Performances Distinguish This ‘Copperfield’

Charles Dickens began “David Copperfield” with the now-immortal line: “Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show.”

The conclusion that Dickens and his first-person narrator reached, several hundred pages later, is that while we are responsible for making our own way in the world, we usually don’t succeed without help from others.

In that sense, at least, the world is filled with heroes.

This message of hope resonates through the excellent adaptation of “David Copperfield” that makes its debut Sunday and Monday on cable network TNT, featuring deft performances by Sally Field, Michael Richards and, in the title role, newcomer Hugh Dancy.

As adapted by John Goldsmith and directed by Peter Medak, the two-part movie begins with a stormy confrontation that sends Copperfield, a rising young author, to his desk to begin writing a memoir. As he commits his past to the page, it replays in his mind.

Though he’s fatherless, Copperfield enjoys an idyll of love and security in his early childhood, until evil--thinly disguised as propriety--enters in the form of Mr. Murdstone (Anthony Andrews), a suitor to Copperfield’s mother (Sarah Smart). Soon, young Copperfield is thrust into near-poverty and hardship.

Semiautobiographical of Dickens’ own experiences, “David Copperfield” is a sort of 19th century “Hamlet” in which Copperfield faces his own moments of “to be, or not to be.” All is not doom and gloom, however. Humor, adventure and romance permeate Copperfield’s life, delivered by a delightfully eccentric cast of characters.

As the great-aunt who becomes Copperfield’s protector, Field seems to convey a five-act play’s worth of meaning in each change of expression. Unmarried and embittered, Aunt Betsey wears a permanent pucker of disappointment on her face. Yet around Copperfield, her features turn suddenly soft with tenderness and concern.

Richards’ clowning skills make him a fun choice to play Mr. Micawber. Rich in kindness but lacking in means, this would-be entrepreneur keeps resurfacing in Copperfield’s life just when the younger man could really use some assistance.

On the other end of the niceness scale is steely Jane Murdstone, played by British actress Eileen Atkins as a woman whose lips are perpetually set in a grim, straight line, while menace casually sparkles in her eyes.

As young Copperfield in Part 1, sweet-faced Max Dolbey quickly earns our empathy, while Dancy, who takes over in Part 2, develops the character into a true hero. Longhaired and full-lipped, Dancy possesses an almost fragile beauty, yet he conveys a natural, effortless gallantry that comes across as quite virile and tremendously sexy.

Of necessity, the story has been compressed. Fortunately, the fine performances fill in many details, and Elemer Ragalyi’s cinematography and Michael Pickwoad’s and Joan Bergin’s production and costume designs, respectively, fill in much of the rest.

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Part 1 of “David Copperfield” debuts Sunday at 8 p.m. on TNT with Part 2 airing Monday at 8 p.m. The network has rated it TV-PG (may be unsuitable for younger children).