This 1938 version of Charles Dickens immensely popular novel is overshadowed by later versions, but still stands out as one of the best. Everyone knows the story, a tight-fisted and mean old miser Ebenezer Scrooge causes misery for everyone in the business world is visited by the ghost of his former partner and told that if he does not change his ways, he will suffer the same fate as him. He is then shown by three spirits his past, his present and his future. The miser then changes his ways and has one the happiest and heart warming endings ever. This story has been filmed several times and I shall say that of all of them, I love this one the most.
The MGM company stared British actor Reginald Owen as Scrooge, who played the character brilliantly. He looks more of the embodiment of Scrooge than any of the others. He looks utterly bitter, mean and angry. Gene Lockhart played Bob Cratchit, Scrooge's long suffering clerk who is only ever given one day in the whole year off as a holiday, Lockhart played him wonderfully. He made the character lovable, joyful and doting on his family and the bond he had with Tiny Tim was more touching than the others, however, he was a bit too plumb and jolly for the character. Lockhart's wife, Kathleen Lockhart played Mrs Cratchit and was also perfect, even though she might have had too much good nature towards Scrooge (not in the book). Leo G Caroll played Marley's ghost, perhaps the spookiest one ever. Although he was a bit soft spoken, he was all the more creepy and seemed all the more tormented. The distinctly British stage actor Barry Mackay played Scrooge's good hearted nephew and was probably the best performance. He made the character very likable and easy going, exactly what Dickens would have wanted. A very young Ann Rutherford played the Ghost of Christmas Past (on for a VERY brief space of time), Lionel Braham played a jolly yet serious Ghost of Christ mas Present, again perfect from the book and D'Arcy Corrigan playing the scary Ghost of Christmas Future (again VERY brief). Other characters were Lynne Carver as Fred's 'fiance' (his wife in the book) Bess, Ronald Sinclair as the young Scrooge and Terry Kilburn who gives the weakest performance, he was a bit too old for Tiny Tim and was too happy and lively, not to mention healthy looking. But he tried and was acceptable. All the cast gave just about their best in this film and it is that what makes you really enjoy it.
The story has been pretty well done on screen, the sets and costumes are all truly Dickensian. It conveys a different type of spirit to the book, it is lighter and more...how shall I say it?...Christmas like. It was a bit more hard hitting than the book. My grandfather recorded this film one Christmas when I was three and since then it has not been shown on British T.V. It was the first film I ever watched and I have treasured it. I read the book at the age of eight and since then I have read nearly all the other books by Charles Dickens and have taken the view that he is the greatest novelist ever.
Whilst this version remains my favourite, I sadly cannot help but find several faults with it. Dickens is my favourite author and I ms feel I should defend the book. Firstly, why did it have to be so short? it runs for 69 minutes on VHS. There are so many scenes left out from the book and others just changed. For a start is the scene where Cratchit was fired...why? It wasn't in the book and didn't particularly make the story any better. Then there is the bit where Scrooge calls in the watchmen to come and arrest Marley's ghost. Then there is the ending, where Scrooge turns up at the Cratchits for Christmas lunch as opposed to him raising his salary and vowing to help his struggling family on Boxing Day. These changes don't make the story any better and I don't see the point in tampering with a great story just for the sake of it, but I suppose that there is no harm in experimenting. There were so many scenes left out from the book, the ghostly undertaking carriage going up Scrooge's staircase, the tormented spirits hovering outside Scrooge's window, the Fezziwig ball, Scrooge's ill-fated affair with Belle, Belle's future family, the ignorance and want scene, the Old Joe and Mrs Dilber scene and several others. It wouldn't have tormented the to have made the film a bit more faithful to Dickens' original and those are really the only things about his film that disappoint me.
However, I know most of my comments seem to be very confusing and I don't make it clear whether I like something or not. I'll put it straight. This version is highly enjoyable and holds up very well to the story, it will always be my personal favourite and shouldn't cast aside as much as it is. By the way, film buffs should recognise Billy Bevan as the leader of the watch, Forrester Harvey as Fezziwig, June Lockhart as Belinda Cratchit, Harry Cording as the waiter, Halliwell Hobes as the vicar, Olaf Hytten as the schoolmaster and Lumsden Hare as one of Scrooge's business associates, all uncredited.
