A year before he played his first Quidditch match as Harry Potter, Daniel Radcliffe cast his spell on audiences as young David Copperfield in this stellar British miniseries based on Charles Dickens' classic novel. Vastly superior to the 2000 American-made miniseries (which gave us Michael "Kramer" Richards as Micawber), this impeccable production, originally broadcast on Masterpiece Theatre, boasts a distinguished cast that includes Oscar-winner Maggie Smith (Radcliffe's eventual Harry Potter costar) as the indomitable Aunt Betsey, Oscar-nominee Ian McKellen as sadistic teacher Mr. Creakle, a wonderful Bob Hoskins as the irrepressible debt-ridden Micawber, Trevor Eve as David's loathsome stepfather Mr. Murdstone (he believes in "firmness" with a vengeance), and Nicholas Lyndhurst as the scheming clerk Uriah Heep. Holding his own with this formidable ensemble is Ciarán McMenamin as the adult David, whose soap opera existence spans an idyll-shattered childhood, unscrupulous villains, and a hard-won happily-ever-after. Rich with incident and populated by some of literature's most memorable characters, this production does full justice to one of Dickens' most beloved and oft-told sagas. Although essentially extra-less, this sure to be popular disc is highly recommended. (K. Lee Benson)
David Copperfield
WGBH, 210 min., not rated, DVD: $19.95 Volume 17, Issue 6
David Copperfield
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: