Scrooge (1951)

How sad is this?

Highly Overrated But Still Good

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

Classic performance by Sim and a well shot, if leisurely paced, stately version that does the tale proud. A Christmas tradition!

This is my favorite Scrooge/A Christmas Carol movie of all. I believe that I have seen them all. Although I would never watch the colorized version of the same.Why do they refuse to make great films like this anymore? I wish that there were Saturday matinees near me, so that I could see some of these bygone pictures up on the big screen! Imagine Alastair Sim on a massive theatre screen in the character of Ebenezer Scrooge! I think that people would flock to see this movie if it were offered today, this week. I would, more than once.If you have the chance to see this movie, please do! Do not deprive yourself of a piece of motion picture history, perfection.Blessings of Christmas to all.

British author, Charles Dickens' novella 'A Christmas Carol', is one of the stories most often made into a film that there is hardly any reason for me to explain the plot, but if you been living in a rock and haven't hear of the story for some reason. Here is your chance! The novel tells a bitter old business man, named Ebenezer Scrooge whom given a chance for redemption when he is haunted by three ghosts on Christmas Eve in Victorian England. This version of the story, can be found in films as early as the silent era with films like 1916's 'The Right', to the Talkie Golden Age of cinema of the late 1930s with 1938's 'A Christmas Carol', and can also be found in the Blockbuster era of the 1980s & 1990s with films such as 1992's The Muppet Christmas Carol; and others. Even recently as 2009's with Disney 'A Christmas Carol'; it has been remade into a film. There is just so many various versions worthy to watch. With all say, I have to agree with most of the critics in saying, that 1951's 'A Christmas Carol' is by far, the best one, so far. While, I wouldn't call it, the most 'merry' version of the novel. There is just something very charming and eerily with this film. It really does match, the dark tone of the novel, so very well. The black and white nightmarish imagery, the haunting Gothic horror like music by Richard Addinsell, the use of large noises, and even the look of the ghosts, were all fine in the way, its portrayal. If anything, can be said, about the movie, it might be a little too grim. I can hardly see, any modern family wanting to put this deeply dark film on Christmas Day, over something, a lot more jollily. Another problem with the film, is how dated, it is. Some of the visuals effects in this film, are indeed laughable to the modern viewer. For the time and the budget, it somewhat works, but let me say, that I have saw, way better effects in films, years earlier when this film was made. So, that isn't much of an excuse, but I can't complain, too much about it. Most of the changes that director Brian Desmond-Hurst & writer, Noel Langley indeed change from the source material were for the better, for the most part. Things like young Ebenezer Scrooge (George Cole) being the cause of his mother's death, and being corrupt by an unscrupulous mentor in the new character, Mr. Jorkin (Jack Warner) made for better character development within the story. It serves to explain how Scrooge transforms from a good-hearted young man into a cold blooded old man now played by Alistair Sim. However, there were some jarring changes, the filmmakers did, created when adapting this source material that wasn't well-deserve. A good example is like cutting the scenes where Ebenezer Scrooge is berating Bob Crachit (Mervyn Johns) for wanting more coal. It's so strange, because toward the end, Scrooge would indeed tell Crachit to run out and buy a new coal. In this version, that request really seem to come out of nowhere. It seems like a bad cut. Other changes, such as giving more scenes to a minor character like Mrs. Dilber (Kathleen Harrison) weren't needed. It felt like time-wasters. For the most part, besides that, the movie is very well-paced; as there was hardly any slow moments. From all the actors, that has portray Scrooge over the years, Alastair Sim is by far, the best actor for the Ebenezer Scrooge role, I ever saw. Alastair Sim really does looks and feels like he came from that time. He really looks so sickly and cold from the holiday. I love the way, his facial expression tells the story, from showing disgust, fear and even a side of stingy. There is hardly any bad scenes with him. I just wish, the supporting cast were the same, as Alastair Sim, but there were no match. I never got the idea that they were truly into the Christmas spirit, themselves with their one-dimensional caricatures. The 19th English slang is so thick with some of them that it's really hard to understand, what certain characters are really saying. The kid actors in the film, are some of the worst. They were written way too Shirley Temple jolly to be, taken seriously. Yes, I know that Tiny Tim (Glyn Dearman) supposed to be, cheerful, but at least, make his character, seem a little worn down. The actor didn't even show, any sign of sickness. The worst acting in this film had to be Michael Hordern as Jacob Marley, who portray his character like an over-the-top cartoony Shakespearean actor. My God, was his ghost scene, somewhat laughable. I like how Michael Hordern got better, toward the end, but gees… that scene in the beginning, ruin it for me. If anything, I did like the supporting actors that portray, Bob Cratchit (Mervyn Johns) & Young Ebenezer Scrooge (George Cole) & Mr. Fezziwig (Roddy Hughes). They were all well-acted. Although this film is widely regarded as the best film version of Charles Dickens' story, I have to say, don't watch the colorized version of this film. First off, it has an introduction and closing segments filmed by actor Patrick Macnee that wasn't really needed, since it doesn't help push the movie plot, but second off, a lot of the nightmarish scenes filmed in black and white, lose its flavor, due to the lack of shadows. Overall: The original black and white film is the best rendition of timeless classic. A must-watch for anybody, looking for the true meaning of Christmas.

Alastair Sims carries this 1951 version of "A Christmas Carol" without a doubt. The inimitable Sims, with the perfect physical appearance of larger than life eyes, makes the most convincing, ebullient, overly ecstatic Scrooge of any. That is, after he "sees the light" through his visits from the three spirits of Christmas. As the miserly, hard and cold Ebenezer Scrooge in the beginning, he is good, but not better than those in other films. But, Sim's interpretation of the character has a nuance that I think is very good. He soon is quick to plead with the spirits to escape what he is seeing and to change. So, when he changes, we see the greater joy he imbues. This 1951 version of the Dickens classic is one of the very best. It is a favorite of mine, along with the 1938 film with Reginald Owen in the lead role. This version is 86 minutes long and gives more details of the times with each ghost. I don't think the main supporting cast can match that of the 1938 film. It would have been something to see that cast of Bob Cratchit, Fred, Tiny Tim and Marley's ghost do this film with Sim. The whole film would take on more life. But as it is, the supporting cast here are all OK. This film also gives considerable attention to Scrooge's past love, and it gives him a glimpse of that lost love in the future. We see the Scrooge as a young man with his fiancé, Alice (played by Rona Anderson). After his logical talk about trying to better himself in the world, Alice says, "Another idol has replaced me in your heart. A golden idol." Then Scrooge sees her later caring for sick people. Other scenes show the joyful time he had at Fezziwig's party and with friends. These past events especially are fleshed out much more in this film, and that adds weight to the loss that Scrooge has suffered by his choices in life. All the more fuel to fire his heart when he has a conversion. I have five films of the Dickens story. My two favorite are the 1938 and this 1951. I also like the 1970 musical with Albert Finney. And the new films with George C. Scott and Patrick Stewart are fine. But these two old films have the feel and the scenery that looks for real for mid-19th century England as well. For people who can't stand black and white, the newer versions in color are still very goods renditions of the story. Not excellent, but very good. One other excellent film in color is the 1970 musical rendition. It stars Albert Finney and other top British actors.