Freddie Bartholomew credited as playing...
David, the Child
- David Copperfield as a child: But why must I go away, Aunt Betsey? I want to stay with you, and Mr. Dick.
- Aunt Betsy Trotwood: But you have to be educated, David, and take your place in the world. There isn't a finer school in Canterbury than Dr. Strong's. You must make us proud, David. Never be mean in anything. Never be false. Never be cruel. Avoid these three vices, and I can always be hopeful of you.
- Mr. Dick: Do you remember the date that King Charles I had his head cut off?
- David Copperfield as a child: I believe it was in the year 1649.
- Mr. Dick: Well, so the books say, but I don't see how that can be. Because if it was so long ago how could the trouble have got out of his head when it was cut off and into mine?
- David Copperfield as a child: I'm sure I don't know.
- Mr. Murdstone: If I have an obstinate horse or a dog to deal with what do you think I'd do?
- David Copperfield as a child: I don't know.
- Mr. Murdstone: I'd beat him. I'd make him wince and smart. I say to myself, "I'll conquer that fellow". And if it were to cost him all the blood he had, I'd do it.
- Mr. Micawber: [walking downstairs with a cane] Gentlemen, gentlemen, gentlemen! In the aggregate I judge you to be a highly distasteful collection... and a detail cowardly, uncouth, and deserving of merciless chastisement. You will oblige me by removing your unsavory persons from my immediate vicinity: in short, get out!
- [Mr. Micawber chases the workers away from David]
- David Copperfield as a child: Oh, thank you, Mr. Micawber, you're so kind to me.
- Mr. Micawber: Not at all, and now, since this is a red-letter day in that I am hourly expecting something extraordinary to turn up, let us return and discover what culinary triumphs Mrs. Micawber has prepared for us.
- David Copperfield as a child: Ooh, how wonderful!
- Mr. Micawber: Imperative, my dear Copperfield, imperative; for as I have frequently had occasion to observe, when the stomach is empty, the spirits are low.
- Barkis: No sweethearts I believe?
- David Copperfield as a child: What?
- Barkis: No person courting?
- David Copperfield as a child: Oh. No, no.
- Barkis: Ahhh. Well, when you is talking to her private, perhaps you'd tell her that Barkis is willing.
- David Copperfield as a child: That Barkis is willing. Is that all the message?
- Barkis: Well, y... y... yes. Barkis is willing.
- David Copperfield as a child: Very well, Mr Barkis. I'll tell her.
- Mrs. Clara Copperfield: What have you got against Mr Murdstone?
- Nurse Peggotty: [unimpressed at the meer mention of his name] Huh!
- Mrs. Clara Copperfield: Is it to be hinted at that I am lacking in affection for my precious treasure? The dearest little fellow that ever was!
- Nurse Peggotty: Nobody ever went an hinted no such thing.
- Mrs. Clara Copperfield: Am I a naughty mama to you, Davy? Am I a nasty and selfish bad mama? I don't love you at all do I
- David Copperfield as a child: [tearful] Yes you do...
- Nurse Peggotty: [the tearful three embrace] I never meant to hurt you, m'am. I never meant to.
- Mr. Micawber: What is it? Come, little friend, open your heart.
- David Copperfield as a child: It's only... that I shall miss you so very much; at Murdstone & Grinby I feel so alone and desperate, I do indeed. You've been so good to me, you and Mrs. Micawber, and as long as I had such friends, I couldn't despair.
- Mr. Micawber: My little friend, you're like one of our own.
- David Copperfield as a child: [tearfully] But now that you are going and there will be nobody, why I don't know what I shall do, indeed I do not.
- Mr. Micawber: My motto has always been "nil desperandum": in short, never despair.
- David Copperfield as a child: I have an aunt in Dover, I thought perhaps I...
- Mr. Micawber: The very thing, my dear Copperfield; your aunt will welcome you with open arms.
- David Copperfield as a child: She may not want to see me.
- Mr. Micawber: Is not blood thicker than water?
- David Copperfield as a child: But Peggotty told me she's very cantankerous, and perhaps she'd shut me out, and Dover's a long way.
