The Personal History, Adventures, Experience, & Observation of David Copperfield the Younger is a 1935 film based upon the Charles Dickens novel. Although quite a few characters and incidents from the novel were omitted - notably David's time at Salem House boarding school - the spirit of the book and the period were captured well.

The film was adapted by Hugh Walpole, Howard Estabrook and Lenore J. Coffee from the Dickens novel, and directed by George Cukor.

Taglines:

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's Greatest Motion Picture
• Star Cast of 65 Players!

Cast

---

• Edna May Oliver: Aunt Betsey
• Elizabeth Allan: Clara Copperfield
• Jessie Ralph: Peggotty
• Freddie Bartholomew: David Copperfield as a boy
• Basil Rathbone: Mr. Murdstone
• Lionel Barrymore: Dan'l Peggotty
• Una O'Connor: Mrs. Gummidge
• W.C. Fields: Mr. Micawber
• Lennox Pawle: Mr. Dick
• Frank Lawton: David Copperfield as a man.
• Hugh Williams: James Steerforth
• Lewis Stone: Mr. Wickfield
• Madge Evans: Agnes
• Roland Young: Uriah Heep
• Maureen O'Sullivan: Dora

Hugh Walpole, the screenplay writer, had a cameo role as the vicar. Screen legend Elsa Lanchester had a cameo as Clickett, Mr. Micawber's servant.

Production

---

David O. Selznick dearly wanted to film David Copperfield, as his Russian father Lewis Selznick had learnt the English language through it, and read it to his sons every night.

A recreation of 19th century London was constructed in the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer backlot. The scenes set outside Aunt Betsey's house atop The White Cliffs of Dover were filmed at Malibu.

The role of Mr. Micawber was written for Charles Laughton, but when his performance didn't satisfy Cukor, he left the film after just one filming week. The role was given to Dickens scholar W.C. Fields. This is the only film where the great comedian Fields doesn't ad lib (although he wanted to add a juggling sequence).

Reception

---

The film was well-received on its release in January 1935. One New York Times called it "The most profoundly satisfying screen maipulation of a great novel the camera has ever given us". It is still shown in many countries on television at Christmas. It has a 7.6/10 rating on the Internet Movie Database, and is rated with four out of four stars every year in Halliwell's Film Guide.

Trivia

---

• The Personal History, Adventures, Experience and Observation of David Copperfield the Younger holds the record for the Best Picture Oscar Nominee with the longest name.

• In Gone With The Wind, also produed by Selznick, Melanie Wilkes (Olivia de Havilland) reads aloud from the novel David Copperfield while she waits for the vigilantes to come home from the raid. In Margaret Mitchell's novel, Melaine actually read Les Miserables at this point.

• The baby who plays David Copperfield at birth was actually a girl, Eileen Ingles.

External Link

---

1935 films | Best Picture Academy Award nominees | Films directed by George Cukor | Films based on Charles Dickens' books

David Copperfield (1935)