [14:11] 3. Mr. Murdstone, David's New Stepfather [12:32] 4. David Is Sent to School [7:06] 5. David Becomes An Orphan [10:40] 6. Mr. Micawber [12:43] 7. David Journeys to Find Aunt Betsey [14:49] 8. The Wickfield Home [11:14] 1. Introduction to Part Two [3:13] 2. David Falls in Love [8:39] 3. Steerforth Returns [10:59] 4. A Visit to Yarmouth [9:50] 5. David's Engagement [14:10] 6. Emily's Gone [10:55] 7. A New Life With Dora [11:43] 8. Emily is Found [7:05] 9. The Truth About Uriah Heep [10:23] 10. David's Happy Ending [12:36] 11. Closing Remarks [4:16]