A TALE OF TWO CITIES

US, 1935,121 minutes, Black and white.
Ronald Colman, Elizabeth Allan, Basil Rathbone, Edna May Oliver, Blanche Yurka, Reginald Owen, Donald Woods, H. B. Warner.
Directed by Jack Conway.

A Tale of Two Cities is considered something of a movie classic. Made in the mid-30s, it had a very lavish MGM budget. The black and white photography is striking - although some of the sets for 1789 France are not as good as would be found in later versions.

Ronald Colman brings a strong dignity to the role of Sidney Carton, especially the final scene at the guillotine. Elizabeth Allen is Lucy Manette. Edna May Oliver brings her starchy presence to Miss Pross. The villains are always very striking and Blanche Yurka is Madam Defarge and Basil Rathbone as the Marquise Everemonde (to be played by Christopher Lee in the 1950s version). Dirk Bogarde starred in the 1950s version and there was a version in the 70s made for television starring Chris Sarandon.

Once again it shows how striking Dickens' stories can be for the screen, how dramatic, full of character, full of drama and a constant appeal for audiences.

1. The classic status of this film? Hollywood production values of the '30s? M.G.M. budget, production gloss? The filming of Dickens' work and making it available for wide audiences?

2. The quality of the adaptation and dramatisation? The spirit of Dickens' novel? Dramatising the main elements of plot, highlighting the central characters? The main themes? Drama and excitement, romance and sentiment, a sense of history? Human nature, self-sacrifice? The perennial appeal of this novel of Dickens?

3. M.G.M. production values, black and white photography, the re-creation of the 18th. century in England and France? The score and the echoes of classical music? The high quality cast? The echoes of silent films with the variety of captions? The special effects and the staging of the French Revolution?

4. The focus of the title on Paris and London? The difference between England and France? Styles of life, of government, of oppression, democracy? The importance of the American references and the American Revolution? The credibility of the French Revolution - the taking of sides? The famous opening of the novel about the best and worst of times and the way this introduced the film?

5. The initial atmosphere of the film: the dark English roads, the coach and its being bogged, messages, codes, imprisonment, intrigue? The introduction to the Marquis and the French Revolution in the offing with the death of the boy in the Paris streets and his disregard? The Defarges and their representing the Revolutionary spirit? The Doctor Manet story and the tale of two cities?

6. Dr. Manet and his story, the drama of his release and rescue? His being taken to England? Lucy and her presence in France and her knowing the Defarges? The beginnings of later ironies? The irony of Darnay and his clash with his uncle, his leaving France, his siding with the Revolution, his encounter with Lucy? The trip to England? The betrayal and the spies? His being tried? Acquitted? His marrying Lucy and revealing his identity to Dr. Manet? The later news of his identity and its tragic consequences? His going back to France to help his friends? Dr. Manet testifying for him? His failing and his mental collapse? The vicious circle of Dr. Manet being released from the Bastille and being trapped by his friends the Defarges in their vengeance?

7. Lucy as heroine - the news of her father, going to France, falling in love with Charles on the trip, his trial and acquittal? Her friendship with Sidney Carton and his falling in love with her? Her reliance on him? The marriage, her child? The happiness in England and the grief of the Revolution? Her going to France to save her husband? The importance of the escape? Sidney Carton’s letter to her from prison? An attractive, if conventional, heroine?)

8. Charles Darnay and his background, his tutor, his anger at his uncle, his knowledge of the American Revolution and application of it to the French situation, his arrest and trial, friendship with Dr. Manet and honesty with him, love for Lucy, their life in England? The appeal of his tutor, his return to France, the imprisonment? His escape? The final encounter with Sidney Carton and his being rescued? A hero - Carton’s laying down his life for him and for Lucy?

9. Ronald Colman and his presence as Sidney Carton? The introduction to him in the office, his cynical attitudes, his drinking, his supplying all the information to Stryver? His contacts especially with Gerry? The encounter with Bassadd and their drinking together, his leading him on and finding the truth, his appearance in the court and hold over Bassadd? His drinking with Charles but clashing with him? His love for Lucy e.g. the Christmas visit, his not going to the wedding? His visiting Lucy prior to Charles' return to France? His decision to go to France? His plans especially with Bassadd? His getting himself into the Bastille? The rescue of Charles? His final night, the letter? His friendship with Jarvis Lawrie? Lawrie's allowing him to go to death? The encounter with the seamstress and helping her in her death? The final words spoken over the execution scene? His life, its potential, his drifting and drinking, his legal work, friendship with Charles, love for Lucy, his nobility, death? Christ-figure - laying down life for friend?

10. Edna May Oliver and her British style as Miss Pross? Her place in the household, love for Lucy, bossing people around? Her help in the final escape from France? The build-up to her clash with Madame Defarge, the fight and Madame Defarge's death?

11. The way of life in England: the initial coach scene, Gerry Cruncher and his wife and her prayers, his son? The bank, home life, the lengthy trial scene and the attitude of the judge, the Christmas sequence, the aristocrats escaping from France and trying to have their possessions at the bank? The contrast with the English monarchy and democracy with the aristocracy in France and the Revolution?

12. France prior to the Revolution - the cruelty of the Marquis at home, his wealth, oppression, taxes, disregard for people's death, the child in the street? The murder and the poetic justice? The incentive for a revolution? The poverty of the populace in the Paris streets? Life at the Defarges'? The Jacobins and the spies? Madame Defarge and her control, her husband, the old crone? The build-up to the siege of the Bastille - the spectacle of the Revolution itself, the draw of the soldiers taking sides, the court cases and the frenzy of the crowd, the impossibility of appeal to fair-mindedness and justice? The guillotine sequences? Madame Defarge and her vindictiveness against the family, no matter who? Antagonism towards Charles? Her discovery of his child and wanting to kill her? Her not listening to the appeal of Dr. Manet? Her explanation for the past and her hatred for the Marquis? The build-up to the trial of Charles, the witnesses, especially Dr. Manet and then his collapse? Her clash with Miss Pross and the fight to the death? The irony of her missing Sidney Carton’s death? The characterisations of the French?

13. Bassadd as villain - on the way to England, at the trial and his righteousness, Sidney Carton tricking him, his back-tracking, going to France and spying, the irony of his helping Carton to change places in the Bastille?

14. The build-up to the climax, audiences' emotional involvement with Carton in his final night? His help of the seamstress? The cross-cutting to the escape? The finale?

15. The film as classical Hollywood entertainment? The dramatisation of the classic? The basic themes of history, of adventure and romance, self-sacrifice?