Bah! Humbug!

Welcome to Review Three in my series of dissertations on the various and sundry interpretations of Charles Dickens truly incredible novel, A Christmas Carol. I’m a bit out of order here, since I have already reviewed the 1984 and 1999 versions, and am now at last getting to the 1951 version which features Alistair Sims in the title role of Scrooge (which is what this film was actually titled). I had not seen this film in ages; so long in fact that it was like watching it for the very first time once again.

I have a new addition to my annual “must see” film category now, and it is this movie. Considered the best interpretation of Dickens’s novel by many, it is perhaps the most “embellished” version of the three I have watched this Christmas season. It is common for directors to add their own flair to a film, like a virtuoso adding his own cadenza at the end of a classical piece, and this one is no exception. Make no mistake, when a classic novel is translated to the big screen or even the small one, I look for accuracy and faithfulness to the original, but I also like to see the further exploration of characters and situations.

We see plenty of that in this film. Ebenezer and Jacob Marley turning Old Fezziwig out into the street? You’ll see that here, but not in the novel. Marley and Scrooge’s first meeting? A very interesting theory on that momentous encounter is put forth in this film. We see Marley attempt to warn Scrooge of his fate on his deathbed too, and Scrooge’s beloved sister Fan request that Ebenezer take care of her son Fred after (unbeknownst to her) Scrooge had left the room.

Alistair Sim’s portrayal of Scrooge is Excellent. He does a wonderful job of showing us Scrooge the Miser and Scrooge the Reformed. He is particularly endearing at the end of the film when he awakes on Christmas Day and immediately proceeds to scare the Dickens (pun intended) out of his housemaid, she of course assuming him insane. Bob Cratchit (Mervyn Johns)and his wife (Hermione Baddeley)are a bit too well fed in my opinion to suit the role, but they are believable beyond that. I particularly liked Jacob Marley’s ghost (Michael Hordern), the rest of the Spirits were well portrayed if not particularly inspiring.

All in all this is my second favorite interpretation of the novel, coming in slightly ahead of the 1999 version and quite a bit behind the 1984 version. George C. Scott still is the clear winner in the Scrooge portrayal race. Still, this version is a delight, and I highly recommend it. Make it a part of your holiday celebration.