The Personal History of David Copperfield | Searchlight | August 28, 2020 (limited) | It'll move again

[Eric Ross]

https://deadline.com/2019/08/the-personal-history-of-david-copperfield-fox-searchlight-north-american-rights-deal-toronto-london-film-festival-armando-iannucci-dev-patel-1202701364/

 

Quote

EXCLUSIVE: Fox Searchlight has preemptively acquired North American rights toThe Personal History of David Copperfield, the Armando Iannucci-directed drama that makes its world premiere next month at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 5, to be followed by its European premiere as the opening film of the BFI London Film Festival on October 2.

Iannucci produced with Kevin Loader.

 

It is Iannucci’s third outing as director, after he helmed In The Loop and The Death of Stalin, and also created the celebrated HBO series Veep.  Iannucci adapted the film with frequent collaborator Simon Blackwell from the Charles Dickens classic novel. Dev Patel plays Copperfield, and also starring are Tilda Swinton, Hugh Laurie, Peter Capaldi, Ben Whishaw, Paul Whitehouse, Aneurin Barnard, Daisy May Cooper, Morfydd Clark, Benedict Wong, Gwendoline Christie, Anthony Welsh and Rosalind Eleazar.

 

FSL plans to release the film in 2020. Deal gives Searchlight another strong title as the distributor celebrates its 25th anniversary. It is the fourth FSL film that will premiere in Toronto. The others are the Taika Waititi-directed Jojo Rabbit, the Terrence Malick-directed A Hidden Life, and the Noah Hawley-directed Lucy In The Sky. FSL has coming next year the Benh Zeitlin-directed Wendy, the Scott Cooper-directed Antlers, and the Nat Faxon and Jim Rash-directed Downhill. 

 

The Personal History of David Copperfield follows a good-hearted young man whose rogue spirit carries him through a colorful life of poverty and opulence. A burgeoning young writer’s life is followed from orphaned infancy to adulthood as he befriends a collection of eccentric characters on a journey of love, acceptance and self-discovery in Victorian England.

 

[Avatree]

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Edited August 22, 2019 by Avatree

[TMP]

1 minute ago, Avatree said:

I'm tired of Hollywood white-erasing roles...

 

 

 

 

  Hide contents

If there was a biopic about an Indian man and a white actor was cast, would that be OK in the current climate?

 

Why should it be different when the roles are reversed?

 

 

David Copperfield is a fictional character by Charles Dickens... 

[OncomingStorm93]

Iannucci is one of my favorite writers today. His political satires are the best in the industry. Death of Stalin was my favorite film of 2017. Can’t wait to see him tackle this material.

[Cap]

Oh fuck yes.  

[cannastop]

34 minutes ago, Avatree said:

I'm tired of Hollywood white-erasing roles...

 

 

 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

If there was a biopic about an Indian man and a white actor was cast, would that be OK in the current climate?

 

Why should it be different when the roles are reversed?

 

 

Actually only people of Indian heritage should play white Brits.

Edited August 22, 2019 by cannastop

[Avatree]

53 minutes ago, TMP said:

David Copperfield is a fictional character by Charles Dickens... 

I think i should have read the article...

wrong david copperfield

[TalismanRing]

I'm interested to see how a change of race affects Dickens' character and plot in Victorian England or if they're just going to play it as color/race blind as is often done in theater.

[cannastop]

7 minutes ago, Avatree said:

I think i should have read the article...

wrong david copperfield

 

You could make the claim that David Copperfield the Dickens character is white too, but I don't think it matters.

[TheDarkKnightOfSteel]

1 hour ago, Avatree said:

I think i should have read the article...

wrong david copperfield

Lol made the same mistake and I was like....what?

[Eric Ross]

Well, TIL there's a famous magician who was also named David Copperfield.

[cannastop]

2 minutes ago, Eric! said:

Well, TIL there's a famous magician who was also named David Copperfield.

The magician named himself after the character.

[dudalb]

Ok, who are they going to cast as the Young David, since the first third of the novel is about David as a child?

Tilda Swinton has got to be David's aunt;obvious casting.

But who is Micawbar?

There have been quite a few Film and TV versions of the Dickens novel; back in 2000 there was a BBC miniseries, that had David Radcliff right before Harry Potter as the Young David.

[TalismanRing]

3 hours ago, dudalb said:

Ok, who are they going to cast as the Young David, since the first third of the novel is about David as a child?

Tilda Swinton has got to be David's aunt;obvious casting.

But who is Micawbar?

There have been quite a few Film and TV versions of the Dickens novel; back in 2000 there was a BBC miniseries, that had David Radcliff right before Harry Potter as the Young David.

Capaldi is Micawbar

 

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6439020/

 

Cast  

	Tilda Swinton	...	Betsey Trotwood
	Gwendoline Christie	...	Jane Murdstone
	Ben Whishaw	...	Uriah Heep
	Dev Patel	...	David Copperfield
	Hugh Laurie	...	Mr. Dick
	Aneurin Barnard	...	Steerforth
	Sophie McShera	...	Mrs. Crupp
	Rosalind Eleazar	...	Agnes
	Peter Capaldi	...	Mr. Micawber
	Benedict Wong	...	Mr. Wickfield
	Bronagh Gallagher	...	Mrs. Micawber
	Aimée Kelly	...	Emily
	Ruby Bentall	...	Janet
	Nikki Amuka-Bird	...	Mrs. Steerforth
	Morfydd Clark	...	Dora
	Daisy May Cooper
	Paul Whitehouse
	Anthony Welsh	...	Ham
	Divian Ladwa	...	Dr. Chillip
	Lamissah La-Shontae	...	Homeless Child
	James Eeles	...	Street Sweeper
	Zak Holland	...	Theatre Audience
	Adam Darlington	...	Market Stall Seller
	Israel Ruiz	...	Garden Party Guest
	Aston McAuley	...	Butcher's Boy
	Daniel Fearn	...	Pawnbroker
	Peter Singh	...	Tungay
	Megan Johnston	...	Betty Micawber
	Kevin Nolan	...	Theatre Audience Member
	Lynn Hunter	...	Mrs. Heep
	Morgan Walters	...	Coachman
	Mark Oldridge	...	Army Officer
	Freddie Meredith	...	Grainger
	Robert Jarvis	...	Bailiff
	Jairaj Varsani	...	Young David Copperfield

[Eric Ross]

 

[dudalb]

Christie as Jane Murdstone is perfect casting .

[Eric Ross]

 

[Ipickthiswhiterose]

Don't know when this is out in the States, but just to say that I heartily recommend it.

 

No Spoilers, but a note that this version leans heavily on universal existential themes of growing up and relating to the world around you when you are a person of mild temperament surrounded by and attracted to bigger characters, rather than on the satirical elements of the novel rooted in verisimilitude. Hence the casting of Dev Patel - ethnicity is totally irrelevant since the societal aspects are played down. Patel is terrific throughout, as is the whole cast. 

 

I actually found it incredibly moving, as I suspect anyone of that kind of temperament will do.

[Hatebox]

Another strong recommend here. It's fast-paced, funny, moving, and Patel is a natural star. 

[filmlover]

Delayed.