David Copperfield (1935)

Freddie Bartholomew plays the title character, an orphaned young boy who in Disney princess fashion encounters heroes and villains who guide him toward adulthood. For the most part, the film seems to follow Dickens’s tale and Bartholomew has a well earned reputation for his performances as a child actor. The film slows down in the second half when the character ages and Freddie leaves the story, but it remains an engaging adaptation that kept me interested in seeing the outcomes for the various characters. 

Oscar Nominations: Best Picture; Best Film Editing; Best Assistant Director