Tale of Two Cities, A (1958, Dirk Bogarde, Ian Bannen)

Based on the Dickens French Revolution set novel A Tale of Two Cities sees British barrister Sydney Carton living an insubstantial and unhappy life. He falls under the spell of Lucie Manette, but Lucie marries Charles Darnay.

When Darnay goes to Paris to rescue an imprisoned family retainer, he becomes entangled in the snares of the brutal French Revolution and is himself jailed and condemned to the guillotine. But Sydney Carton, in love with a woman he cannot have, comes up with a daring plan to save her husband.

This is the fifth filmed version of Charles Dickens’s classic novel. Three silent versions were produced in 1911, 1917 and 1922. In 1935 MGM made a far, far better version than there had ever been before that starred Ronald Coleman.

production details
UK | 115 minutes | 1958

Novel: Charles Dickens
Director: Ralph Thomas
Producer: Betty E. Box
Director of Photography: Ernest Steward
Editor: Alfred Roome
Composer: Richard Addinsell
Screenwriter: T. E. B. Clarke
Art Director: Carmen Dillon

cast
Dirk Bogarde as Sydney Carton
Ernest Clark as Stryver
Christopher Lee as Marquis St. Evremonde
Stephen Murray as Dr. Manette
Ian Bannen as Gabelle
Duncan Lamont as Ernest Defargue
Freda Jackson as Vengeance
Alfie Bass as Jerry Cruncher
Cecil Parker as Jarvis Lorry
Alan Tilvern as Grave Robber
Athene Seyler as Miss Pross
Dorothy Tutin as Lucie Manette
Paul Guers as Charles Darnay
Marie Versini as Marie Gabelle
Sacha Pitoëff as Gaspard
Donald Pleasence as Barsad
Leo McKern as Old Bailey
Eric Pohlmann as Sawyer
Rosalie Crutchley as Madame Defargue
Yves Brainville as Foulon