A Christmas Carol

source: A Christmas Carol

Trailer—Scrooge

Scrooge

I am sure Charles Dickens would be more than pleased with the film adaptation of 'A Christmas Carol'. A truly remarkable film that never fails to delight me. There are so many poignant scenes. When for instance Scrooge asks his nephew's wife for forgiveness for being a 'pig headed old fool' it never fails to have me reaching for the nearest tissues. However, the one scene that sticks in my mind is where Scrooge is settling down to eat his bowl of soup in his dressing gown and slippers in front of the fire. The expression on his face on hearing the voice of Jacob Marley, and subsequently dropping his spoon and its contents into his soup bowl, is for me a cinematic treasure.

Some of the "Cockney" phrases and snippets of dialog were a wee bit hard to keep up with (like a foreign language), and some of the actual Dickens' novel is not in this version (but is in the 1938 movie), but all in all this is the best version. Alastair Sim should have won an Oscar for best actor.

This is considered the standard Scrooge movie by which all others are compared to. If it is, then it's all about Alastair Sim's portrayal. The differences in story lines seem insignificant. Some of them do stretch out a bit even though the running length is less than 90 minutes. More than anything, it is Alastair Sim's take on the character as well as his look that becomes a template for the rest. His bulging eyes are unforgettable. I do have one big problem. And that is the colorized version. This is a dark tale, and it probably works better in black and white. The colors used make it look cheap. It's rather distressing, and a waste of time to watch. If you want color, you might as well watch the countless other modern versions.

I think the reason this has endured as everyone's favorite film version of "A Christmas Carol" is, of course, Alastair Sim's amazing performance, but also because it is the least sentimental of all the film treatments. The ghosts aren't pretty young girls or comic figures; Tiny Tim isn't cutesy or twinkling, but rather an unlovely, honestly sweet young boy, and London doesn't look like a Christmas card, but dark and properly harsh. Scrooge's reclamation is hard-won, but when he is reclaimed, Sim's transformation of the character is miraculous -- he actually looks like a different person. The touch I love the most, though, is the old ballad "Barbara Allen" played through the scenes with Fan and Fred -- it never fails to make me tear up. This movie is as much a holiday must-see as "A Christmas Story" and "A Charlie Brown Christmas."

On Christmas Eve in 1840's England, miserly Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by the ghost of his former business partner, Jacob Marley, who warns him to change his ways or be doomed to eternal damnation. The ghosts of Christmases past, present, and future to show him the error of Scrooge's ways and show the people who are able to keep Christmas in their hearts 365 days a year. Easily the best adaptation of the Dickens classic which can be attributed to several reasons. Sim's performance transcends all description of greatness. Hurst's direction evokes the ideal emotions at all the right moments. The rest of the cast remain faithful to the Dickens' characterizations. A perfect film to watch during the holiday season. Rating, 10.

Best version on film of the timeless Dickens story. There are other versions I enjoy as well, and some more so for sentimental reasons. But, objectively, I believe this is the best version on a technical and artistic level. The production is first-rate. The cast is excellent. Especially Alastair Sim, who is perfect casting as Scrooge. He adds little touches to the character that sets his performance apart from the countless other Scrooges. As for the story, well unless you have been living under a rock or weren't raised in an English-speaking country, then you should know the plot to this classic. Miserly Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by three ghosts on Christmas Eve to show him the error of his ways. Obviously I recommend the book because it's a seminal classic. But, as far as film versions go, this is the one everyone should see first.

I have not seen Albert Finney's nor George C. Scott's portrayal of Scrooge, so I cannot say definitively that Alastair Sim 'owns' this role, but I sure have trouble imagining anyone topping him; he is superb, the nitpicking comments of TinMan-5 notwithstanding. This version will always have a special place in my affections, and I am glad to see I'm not alone in holding this opinion.