Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2020: Hugh Laurie & Ben Whishaw in The Personal History of David Copperfield

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Hugh Laurie did not receive an Oscar nomination, despite winning BIFA, for portraying Mr. Dick in The Personal History of David Copperfield. 

This adaptation of David Copperfield stands out as adaptations of the stories go with its color blind casting, vibrant costumes and production design and its general tone which skews far more comic and whimsical than most adaptations. This seems to allow for a bit more focus upon a character who is most frequently ignored, or at least reduced, that being Mr. Dick, David Copperfield(Dev Patel)'s Aunt(Tilda Swinton)'s cousin, which must be some kind of Dark Helmet like relation to David, but I digress. Mr. Dick is a classic Dickens eccentric, which this adaptation does the opposite of temper, giving the chance for Hugh Laurie, who came up as a comic actor, to return to his roots. To say Dick is eccentric though seems a little of an understatement as a man perpetually obsessed with the long dead King Charles I. The success of this character, though the scenario itself is enjoyable, is almost entirely within Laurie's impeccable comic ability. This is as he represents a kind of daffy that is most impressive, and more importantly most hilarious. This in Laurie's asking about Charles is always with this sort of pent up frustration but most importantly lack of hesitation. For him it is the most sane possible thing to ask. When asked about this obsession, Laurie is hilarious in speaking with such actual kind of seriousness about how Charles bothers him while he cannot focus on any actual work. Laurie being extremely funny by speaking about this Charles situation with a strict kind of conviction about it. Laurie speaking as man suffering a most horrible affliction, made funny by how bizarre it is, but also just the way Laurie does it. 

 

When David attempts to offer some understanding, Laurie is actually funny in presenting that even to Mr. Dick that someone believing in his condition as normal is a little strange to him. Laurie's whole manner here is impressive just in how his reactions within a given scene have this wonderfully atypical quality, that are gems in themselves. The moment where David helps Mr. Dick by having him fly a kite of King Charles to get the thoughts away from him, Laurie is amazing in the moment in showing the alleviation of the thoughts. His voice raises to a man no longer weighed as he suddenly speaks with such fluency and even greater excitement. His physical manner showing a man who seems to finally be able to fully be himself and rid of his most peculiar demons. Laurie's performance in this moment a kind of perfection this as he captures the comic nature of such an absurd treatment, but he also makes it genuinely inspiring in its own way by showing so clearly the man's relief and abilities from the treatment. Now as short as his arc seemingly is, as he gets this treatment very quickly, Laurie is hardly done, not even close, and it is the greatest choice of this adaptation to keep Mr. Dick around, thanks to Laurie. This as he becomes kind of this one liner king and every bit of his is pure joy. A moment where he comes in and so earnestly asks if his head is still attached is hilarious as Laurie says it so straight, without a sense that it would seem strange to anyone. Every appearance by Dick is an unquestioned joy thanks to Hugh Laurie, who simply just is on point to deliver whatever comedy he can. Even at a party where Mr. Dick is looking around for a good kite flying spot, his eyes darting around every where steal the moment without trying seemingly. Later stealing the whole sequence in his impeccable daffy delivery of "I don't who that is" about David's new interest, that is just perfection. 

 

Laurie simply brightens every moment by his mere presence as every line he says is hilarious every reaction of his matching the same. Every bit he gets, he does not fail, in fact he never can be tripped up. I love for example his adrift yet comically still troubled delivery when contemplating financial ruin, amplified by his curious, yet natural to his performance as Dick, way of putting food in his pockets as some immediate reaction for the notion of survival. Now I won't go over every bit of Laurie's, though tempted, because every one is the same story. This being comic genius. This as Laurie knows exactly two to accentuate the character's eccentricities, and uses every facet of himself to do so. Take it when Mr. Dick pays David's now destitute Aunt in worthless things from his pocket. Laurie maximizing the comedy here by seriously speaking the moment with a sincere expression, of Mr. Dick doing some complete nonsense. I do have to mention as well, the classic Dickens confrontation scene, which Laurie is highlight of. This is where Mr. Dick is cut as to the expert to note some forgery, and his overly simple delivery of seemingly random "swans" couldn't be better, however articulated all the greater by his blink then switching gears when prompted to explain the swans denote a forged signature. Really even this could theoretical be some bit of exposition, made great comedy by Laurie's always pitch perfect delivery. I simply can't praise this performance enough, because every second of it is worthy so. Every instance of screentime Laurie offers something to, in his work that isn't showboating, so much as tide rising, as his mere presence makes every moment of the film more joyous. 

Ben Whishaw did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Uriah Heap in The Personal History of David Copperfield. 

The character of Uriah Heap I'll actually say probably is the most ideal for this version, this as this character is ALWAYS portrayed in a broad fashion. Ben Whishaw's performance, just in a general sense, is much more aligned with the tone of this film than his predecessors in the part were with their versions which in general were more low key and largely serious. I for one thoroughly enjoy Whishaw's take which goes into that broad approach, though here by playing the part almost as a literal vulture. This from his mopped hair, to his dark clothing, and his walk where he is always hunched over with his head sticking out. I love the way Whishaw just interacts with every other cast member as this basic invasion of personal space. This as he's always leaning far too close towards every that he speaks as though he is ready to peck them, not on the lips, rather trying to take out an eye or something. I particularly enjoy this from Whishaw, that terrific actor who is typically better known for his more dramatic roles as generally rather meek men. As Heap, Whishaw gets to go big for once just really letting loose, and I for one am all for it. Whishaw creeps around everyone of his scenes with his accent and his smile. Whishaw being entertaining by playing up just how creepy Heap is, and how obvious in his sycophancy. Whishaw though does project an act, a meager one, of Heap attempting some minor courtesy of the vulture as he speaks with a more stilted delivery and this kind of phony smile, in that Whishaw makes it as though Heap struggles to even maintain it for the duration of his so called ruse. This against when Heap is more obviously making his attempts at strides, usually through the most underhanded of means, it is with a someone even more off-putting delivery and smile that isn't trying to be amiable, but rather is wholly sinister. The difference only being as he doesn't hid his reprehensible nature under the smallest bit of a phony facade. As is the case always for Heap, he is supposed to be an obvious villain who skids by only through obvious exploitation. Whishaw plays into this by being this vulture in each of his scenes as he basically is sniffing corpses of opportunity, by only taking the most negative methods towards advancement, while enjoying it with just a devious sneer. This is a comic performance, as Whishaw plays even more into just how obvious Heap is as this parasite, and finds an entertaining path that is fitting within this film's tone. Although again, Heap is always an obvious parasite, Whishaw just makes him a more enjoyable one than usual.

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