Scrooge aka A Christmas Carol (1951)

Scrooge aka A Christmas Carol (Dir: Brian Desmond Hurst, 1951).

Charles Dickens' 1843 novella A Christmas Carol is the second most famous Christmas story ever told. It must also rank as the most filmed piece of literature of all time, with countless movie and TV adaptations surfacing yearly. For many, me included, this 1951 adaptation is the best of the hundreds-odd versions. 

Scrooge (it retained its published title A Christmas Carol in the US) is, of course, the tale of the embittered miser who loathes his fellow man and mistreats his overworked, underpaid employee Bob Cratchit. The old curmudgeon is offered the chance of redemption on Christmas Eve when he is visited by four spirits who take him on a journey through his past, present and future to show him the error of his ways. 

Scrooge a is richly atmospheric movie which doesn’t dilute the novel’s darker moments. Director Brian Desmond Hurst presents us with a moody, almost Gothic version of Dickens, somewhat lacking in Christmas cheer, but all the more powerful for it. There are genuinely disturbing moments, courtesy, in particular, of the Ghost of Christmas Present and the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. Slushy sentiment is kept at bay, although lump in throat moments are plentiful! C M Pennington-Richard's stark monochromatic cinematography adds a deliciously grim ambiance to the London backstreets and Scrooge's over-sized, under-furnished abode.   

Yet, as impressively mounted as the movie is, it is the superb cast of actors who really elevate it to classic status. Primarily known for comedic roles, Alastair Sim brings a certain gleeful malevolence to the role of Scrooge. From rotter to reparation, his Ebenezer Scrooge is a joy and arguably the Scrooge against which all other Scrooges must be judged. He is surrounded by an equally impressive cast of British acting legends, notably Mervyn Johns and Hermione Baddeley as a sympathetic Mr and Mrs Cratchit, Jack Warner as Scrooge's ex-employer Mr Jorkins and Michael Hordern as a morose Jacob Marley. It also provided a excellent early role for Sim's real life ward and acting protege George Cole as the young Ebenezer. 

As familiar as the tale is, this is a movie that deserves multiple repeat viewings. 70 years after release it remains, perhaps, the greatest festive feature of all time. The definitive film adaptation of A Christmas Carol, Scrooge is a classic of British cinema and a genuine cinematic masterpiece!

Note: Steer clear of the computer colorized version; Scrooge is best enjoyed in the glorious black and white in which it was made.