The Russian premiere of the film "The Story of David Copperfield" will take place in online cinemas on September 17, 2020. Dev Patel, Tilda Swinton, Hugh Laurie, Ben Whishaw, Peter Capaldi and Gwendoline Christie played the main roles in the film based on the famous novel by Charles Dickens. The film opens the 63rd London Film Festival. Learn about casting, plotting, and filming the stunning comedy The Personal History of David Copperfield.
In detail
The story of David Copperfield begins in a bustling London where everything is mixed: big money, fashion districts and entrepreneurs of all statuses. Having gone the whole way from a restless boy to a popular and recognized writer, David came to everything himself and did crazy things in the name of love. Copperfield has become a living symbol of the era in which you will definitely want to return again and again.
The Story of David Copperfield is a reimagining of the classic saga by Charles Dickens. The filmmakers decided to present the ode to courage and endurance in a comedic light. Dickens' story has been given new life with the help of theater and film actors from all over the world. Thanks to the witty and touching screenplay from Emmy-winning, Oscar-nominated Armando Iannucci (In The Loop, Death of Stalin, HBO's The Vice President) and Simon Blackwell (In The Loop ", HBO series" The Descendants "), the legendary character Dickens once again embarks on a fascinating journey, transforming from a disadvantaged orphan to a successful writer in Victorian England.
Oscar-nominated Dev Patel, Oscar-winning Tilda Swinton, Hugh Laurie, Ben Whishaw, Anairin Barnard, Gwendatin Christie, award winner Oscar ”Peter Capaldi, Morfidd Clarke, Daisy Mae Cooper, Rosalind Elizar, Paul Whitehouse, Anthony Wales and Benedict Wong.
The voice-over team included cameraman Zach Nicholson (Les Miserables), production designer Christina Casali (In The Loop, Death of Stalin), editors Mick Odsley (Murder on the Orient Express) and Peter Lambert, costume designers Susie Harman ( Pokemon Detective Pikachu) and Robert Worley (The Grand Budapest Hotel), makeup artist and makeup artist Karen Hartley-Thomas (Showtime miniseries Patrick Melrose), composer Christopher Willis, and casting director Sarah Crowe.
A new reading of the Dickens classics
Armando Iannucci has long been fond of the work of Charles Dickens. Rereading several years ago the eighth novel of the writer "David Copperfield", which was first published in 1850, the director fired up the idea of a film adaptation.
“I thought I would like to make a film based on this book,” says Iannucci. - The novel seems modern, and all the previous attempts to adapt it on the big screen, which I managed to see, were unnecessarily heavy and serious. The novel is interesting and dramatic, but it was these features of it that worried me the least. "
“The most interesting thing was working on funny scenes, like, for example, David gets drunk for the first time,” says Iannucci. - There are scenes in which humor becomes almost seditious. A good example is when David is hired by a law firm and tries to cope with the awkwardness of walking across creaky floorboards. Or, say, when he falls in love with Dora and sees her face everywhere, even in the clouds. The situations are surprising, but at the same time quite real. I wanted to convey that in the film. "
Director's third feature film, The Story of David Copperfield, is not Iannucci's first approach to Dickens. In 2012, his program Tale of Charles Dickens was released on the BBC. Iannucci not only wrote a script for her, avoiding Victorian stiffness in it, but also played the main role. For several years, the director has successfully shown political intrigue combined with comedy farce, filming the fantastic thriller "In The Loop", as well as the series "Thick of Things" and "Vice President" (HBO). And then Iannucci returned to his co-author Simon Blackwell.
“There's a lot of casualties in the adaptation of David Copperfield,” Blackwell says. - This is one of the funniest and most amusing books that I have ever read. It is quite large, over 600 pages. In an effort to fit it into a film or TV series, filmmakers preferred to sacrifice comedy in favor of the plot. But the novel is really funny! You will never think, "Well, yes, it is understandable why it was funny in the 1850s." The book is funny in itself. "
FilmNation Entertainment volunteered to fund the film, also acting as the main sales agent. Film4 joined the work as a co-sponsor.
Casting perfect characters
Casting the right actors was the first and decisive step on the road to success. It was crucial for Iannucci to select actors regardless of their skin color. In the role of David, he saw no one except the Oscar nominee Deva Patel.
“Dev was the only actor I saw in this role,” says the director. “When he agreed, I breathed a sigh of relief, because I didn't have a backup plan!”
But Patel's casting was only the first milestone on a long journey. Realizing that the task of selecting 50 actors for roles with cues is extremely difficult, Iannucci turned to casting director Sarah Crowe for help. In 2001, they already worked together on The Armando Iannucci Show. Crow's casting for the filming of Iannucci's Death of Stalin won his first BIFA award.
“We're very lucky to have the cast,” Blackwell says of the actors Crowe handpicked to play Dickens' famous novel. - Peter Capaldi as Mr. Micawber, Tilda Swinton as Betsy Trotwood, Hugh Laurie as Mr. Dick. The thought of it makes you smile! It's just an amazing composition! "
Watch the trailer for The David Copperfield Story (2020), featuring a stunning cast and Victorian spirit.