Other versions of this story are the 1935 version with Sir Seymour Hicks (which I haven't seen), the definitive 1951 version with Alistair Sim which is widely regarded as the best of all and the most popular, the camp 1970 musical with Albert Finney which Dickens would have despised, the moody and dark 1984 version with George C Scott, the hilarious Muppet version in 1992, another brilliant 1999 version with Patrick Steward and the frightfully awful musical 2004 version with Kelsey Grammar.
God Bless us...everyone!
The MGM company stared British actor Reginald Owen as Scrooge, who played the character brilliantly. He looks more of the embodiment of Scrooge than any of the others. He looks utterly bitter, mean and angry. Gene Lockhart played Bob Cratchit, Scrooge's long suffering clerk who is only ever given one day in the whole year off as a holiday, Lockhart played him wonderfully. He made the character lovable, joyful and doting on his family and the bond he had with Tiny Tim was more touching than the others, however, he was a bit too plumb and jolly for the character. Lockhart's wife, Kathleen Lockhart played Mrs Cratchit and was also perfect, even though she might have had too much good nature towards Scrooge (not in the book). Leo G Caroll played Marley's ghost, perhaps the spookiest one ever. Although he was a bit soft spoken, he was all the more creepy and seemed all the more tormented. The distinctly British stage actor Barry Mackay played Scrooge's good hearted nephew and was probably the best performance. He made the character very likable and easy going, exactly what Dickens would have wanted. A very young Ann Rutherford played the Ghost of Christmas Past (on for a VERY brief space of time), Lionel Braham played a jolly yet serious Ghost of Christ mas Present, again perfect from the book and D'Arcy Corrigan playing the scary Ghost of Christmas Future (again VERY brief). Other characters were Lynne Carver as Fred's 'fiance' (his wife in the book) Bess, Ronald Sinclair as the young Scrooge and Terry Kilburn who gives the weakest performance, he was a bit too old for Tiny Tim and was too happy and lively, not to mention healthy looking. But he tried and was acceptable. All the cast gave just about their best in this film and it is that what makes you really enjoy it.
The story has been pretty well done on screen, the sets and costumes are all truly Dickensian. It conveys a different type of spirit to the book, it is lighter and more...how shall I say it?...Christmas like. It was a bit more hard hitting than the book. My grandfather recorded this film one Christmas when I was three and since then it has not been shown on British T.V. It was the first film I ever watched and I have treasured it. I read the book at the age of eight and since then I have read nearly all the other books by Charles Dickens and have taken the view that he is the greatest novelist ever.
Whilst this version remains my favourite, I sadly cannot help but find several faults with it. Dickens is my favourite author and I ms feel I should defend the book. Firstly, why did it have to be so short? it runs for 69 minutes on VHS. There are so many scenes left out from the book and others just changed. For a start is the scene where Cratchit was fired...why? It wasn't in the book and didn't particularly make the story any better. Then there is the bit where Scrooge calls in the watchmen to come and arrest Marley's ghost. Then there is the ending, where Scrooge turns up at the Cratchits for Christmas lunch as opposed to him raising his salary and vowing to help his struggling family on Boxing Day. These changes don't make the story any better and I don't see the point in tampering with a great story just for the sake of it, but I suppose that there is no harm in experimenting. There were so many scenes left out from the book, the ghostly undertaking carriage going up Scrooge's staircase, the tormented spirits hovering outside Scrooge's window, the Fezziwig ball, Scrooge's ill-fated affair with Belle, Belle's future family, the ignorance and want scene, the Old Joe and Mrs Dilber scene and several others. It wouldn't have tormented the to have made the film a bit more faithful to Dickens' original and those are really the only things about his film that disappoint me.
However, I know most of my comments seem to be very confusing and I don't make it clear whether I like something or not. I'll put it straight. This version is highly enjoyable and holds up very well to the story, it will always be my personal favourite and shouldn't cast aside as much as it is. By the way, film buffs should recognise Billy Bevan as the leader of the watch, Forrester Harvey as Fezziwig, June Lockhart as Belinda Cratchit, Harry Cording as the waiter, Halliwell Hobes as the vicar, Olaf Hytten as the schoolmaster and Lumsden Hare as one of Scrooge's business associates, all uncredited.
Other versions of this story are the 1935 version with Sir Seymour Hicks (which I haven't seen), the definitive 1951 version with Alistair Sim which is widely regarded as the best of all and the most popular, the camp 1970 musical with Albert Finney which Dickens would have despised, the moody and dark 1984 version with George C Scott, the hilarious Muppet version in 1992, another brilliant 1999 version with Patrick Steward and the frightfully awful musical 2004 version with Kelsey Grammar.
God Bless us...everyone!