In the beginning of A Tale of Two Cities, Dr. Alexander Manette is a prisoner in
the Bastille. This was in 1767. From this point it jumps to 1775. At this time
Mr. Jarvis Lorry, good friend and banker of Manette, and Lucy Manette, daughter
of Manette, are on their way to Paris. In Paris, they stop at the tavern owned
by Madame Defarge. There they meet Madame and Monsignor Defarge. Monsignor
Defarge took care of Dr. Manette after he was released from the Bastille. He
takes Mr. Lorry and Lucy upstairs to where Dr. Manette was staying. Lucy meets
her father for the first time. Dr. Manette is very disoriented from being
imprisoned so long. The movie then jumps to 1780 in a London courtroom. In the
courtroom Charles Darney is being tried for treason. Darney protected Manette on
the ship back to London and now looks after Manette. Lucy is called to the stand
and questioned. Then Barstad is called to the stand. Barstad is a mercenary who
is trying to frame Darney. Darney's lawyer asks his counterpart, Sydney Carton,
to stand up and take his wig off. Darney is found not guilty because Carton
bears a striking resemblance to Darney. After the trial Darney and Carton meet
in a tavern. Carton is extremely rude. It seems that Carton is jealous of Darney
and Lucy. Meanwhile, back in Paris the Marquis Ste. Evermonde's carriage runs
over and kills a young boy named Jacques. The Marquis Ste. Evermonde is Charles
Darney's uncle, but Charles denounces him because of his evil methods. Later on
that night, Gaspard, Jacques' father seeks revenge by climbing the wall and
murdering the Marquis Ste. Evermonde. Later on in the movie, Gaspard is
beheaded. Back in England, Darney tells Dr. Manette that he wants to marry Lucy.
It seems that Carton is becoming more and more jealous. It appears that Barstad
is dead. The buried a coffin in which people said he is in, but when Jerry
Cruncher went grave-robbing to his coffin, all he found were rocks. Darney and
Carton then go to the tavern. Barstad arrives in France and meets with Madame
and Monsignor Defarge. Carton meets with Lucy Manette and seems to be plotting
something. Carton talks with Darney about visiting him and Lucy whenever he
wants to. Darney and Lucy get married. After the marriage, Dr. Manette has
flashbacks for nine days of when he was in prison. Back in France it appears
that there is going to be a Revolution. The French are revolting. First they
throw the governor off of the wall, then Madame Defarge beheads him. They search
105 North Tower, which was Dr. Manette's cell. Carton says of France that it was
the best of times, it was the worst of times. Darney goes back to France and is
imprisoned because he left the country and was an aristocrat. Dr. Manette hears
about this and comes to rescue Darney. Soon after, Lucy, their child, and Jarvis
Lorry go to Paris. Dr. Manette tells Lucy that Charles is summoned for trial the
next day. At the trial, Dr. Manette defends Darney. Darney is freed by the
tribunal. French citizens are not happy. Madame Defarge wants every last Ste.
Evermonde dead. The citizens go after Darney and bring him to another trial.
This time Darney is found guilty because of letters Dr. Manette wrote while
imprisoned. These letters said that he wanted every Ste. Evermonde killed.
Darney is denounced by Madame Defarge. After the trial, Madame Defarge goes back
to where Lucy and her maid, Miss Pross were staying. Miss Pross and Madame
Defarge get into a scuffle. Miss Pross accidentally shoots Madame Defarge. On
the day when Darney is scheduled to be beheaded, Carton comes to visit Darney.
Then Carton drugs Darney and Barstad drags Darney to the carriage. In one
carriage was Dr.Manette and Lucy. In the other were Mr.Lorry and Miss Pross.
When Darney reaches the carriage, Lucy remembers when Carton told her that he
would do anything for her or for her love.Carton pretends he is Darney and ends
up giving his life for Lucy. I have mixed feelings on this movie. I did not like
the fact that it jumped around from city to city and year to year. I had trouble
understanding the first half of the movie. But then, once I realized what was
going on, I started to be more content with the film. I liked the movie because
it shows how people can completely change. For example, Carton hated Darney in
the beginning and then he ended up giving his life for him. From this movie, I
have learned that my family, the middle class, would have been much poorer back
then based on the standards at that time. I have also learned that the people
back then were much less civilized. Their form of entertainment was to watch a
beheading. That's sick! Life back then must have been harsh.