I think they would have done better to teach Jackie Cooper to speak with an English accent. Freddie Bartholomew was a terrible actor. It was almost unbearable to watch him.
"A man's kiss is his signature" -- Mae West
I thought quite the opposite! Freddie Bartholomew's performance was top class and a clear indication of his acting talents. As for Jackie Cooper, undoubtedly a very good actor, but he would have been too old (considerably), by the time of this production.
I thought Freddie Bartholomew was perfect in this role. He was around 11 years old when this was made. Jackie Cooper would have been 13, so he would be too old as someone else pointed out. Besides, can you imagine Jackie with a British accent? Me neither.
shareEach to their own... for me, Freddie Bartholomew was one of the greatest child actors in Hollywood history. He is wonderful in David Copperfield - so much so that, once David grows up and Frank Lawton takes over - the movie loses a lot of its charm.
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