A Tale of Two Cities, 1935 (Grade C)

Director: Jack Conway
Awards: Nominated for Academy Awards
Starring: Ronald Coleman; Elizabeth Allan; Edna May Oliver; Reginald Owen; Basil Rathbone; Blanche Yurka; Donald Wood; H B Warner; Mitchell Lewis; Tully Marshall; EE Clive; Robert Warwick; John Davidson

sez says: this is how Hollywood cuts the classics down to size.  They strip out everything but the romance and let go of what makes this a brilliant novel. But then--part of the brilliance is in the romance--and here it is in an easy to consume, whitewashed version.  Coleman and Allan are a bit too "acty" for my taste--I mean overblown, stagey--swoonishly inclined. Or maybe it is just the way the story is told. Plus, I don't remember the actual book placing so much emphasis on Christianity and Resurrection --even the musical background they were often using hymns and Christmas carol tunes .  But even with all of that I still enjoy these old movies --and the bit actors are great --as are the sets and costumes (overdone--but still fun) (Grade C)