Scrooge [A Christmas Carol] ***** (1951, Alastair Sim, Jack Warner, Kathleen Harrison, George Cole, Mervyn Johns, Hermione Baddeley) – Classic Movie Review 552

Alastair Sim gives a bravura performance as miserly old skinflint Ebenezer Scrooge in the 1951 seasonal delight Scrooge [A Christmas Carol], the best movie version of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol.

‘I believe the world is becoming a very hard and cruel place.’ – Scrooge.

Producer/ director Brian Desmond Hurst’s 1951 seasonal delight film Scrooge [A Christmas Carol] is the simply best movie version of the Charles Dickens 1843 classic story A Christmas Carol. It showcases a perfectly cast Alastair Sim, who gives a marvellous, bravura performance as the old miserly skinflint Ebenezer Scrooge, turning from old meanie to new nicie and playing both with equal conviction and charm.

In the famous tale, curmudgeonly Scrooge is given a chance for redemption when he is haunted by ghosts of Christmas Past (played by Michael J Dolan), Present (Francis de Wolff) and Yet To Come (Czesław Konarski) on Christmas Eve.

Among the movie’s many virtues are the wonderful large ensemble cast and Noel Langley’s amusing and poignant screenplay that wisely stays fairly close to the Dickens original. Even so, there are many changes from the book. For example, in the book the charwoman is unnamed but in the film she is Mrs Dilber in a greatly expanded role that gives Kathleen Harrison who plays her second billing.

The rudimentary special effects of the era have their own kind of charm and work well in context. They are rather beautiful.

Scrooge [A Christmas Carol] is very attractively and atmospherically filmed in black and white by cinematographer C M Pennington-Richards, but it was re-released in 1990 on video in a highly satisfactory, really quite lovely-looking colorised version that looks like an animated Christmas card. This version is not for purists, obviously, but it is worth seeking out on DVD or TV.

Composer Richard Addinsell writes several contrasting pieces for the film’s score, effectively changing the mood from dark to joyful as required. Naturally there is also space for excerpts from Christmas carols and traditional tunes.

Kathleen Harrison as charwoman Mrs Dilber, Mervyn Johns (Bob Cratchit), Hermione Baddeley (Mrs Cratchit), Michael Hordern (Jacob Marley), George Cole (young Scrooge), Miles Malleson (Old Joe), Ernest Thesiger (undertaker), Hattie Jacques (Mrs Fezziwig) and Jack Warner (Mr Jorkin, Scrooge’s second employer) are among the adorable cast of British character actors giving performances to remember for ever.

Peter Bull narrates parts of Charles Dickens’s work at the beginning and end of the film, and appears on screen as the first businessman at exchange.

It is poignant that Sim’s protégé George Cole plays his younger character. It is one of Cole’s nine films with Sim: Cottage To Let (1941), The Happiest Days of Your Life (1950), Bikini Baby (1951), Scrooge [A Christmas Carol] (1951), Folly to Be Wise (1953), An Inspector Calls (1954), The Belles of St Trinian’s (1954), The Green Man (1956) and Blue Murder at St Trinian’s (1957).

Glyn Dearman plays Tiny Tim and Patrick Macnee is Young Jacob Marley. Cole (aged 89 in 2014) and Macnee (92 in 2014) were about the only survivors in 2014.

George Cole died on August 5 2015, aged 90. Adieu, dear departed.

Patrick Macnee died on June 25 2015, aged 93. RIP.

The much-loved Dickens classic has been translated into many, many movies. It was filmed in 1935 as Scrooge and 1970 as Scrooge (the musical) and also filmed in 1938 as A Christmas Carol, 1984 as A Christmas Carol and 2009 as A Christmas Carol. There are also The Muppet Christmas Carol and Scrooged (1988) with Bill Murray of course. But this 1951 Alastair Sim treasure is still the best and always will be, however many times they remake or rework it.

US film critic Leonard Maltin is redeemed for rubbishing Gremlins (1984) by appreciating this: ‘There’s no Christmas Carol quite like this 1951 British version.’

The film was released in the UK under its original title of Scrooge at London’s Odeon Marble Arch on 22 November 1951.  United Artists released it in the US as A Christmas Carol at the Guild 50th Theatre in New York City, on 28 November 1951. The film was originally to be shown at the nearby Radio City Music Hall but the management decided that the film was too grim and did not have enough family entertainment value for the Music Hall. Bah humbug!

The film was one of the most popular in UK cinemas in 1951-52 but a box office disappointment in the US, where it went on to became a holiday favourite on TV. Hurst was immensely proud of the film and that it was shown and gained huge popularity on TV. Patrick Macnee said: ‘It really seems to capture the true essence of the Dickens novel.’

The cast

The cast are Alastair Sim as Ebenezer Scrooge,  George Cole as Young Ebenezer Scrooge, Kathleen Harrison as charwoman Mrs Dilber, Mervyn Johns as Bob Cratchit, Hermione Baddeley as Mrs Cratchit, Michael Hordern as Jacob Marley, Patrick Macnee as Young Jacob Marley, Glyn Dearman as Tiny Tim, John Charlesworth as Peter Cratchit, Michael J Dolan as the Ghost of Christmas Past, Francis de Wolff as the Ghost of Christmas Present, Czesław Konarski as the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, Rona Anderson as Scrooge’s past fiancée Alice, Carol Marsh as ‘Fanny; Scrooge, Jack Warner as Mr Jorkin, Roddy Hughes as Mr S Fezziwig,  Brian Worth as Scrooge’s nephew Fred, Olga Edwardes as Fred’s wife, Miles Malleson as Old Joe, Ernest Thesiger as undertaker Mr Stretch, Louise Hampton as laundress, Peter Bull as First Businessman at exchange (also Narrator), Douglas Muir as Second Businessman at exchange, Noel Howlett as First Collector for people in need, Fred Johnson as Second Collector for people in need, Eliot Makeham as Mr Snedrig, Henry Hewitt as Mr Rosebed, Hugh Dempster as Mr Groper, Eleanor Summerfield as Miss Flora,  Richard Pearson as Mr Tupper,  Clifford Mollison as Samuel Wilkins, Hattie Jacques as Mrs Fezziwig, Teresa Derrington as Fred’s maid, David Hannaford as boy buying prize turkey, Catherine Leach as Belinda Cratchit, Moiya Kelly as Martha Cratchit, Luanne Kemp as Mary Cratchit, Maire O’Neill as older Alice’s patient Anthony Wager as Mr Fezziwig’s lad, Derek Stephens as a Dancer at Fezziwig’s, Vi Kaley as Old Lady.

Crew

Scrooge [A Christmas Carol] is directed by Brian Desmond Hurst, runs 87 minutes, is made by George Minter Productions,  is released by Renown  Pictures (UK) and United Artists (US), is written by Noel Langley (adaptation and screenplay), is shot in black and white by C M Pennington-Richards (director of photography), is produced by George Minter (presenter), Brian Desmond Hurst and Stanley Haynes (associate producer), is scored by Richard Addinsell, and is designed by Ralph W Brinton (art director).

The score is conducted by Muir Mathieson, the costumes are designed by Doris Lee, the film editor is film editor, and mechanical Victorian dolls are loaned by Mr M Steiner.

© Derek Winnert 2013 Classic Movie Review 552

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com/

Eric Sykes, Hattie Jacques and Harry Secombe.

Hattie Jacques plays Mrs Fezziwig.