Thursday, December 13, 2012

Scrooge (1951)


SCROOGE 
Brian Desmond Hurst
1951 • 86 Minutes • 1.37:1 • United Kingdom

Principal Cast:  Alastair Sim, Mervyn Johns, Michael Hodern, George Cole, Francis de Wolff, Brian Worth
Screenplay:  Noel Langley from "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens
Producer:  Brian Desmond Hurst
Cinematography:  C.M. Pennington-Richards

Awards & Honors

The Essential Films
12 Days of Essential Christmas Films

 Before I draw nearer to that stone, tell me! Are these the shadows of things that must be, or are they the shadows of things that MIGHT be? 

The Muppet Christmas Carol is my favorite adaptation of this story, however, Scrooge is perhaps the best and most faithful retelling.  That says a lot, considering the story has been adapted 53 times on film and in television since 1901.  Even more impressive is that Sim is, in this blogger's opinion, the best on-screen Ebeneezer Scrooge of all time.  This includes a diverse list of actors ranging anywhere from Albert Finney to Patrick Stewart to Jim Carey.  He excels at being both cruel and menacing as well as childishly hilarious.  It leaves no part of the story untouched and gives more back story to Scrooge in the "Past" segment than any other film has done to date.  

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