Grumpy wealthy man is visited by three spirits and becomes a philanthropist.
Review:
One of Dickens less superfluous pieces of writing. A classic story worth reading under the Christmas tree, unfortunately the language used makes it less accessible than it once was as it requires more than a grade 9 education to read (which is a wonderful thing in my opinion). The descriptions of everything as still long winded but the plot plays out much more quickly than in other Dickens classics making this the one story of his that I will recommend everyone read for a taste of the Victorian Era.
9/10
8/10
Notable Quotes:
"Bah," said Scrooge, "Humbug."
If you enjoyed this (because you like Victorian Era story telling) you should read:
Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
Kim - Rudyard Kipling
Treasure Island - Robert Louis Stevenson
ps. I think the Muppet Christmas Carol is the best - followed closely by the one with Mickey Mouse and Goofy
Both fine choices for a favorite movie adaptation. As something of an epic grand-master, please allow me to give the rundown.
ReplyDeleteIn the 1930's we saw Seymour Hicks and Reginald Owen play Scrooge (1935 and 38, respectively). We saw drastically improved ghosts, and pacing, as well as the realization the director came to that you can't have the same guy play Scrooge as an old, miserly bastard and a young, miserly bastard (They had a 64 year-old Hicks playing young Scrooge).
When you watch Owen against the 1984 version with George C. Scott, you really come to appreciate how you can't have Scrooge as too stubborn (Scott) or too willing to completely surrender to the spirits (Reginald Owen pretty much surrenders when the Ghost of the Present shows him something shiny). You also learn in 1984 that it's important for Bob Cratchit to be likable. David Warner's performance... well.. reminds me of John Kerry more than anything else.
I'm tactfully avoiding the 1951 and 1999 versions, because I haven't seen the '99 one in a while, and everyone knows '51 is the GOAT* anyway.
*Greatest Of All Time
Also, I forgot to mention, the best of's:
ReplyDeleteBest Scrooge is clearly Alistair Sim, durr.
Best Ghost of the Present is obviously 1984; he's malicious and intimidating, yet fun and lovable. His wry grin is the thinnest veil over his contempt for Scrooge, which is all the more obvious as he yells and gets in Ebeneezer's grill. Don't ask me why this one is my fav....
Best Bob Cratchit - as we said before, it is super important that he's likable. I think my pick actually might be Gene Lockhart, from 1938. he's kind of awkward and there's nothing subtle in the performance, but it works for me. Kermit is a VERY close second though.
My gripe with pretty much every version is Tiny Tim. He doesn't have the most screen time but he's an important part to be played, yet they always seem to cast a kid who either can't act or gives me the creeps. Or both. And that they always get him to sing doesn't help matters, ever.
I'd like to see this one remade a whole bunch more times, because let's face it, if Liam Neeson, Ian Mckellan, Jack Nicholson, and Nicholas Cage never get their chances to play Scrooge, I, for one, will never be satisfied.