David Copperfield (1974 TV serial)
{{Short description|British TV serial (1974–1975)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2016}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:David Copperfield (1974 TV serial)}}
File:David_Copperfield_(1974_TV_serial).jpg
David Copperfield is a British six-part television serial of the 1850 novel by Charles Dickens adapted by Hugh Whitemore, directed by Joan Craft and first shown on BBC 1 in weekly parts from 1 December 1974 to 5 January 1975.{{Cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/bc781e7a84a44bb7b6cd60bc9371923a|title=David Copperfield|date=1 December 1974|issue=2664|pages=35|via=BBC Genome}} It was a co-production with Time-Life Television Productions.{{Cite web|url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b7e18aeae|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190505124140/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b7e18aeae|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 May 2019|title=David Copperfield Part 6 (1975)|website=BFI}} It is the earliest BBC adaptation to exist in its entirety. The 1956 adaptation is completely lost, whilst only four of the 1966 adaptation's episodes are known to exist.
Cast
- Jonathan Kahn as David Copperfield (child)
- David Yelland as David Copperfield (adult)
- Martin Jarvis as Uriah Heep
- Arthur Lowe as Wilkins Micawber.
- David Troughton as Ham Peggotty
- Ian Hogg as Dan Peggotty
- Timothy Bateson as Mr. Dick
- Patience Collier as Betsey Trotwood
- Anthony Andrews as Steerforth
- Patricia Routledge as Mrs. Micawber
- Pat Keen as Peggotty
Critical reception
This version was generally well received.{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmovie.com/movie/david-copperfield-v272157|title=David Copperfield (1974) - Joan Craft | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie|via=www.allmovie.com}} In Clive James review for The Observer he wrote: "David Copperfield is as good as everybody says. Steerforth's flaw is well conveyed by Anthony Andrews, and Uriah Heep, played by Martin Jarvis, is a miracle of unction: to hear him talk is like stepping on a toad long dead. But Arthur Lowe's Micawber is better than anything. He follows W. C. Fields in certain respects, but is graciously spoken; and his gestures are as delicate as Oliver Hardy's. Not that his performance is eclectic - it is a subtle unity like everything he attempts."Clive James Visions Before Midnight, p.112. Fields played Micawber in the 1935 film version.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb title|0210636|David Copperfield}}
- {{BBC programme}}
{{David Copperfield}}
Category:BBC television dramas
Category:1974 British television series debuts