A Christmas Carol (1951)

"A Christmas Carol" has to be Charles Dickens' most famous work. There are countless versions and parodies, but all of them, this version is probably the best.

It tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge (Alastair Sim), an elderly businessman who has grown cold-hearted and miserly over the years, discarding family and disregarding his employees, especially humble clerk Bob Crachit (Mervyn Johns). On Christmas Eve, Scrooge is visited by a series of ghosts, who seek to change his ways before he has to walk the earth after death, dragging heavy chains like his unlucky partner Jacob Marley (Michael Horndern). The ghosts represent Christmas Past, Present, and Future. Will Scrooge recognize the error of his ways? Will he repent and embrace mankind?

There seems to be a correlation between the
ghosts of Christmas and Scrooge's character. The
Spirit of Christmas Past is kindly, as was
Scrooge in his youth. Christmas Present is more
stern, just as Scrooge has become cruel. And
Christmas Future is as foreboding and bleak as is
Scrooge's future.

Why is this version of the classic better than
its competitors? The script is well adapted, and
the direction is tight, but the film's strength
comes from the cast. Bob Crachit, Tiny Tim, and
Scrooge's pleasant nephew all glow with the
warmth of Christmas spirit. Alastair Sim plays
Scrooge so that you feel sorry for him, rather
than despise him, especially after the spirit of
Christmas Past has shown us that Scrooge has
taken some hard knocks.

This version of "A Christmas Carol" is a
British production, but the accents are not
heavy and I had no trouble following the
dialogue. (86/100)