Scrooge

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. In my view, this is the definitive film version of this venerable and beloved tale.

If I could take only ten movies to a desert island, this would be one of them. This movie captures all the things that "A Christmas Carol" is supposed to be. Watching Alastair Sim interpret the role of Scrooge and then looking at other actors, I see his incredible facial expressions, the loss of soul that haunts him, the vulnerability (yes, I mean it; he is actually pitiable at times), the loss of love from his once betrothed, and the terrible loneliness suffered at the hands of a vengeful father and the loss of his kind and loving sister, Fan. Then there are the wonderful images and the haunting music. The excellent supporting cast. Mervyn Johns is an excellent Cratchett, multi-dimensional and fun loving. Michael Horden as Jacob Marley (definitely the best performance as the ghost). Scrooge is shown to be calculating at every juncture, but seems to know that in many ways he is wrong. His avarice becomes his mistress and he can't forsake her. There are wonderful little scenes that I remember. When he stops to have dinner at the restaurant and is told more bread will cost extra, he decides to deny himself a little bit of warmth. There is the scene where Fezziwig loses his business to Scrooge (not a part of the original book but it works fine in the film). Scrooge hesitates for a moment and then barges on, and shows his insensitivity by retaining a worker at a reduction in salary. The scene where Marley is dying and Scrooge waits till the end of business. He then comes to the house and asks "Is he dead yet?" We all know the ending, but there is a joy, a blissful excitement not found in any of the other films. This is all attributable to Alastair Sim. He carries every moment. He shows us what real acting is all about. I treat myself to this movie a couple times a year and it never tires me. See it if you never have.

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.

There are many adaptations of Charles Dickens' classic tale, but A Christmas Carol (1951) is among the best. Alastair Sim's portrayal of Ebenezer Scrooge is one people have been copying for decades, as he's able to be both credibly crabby and believably benevolent. Plus, this version feels like a ghost story, which seems more faithful to the original work. Don't let the black & white fool you, this film is timeless.

Christmas is my favourite time of year, not only is it the time to spend with my family but also to revisit the timeless Christmas classics that is like a tradition in our household. While I adore Christmas films like the first two Home Alone movies, Miracle on 34th Street, Muppet Christmas Carol, It's A Wonderful Life and White Christmas, it is Scrooge(1951) that enchants me the most. While not the most faithful adaptation of the book, since Bella's name is changed to Alice and there isn't a reference to Scrooge's mother's death, it is sheer mastery in terms of acting, music, cinematography and capturing the spirit of the book.

I also want to say I adore Charles Dickens's book. It is a Christmas literary classic, along with The Nutcracker and The Polar Express. It just has an amazing story, totally original characters and is just a delight to read full stop. Scrooge(1951), is not the most true to the book, but I do think it does do a masterly job at capturing the book's spirit, and for that reason is the definitive adaptation. The basic ingredients are all there and are expertly refined. Scrooge is just a great Christmas classic, simply put, and it is for me the quintessential Christmas movie.

The cinematography is faultless. Shot in stunning black and white, it is smooth, crisp, efficient and never jerky. The black and white looks simply amazing after all these years, and the production values are perfect. The music is outstanding; beautiful arrangements of well known tunes throughout to remind us of the festive season and the additional music is memorable and extremely touching, though the music when Scrooge realises it's him who's dead is really chilling. The story about a Christmas miser who is haunted by his partner and three spirits into changing his ways is one of the best loved Christmas stories ever, and it is not hard to see why. As a story, it is impeccably crafted, and the storytelling of Dickens is masterly. All the elements of the book are there in this film, apart from some aforementioned changes.

The acting is spot on. Alistair Sim was a fine actor, who to this day is undervalued. Here he gives quite possibly the best performance of his entire career, and for me he is the definitive Ebeneezer Scrooge. Don't get me wrong I loved Albert Finney, George C.Scott, Kelsey Grammar, Michael Caine and Patrick Stewart, but Sim was the embodiment of the character and dominated the entire movie on his own. No scene with him in rang false, and his change from miserly to kind at the end was heartbreakingly believable. There were some fine supporting performances too, with Michael Horden splendid as Jacob Marley, Mervyn Johns humble as Bob Cratchitt and George Cole earnest as Young Scrooge. At the end of the day though, it is Sim's movie. A movie that is so good it should be on the top 250. 10/10 Bethany Cox