Evening star., 1935-02-09


have missed Hollywood triumph
For, not since the inception OF the
motion pitcure and that means away
before sound, Theda Bara, Mary Miles
Minter, William Farnum, even the
Mack Sennett bathing beauties has
there been anything to equal this
screen adaptation of a great novel, so
far as sympathy and clear understand
ing are concerned. Granted that many
of its episodes have been Shuttled
into inSignificance; granted that whole
blocks of characters have been put
aside; granted that the first part is
better than the last the film is still
a faithful and moving summary of
ly the whole world should see not only
for its sake, but for the sake of good
old Mr. Dickens.
Mr.. Dickens proves in this (as he
did not prove in Great EXpecta-
tions'D that he can write for the
movies While this may sound as
flip sort of a way to speak of great
master, it is nevertheless true that
even today'S Shakespeare may not
have the special kind of technique
required by the cinema. The ability
to create a plot or a series of char
acterS is not sufficient. There must
be that added something which
prompted Hugh Walpole to change his
mind and to admit that screen writing
is an art in itself.
1t is probably due to Mr. Walpoles
mounting interest in the movies that
David Copperfield" turned out as we'll
as it did. As a vice president of the
Dickens Society in London, Mr..
Walpole was hidden into the cinema
game, net without compunctions, to
see that Dickens favorite brain child
was treated with proper reverence.
When he first went to Hollywood he
could think of little else except that
he must be sure to leave within a
fortnight in order to get back to
certain cricket match.
AS David Copperfield" progressed
In the M-G-M studios, Mr.. Walpole
became less addicted to his afternoon
fruit. tea and scones, less anxious to
return to his cricket match. and all
at once had become so wrapped up in
the business of the motion picture that
he became willing. even delighted, not
only to write for it, but to act in it.
Thus it is that you will see Mr..
Walpole high up in a church pulpit,
ringing out a Sabbath sermon. while
young Master Copperfeld, hiding be-
hind the door of his pew sits by Mrs.
Copperfield's elizabeth Allen) side
and glares at the stern and handsome
of hIr
Rathbone). Thus it is that a master
writer of yesterday becomes a master
writer of today-and Mr.. Dickens
takes his place along with those
cinema immortals, such as Walt
Disney and S. S. Van Dyne.
ONE Of the most valuable friends
that Dickens has ever had. or
probably ever will have, is young
Freddie Bartholomew, aged 10l2, a
boy from London, who is once and
for all the perfect Copperfield. His
performance during the first half of
this picture is such that even the
sternest Dickensians will have
trouble picking it to pieces. His
diction is faultless, his appearance
In complete accord with the pictures
that have been handed down to US.
and his sensitive way of playing the
role put him Immediately at the head
of the list of those increasingly popu-
lar child actors, some of whom are
good, but most of whom are awful.
Master BartholomeW'S gentle rebel
lion throughout the first part of the
film, his stubborn little resistance to
the apparently remorseless fangs of
fate, his lonely fight into youth and
manhood, his evening prayer and his
all devotion to Pegotty, make the
early chapters of this "Copperfield"
hundred fold more moving than you
had any conception that they could be.
When he was beaten by Mr.. Murd-
stone yesterday at one of the early
performances, a child'S voice in the
audience was heard crying out in ter
rible sympathy to his woes. Such
tribute from one of his peers comes
as a signally compelling tribute to
young Master NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
career from now on will be watched
by all not only with interest but with
loving KINDNESS.
x X X
A RUMOR has sprung up from some
unfortunate source that w. c.
Fields as Mr.. Micawber spends his
time juggling things in the air and
behaving himself as he used to on
the musical comedy stage. This is so
far from the truth that whoever said
it we hope will Immediately be made
to see the error of his ways and be
juggled back into a sound mind. But
for the fact that in one brief in
stance Fields is seen throwing some
thing over his left shoulder, and at
another allows his hat to be knocked
off his head, he is as faithful to
Micawber as any one possibly could
be.
His Micawber, in fact, is one of the
Joys of the picture-as is Edna May
Oliver as Aunt Betsy Trottwood in
her owlish bonnet, saillike skirts,
her horror of donkeys and her devo-
tion to Mr.. Dick Gennox Pawle).
Others who contribute to this amaZ-
ing parade of characters include the
usually drole Mr.. Roland Young as
the popular but dreadful Uriah Heep;