- Mr. Micawber: True, too true; nevertheless, as the Bard says: "Nothing attempted, nothing gained." And should this formidable aunt repulse you, write me a letter. We are friends for life, young Copperfield.
- Mr. Micawber: [sings] We two have run around the braes,
- Mr. Micawber, David Copperfield as a child: And pulled the gowans fine,
- David Copperfield as a child: And...
- [David and Mr. Micawber stop singing]
- Mr. Micawber: Although what gowans are, I'm not exactly aware; however, we'll take a pull at them just the same.
- Nurse Peggotty: Don't be unhappy David.
- David Copperfield as a child: I'll be happy Peggotty. And I'll see you sometimes.
- [as Pegotty kisses David he notices Mr Barkis looking down at him from the cart]
- David Copperfield as a child: Oh, but Peggotty, you haven't given Mr. Barkis his proper answer, you know.
- Nurse Peggotty: Oh, bless the boy. Answer to what?
- Barkis: Barkis is willing.
- Nurse Peggotty: What would you say, darling, if I was to marry Mr. Barkis?
- David Copperfield as a child: I should think it would be a very good thing. Then you would always have the horse and cart to bring you to see me in.
- Nurse Peggotty: Oh, the sense of the boy!
- Mr. Micawber: All that we have is yours, Master Copperfield; our domestic comforts, quiet, the privacy - - call them your own.
- David Copperfield as a child: Thank you, sir.
- Mr. Micawber: Count on us, now and forever.
- David Copperfield as a child: I will, Mr. Micawber.
- Mr. Micawber: Now that you're about to share with us the privileges of our domain, I will make no stranger of you. As man to man, I will confide in you that for years, I have been hounded most unjustly by my creditors; short-sighted fools they are.
- David Copperfield as a child: I'm sorry, sir.
- Mr. Micawber: I grant you that I have already tried the coal trade, the haberdashery trade, and Her Majesty's marines, and found none of these entirely suited to my somewhat special talents, but now-...
- David Copperfield as a child: Yes, Mr. Micawber?
- Mr. Micawber: I am confidently expecting something to turn up.
- David Copperfield as a child: Oh thank you, Mr. Micawber, you're so kind to me.
- Mr. Micawber: Not at all; and now, since this is a red-letter day, in that I am hourly expecting something extarordinary to turn up, let us return and discover what culinary triumphs Mrs. Micawber has prepared for us.
- David Copperfield as a child: Ooh, how wonderful !
- Mr. Micawber: Imperative, my dear Copperfield, imperative; for as I have frequently had occasion to observe: 'When the stomach is empty, the spirits are low.'
- [David and Mr. Micawber go outside to the streets]
- Mr. Micawber: I predict, my dear Copperfield, that we can confidently depend on Mrs. Micawber assembling a tureen of cock-a-leekie soup, veal cutlet - breaded, and a jug of egg-hot.
- David Copperfield as a child: And a pudding?
- Mr. Micawber: A pudding, a suet pudding, the very thing.
- Sheriff's Man: Wilkins Micawber?
- Mr. Micawber: You are under a misapprehension, my good fellow, I...
- Mr. Quinion: Oh no you don't, you're Micawber, all right. You owe me £2.10 for the last year. Officer, do your duty.
- Sheriff's Man: Wilkins Micawber, you're under arrest;
- Mr. Micawber: Upon what authority do you take this unwarrantable procedure?
- Sheriff's Man: Court order for debt; I'm the assistant officer of the sheriff of Middlesex. Now are you coming quietly?
- Mr. Micawber: Copperfield, you perceive before you the shattered fragment of a temple once called Man. The blossom is blighted, the leaf is withered; the god of day goes down upon the dreary scene. In short, I am forever flawed.
- David Copperfield as a child: Our Father, who art in Heaven, Hallowed be they name for bringing me here. And, please, I don't want anyone to take me away. Please, God, please may I have a home now - like Mama and I had once.
- [yawns]
- David Copperfield as a child: And let no boys be homeless. I'm sorry, God, I'm very sleepy, cause I walked such a long, long way...