David Copperfield

Those reviewers who criticize this DVD are absolutely correct. It is a terrible transfer. The picture is awful and the sound is worse. That said, it is still the only copy we have of this wonderful film.Those reviewers who criticise the film itself simply don't know what their talking about. This is, by far, 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.

I saw this movie on television via PBS when it first came out. "David Copperfield" is my favorite Dickens. Of all the movie versions of the book that I've seen this comes the closest to enacting the Major Theme: the maturation of love as one of the purposes of human existence. And, of course, Dickens' favorite theme: the importance that one human being can make either for the good of us all or the downfall. The style of the film may seem a bit dated as those things go but if you are familiar with the book, it hits all the ugly discomforts, the being pulled in by old admirations, the acceptence of the people that we love the most and find most attractive being both flawed and leading us away from ourselves for their benefit... It is a powerful book; close to 1000 pages. It has lots of subplots going on as one follows the main story. Dickens pulls it all together and that is where this film hangs - where Dickens pulled it all together. It seems it would be impossible to make a 2 hour film from such a long complicated book. I liked it because it followed the book, uses the voice one hears while reading the book, yet the film makers didn't bog themselvs down by using the book like a script. Films are films, books are books. I like this version.

This very long novel was written by Charles Dickens, and is one of his best - so this movie merely hits the high and low points, leaving one who has not read the book to wonder what happened? May I recommend highly the one with Maggie Smith, Bob Hoskins, etc. as a most excellent reflection of the artistry and humor in this, one of my favorite books. Just the names alone are amusing - like Pegotty, McCawber, Mr. Dick, etc. Maggie Smith is a hoot chasing donkeys off her lawn. And one does become a lot annoyed when a sensible young man like David falls for a dummie like his wife.

THis is what I learned: You CAN'T DO David Copperfield in TWO hours, I don't care how talented you are...This movie is a crying shame. Here's a good example: Lawrence Olivier is cast as Mr. Creakle, and he's wonderful, he's OLIVIER, but he's on screen for maybe a total of two minutes, before the screenplay dashes madly on...The screenwriter, by the way, is totally out of his mind, framing the story in flashbacks...Oh, it's a shame. Ralph Richardson is perfect as Mr. Micawber, but there isn't TIME to develope any character, not even Micawber! Aunt Betsy, Mr. Dick? They come and go, as if they were simply walk-ons! This could have been something special, instead it's simply a crying shame. BE WARNED! If you love Dickens, DON'T WATCH THIS! IT will break your heart.

This is a fine version of the novel on film. However, both the video and the audio are atrocious. You will need to turn on the subtitles to understand what is being said. The audio us THAT bad.

I disagree with the above review. This is a wonderful film with outstanding actors. Robin Phillips does an outstanding job considering the emotional starvation of the youth whom he was playing. Robin was perfect for the part. I don't see how it could have been done better. I am a psychologist and I understand the delicate emotional balance needed to play Copperfield in this film. I found this movie so fascinating that I have viewed it several times and I will buy another just to be certain I aways have a copy.

Great performances, but there is a reason that stage actors wear stage makeup. The characters look VERY unattractive and somewhat frightening at times. If you can get past this, you will enjoy the show.

Wonderful movie, but would have liked to hear it a little clearer. Tried using my ear buds with my kindle was still unable to make out some of the conversations.

Good quick service from Bci/Eclipse.I have various versions of this movie, and although it is full of well known names of the time, that does not save it from being the worst version of the story I have watched so far. Very slow and boring acting from all the cast and skipped through the the start of the important start of the movie when Copperfield was a child, which just made it looks more like a long trailer for a movie.Dont waste your time or money on this drivel. I think the version with Daniel "Harry Potter" Ratcliffe was a lot more enjoyable, along with any other version then this one.

Very poorly produced DVD. Faded colours and shown at wrong FPS resulting in jerky movement.

DAVID COPPERFIELD è un adattamento televisivo anglo-statunitense prodotto nel 1969 e diretto da Delbert Mann ("Jane Eyre nel castello dei Rochester" - 1970), con un cast di stelle eccezionali che comprendono interpretazioni esemplari da parte di grandi dello schermo come Laurence Olivier, Robin Phillips, Susan Hampshire, Wendy Hiller, Ron Moody, Edith Evans, Sinead Cusack,Anna Massey e Emlyn Williams (autore, tra l'altro, della piece teatrale Il grano è verde). Il romanzo di Dickens é reso in maniera condensata ma fedele in questo film in poco meno di 2 ore e si basa su scene mosse da flashback che riportano e ricoverano i vari avvenimenti della vastissima storia del romanzo originale. Purtroppo, essendo un film caduto nel pubblico dominio, la qualità audio-video non è proprio il massimo, anzi risente molto degli anni e il DVD non comprende il doppiaggio italiano (che invece è passato più volte in Rai fino a un decennio fa...) ma solo l'audio originale inglese e il rispettivo doppiaggio castellano (spagnolo). Da vedere e da avere tra i tanti film dimenticati (purtroppo) degli anni 60-70.

I loved it. All the superb actors from the past. And I never knew Mr Phillips started in a movie. I knew him briefly here in my town. It's a great movie from a different age. And Dickens so much to learn from these movies. How unlike our society now. Things were simpler then

Grandes actuaciones pero no me gustó la estructura narrativa de la película. Cansan los retrocesos en el tiempo y la idea central se aleja de la intención del autor de la obra literaria