Scrooge U : Part IV -- Sim is Supreme

re: "God Bless Us Everyone ... two ... three ... four ... five ... six ... seven ... : Part IV"

Jim Hill — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 03:58:56 GMT

First, I want to say thank you for doing these articles on the many film versions of "Christmas Carol". It's nice to learn a little more about some of the lesser known productions -- especially the various ways filmmakers have gone about telling the same story.

I've yet to see this 1951 version of "Scrooge" in full. Last year, I caught a little bit of it on AMC, but the quality of the print and sound was tremendously poor. However, a restored movie palace in Stanford will be showing "Scrooge" on a double-bill with "Shop Around the Corner" at the end of next month. I looked forward to catching it before -- now, thanks to your article, even more so!

re: "God Bless Us Everyone ... two ... three ... four ... five ... six ... seven ... : Part IV"

Jim Hill — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 13:23:33 GMT

Right on, Jim. Sim was THE best Scrooge, bar none, and you gave an excellent analysis as to why that is so. His version of "A Christmas Carol" is the only version I will bother to watch when the inevitable Christmas specials and movies air on the tube this time of year. Great series, Jim, thanks for the early Xmas gift.

re: "God Bless Us Everyone ... two ... three ... four ... five ... six ... seven ... : Part IV"

Jim Hill — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 15:23:02 GMT

I must say that although I still love the Sim version, the George C. Scott version has been slowly but surely inching its way ahead in recent years! Hope your series covers it so I can post some comments on it.

Ever notice how the best Scrooges (Sim and Scott, among others) play Scrooge not just as a one-dimensional miser but as a BUSINESSMAN, who sees the world in Darwinistic terms long before Darwin?

And you can usually tell the greatness of a Christmas Carol adaptation by whether or not it includes the Spirits of Ignorance and Want. (Not that the ones without them aren't good, too, but they tend to be a bit more on the fluffy side.) To Dickens, these two "ragged, bare, wolfish" children were the impetus behind the book.

re: "God Bless Us Everyone ... two ... three ... four ... five ... six ... seven ... : Part IV"

Jim Hill — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 19:01:12 GMT

>>"Another fine aspect of this particular version of 'A Christmas Carol' is that it actually gives Scrooge motivations for his various behaviors"<<

And although writer Noel (MGM's "Wizard of Oz") Langley puts in a bit too much of his own, one event he inserts for young-Scrooge's backstory is a scene where the now shrewd grown-up Scrooge and Marley take over the business, after their old owner was caught in shady dealings--It's not in the book, but Langley's ear for inventing Dickens' own dialogue and puffy Victorian buffoons is perfectly on the mark. :)

"God Bless Us, Every One ... Two ... Three ... Four ... Five ... Six ... Seven ..." : Part VIII

Jim Hill — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 10:02:01 GMT

Jim Hill continues JHM's new series with a look at yet another version of "A Christmas Carol." This time around, Jim talks about Richard Williams' Academy Award-winning animated version from 1971

re: Scrooge U : Part IV -- Sim is Supreme

Jim Hill — Sat, 30 Dec 2006 21:26:53 GMT

Sorry, I don't really care much for this version. Sim is a good Scrooge, but the rest of the film feels longer than it actually is, pompous and boring. Sure, the scene with Fan's death had the tears welling up, but they evaporated when the past WOULDN'T STOP. Ah well, my opinion, your opinion.