As usual with Dickens' novels, films often have a difficult time editing the breadth of story, characters, and plot twists, and "A Tale of Two Cities" is no exception. Concentrating on the main storyline of Darnay and Carton, I miss a...
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As usual with Dickens' novels, films often have a difficult time editing the breadth of story, characters, and plot twists, and "A Tale of Two Cities" is no exception. Concentrating on the main storyline of Darnay and Carton, I miss a lot of the accessory detail of a tale that must portray the complexities of France during the Revolution and also weave in direct and coincidental relationships of British citizens. In this aspect, the movie is only partly successful to me.

Blanche Yurka could have brought a little more subtlety (and quiet menace) to Madame DeFarge though the rest of the cast does a steady job. However it is judged in total, the movie is best-remembered for Ronald Colman's beautifully done Sydney Carton - so convincing that while I never would have thought of him while reading the novel, once I had seen the movie, I can no longer read the last chapter without hearing his voice.

In many ways, I don't think any film has come close to capturing "A Tale of Two Cities" (and the effort is no longer made), still, there is enough here to make a dramatic memory.