Review: Scrooge (1951)

Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol is one of the most well known stories ever written. Originally published in 1843, there have been dozens of adaptations of the classic novel since its release, and this adaptation is considered to be one the best. Released in 1951, Scrooge was a box office disappointment in the US, and only received mixed reviews, despite the fact that it was praised in the UK. Over the following decades, however, the film became a huge success on television, and is considered by many to be the best version of Dickens' story.

Need I write a summary? Oh, ok: A grumpy old man named Ebenezer Scrooge, who despises Christmas, is visited by three spirits on Christmas Eve: the Ghost of Christmas Past, the Ghost of Christmas present, and the Ghost of Christmas Future.

"Bob, I haven't taken leave of my senses. I've come to them."

Scrooge, which was released in the US under the title A Christmas Carol, expands on Dickens' original novella. Giving the character of Ebenezer Scrooge more background, the movie shows us exactly how and why Scrooge became who he did. The film also tells us how Ebenezer met Jacob Marley, and depicts several stages in their friendship, right through to Marley's death, which occured seven years to the day before Scrooge is set.

The ghost effects in Scrooge are very effective. You can see right through each of the ghosts, and I imagine this was difficult to do in 1951. So, I am quite impressed.

The version of Scrooge I viewed was in colour, though I feel that I may enjoyed it slightly more in black and white. Film tinting, which is the colouring process this film went through in later years, is when a movie filmed in black and white is later dyed with color. Kind of an inbetween of the two extremes (Colour & black and white). I must admit, I'm not a fan of this process, and believe that films that use it should have simply stuck to one or the other. However, my dislike of the picture quality is hardly the screenplay's fault, which, coincidentally, I rather enjoyed.

"God bless us, every one!"

I love the novella A Christmas Carol, and enjoy many of its adaptations, my favourite one being The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992). However, having said that, my favourite performance of Ebenezer Scrooge is actually from this movie, Scrooge, as played by Alastair Sim. Sim was born to play Ebenezer, and he skillfully makes a brilliant transition from a grumpy grouch to a cheery fella within the space of 86 minutes. A very good performance indeed. The rest of the cast also do a very good job at bringing Dickens' characters to life.

Scrooge is the classic tale of a man who comes to understand the meaning of Christmas. This film should be made mandatory Christmas viewing. 8/10

Trivia: Though these days the word 'scrooge' is somewhat of an insult, meaning a mean or nasty person, back in Charles Dickens' time, the word was a slang term meaning 'to squeeze'. It was Dickens' novella, A Christmas Carol, which made the word what it is today.

**BONUS** According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the definition of 'humbug' is "Something designed to deceive or mislead".

Look out for another adaptation of A Christmas Carol to be reviewed later in the season.