David Copperfield *** (1970, Robin Phillips, Susan Hampshire, Edith Evans, Michael Redgrave, Ralph Richardson, Laurence Olivier) – Classic Movie Review 6976

The resounding performances from the great British thespians of the day give director Delbert Mann’s atmospheric 1970 British TV movie version of the Charles Dickens classic novel David Copperfield a big lift.

Robin Phillips is a handsome but wispy hero as David Copperfield, and the flashback-told script sometimes lacks emotion and substance, but it is still an enjoyable enough, quite classy-looking run through a rousing tale.

In a huge cast of worthies, James Donald as Mr Murdstone, Ron Moody as Uriah Heep, Edith Evans as Aunt Betsey Trotwood, Michael Redgrave as Mr Peggotty, Richard Attenborough as Mr Tungay, Laurence Olivier as Mr Creakle and Ralph Richardson as Mr Micawber are especially outstanding.

Good though it is, it comes nowhere near the classic Thirties Hollywood version, David Copperfield (1935).

Also in the cast are Susan Hampshire, Wendy Hiller, Emlyn Williams, Cyril Cusack, Sinead Cusack, James Hayter, Pamela Franklin, Isobel Black, Megs Jenkins, Anna Massey, Nicholas Pennell, Corin Redgrave, Liam Redmond, Gordon Rollings, George Woodbridge and Anne Stallybrass.

It was originally released in cinemas in Britain (on 4 January 1970) and in Europe, but in the US it premiered as an NBC television special on 15 March 1970. The UK television premiere was 26 December 1075.

David Copperfield is directed by Delbert Mann, runs 112 minutes, is an Omnibus, 20th Century Fox Television and Sagittarius production, is released by 20th Century Fox, is written by Jack Pullman, is shot in Technicolor by Ken Hodges, is produced by Frederick H Brogger and Hugh Attwooll (associate producer), and is scored by Malcolm Arnold, with Art Direction by Alex Vetchinsky.

Delbert Mann went on to film Jane Eyre (1970).

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 6976

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