There seems to be a wide variety of opinion when it comes to the Patrick Stewart version of "A Christmas Carol." Some Dickens fans find this 1999 TV movie to be rather cold and joyless, while still others admire this adaptation for the extremely naturalistic approach that Stewart takes toward playing the role of Ebenezer Scrooge.
Copyright 200o Turner Home Entertainment
I have to admit that I find myself in the latter category. I think that Patrick does a terrific job with this part. Just as George C. Scott did with his brilliant performance in the 1984 TV movie version of Dickens' classic tale, Stewart plays Scrooge as a real man. A cold & stern fellow, to be sure. But one who has a brain. As well as a heart that Ebenezer seems to have misplaced somewhere along the way.
That (to me, anyway) is one of the great joys of this particular version of "A Christmas Carol." You see, Stewart's version of Scrooge is clearly a thinking man. One who prides himself in always being rational, in always keeping his wits about him. So to take a fellow like that and then drop him in the middle of a ghost story, where Ebenezer suddenly finds himself being overwhelmed by all these regrets & feelings that he's kept locked up for years & years … That's a really interesting way to go with this character.
Of course, Patrick has an advantage over many of the other actors who have played Ebenezer Scrooge over the years. Given that Stewart had appeared in his one man show version of "A Christmas Carol" in both New York & London before TNT & RHI Entertainment approached Patrick about possibly appearing in a new TV movie version of Dickens' timeless tale.
Photo courtesy of Google Images
Stewart agreed. But only if — in addition to starring in this new television production of "A Christmas Carol" — Patrick could also serve as one of the executive producers of the program. Stewart also insisted that he have approval over both the director (David Hughes Jones) & the writer (Peter Barnes) of this TV movie. So that everyone would then be on the same page when it came to how Ebenezer Scrooge should be portrayed in this program.
The end result … Well, as I mentioned at the start of this article, tends to get a very diverse reaction from Dickens fans. There are those who just hate Stewart's cerebral approach to this role. Mind you, these are the folks who tend to want their Ebenezer Scrooge to be much more visceral. To bark at Bob Crachit. To quake in fear when the Ghost of Jacob Marley appears in Ebenezer's living quarters. To go all gooey at the sight of Tiny Tim and his diminutive crutch.
Well, this isn't really that sort of "Christmas Carol." Stewart and his hand-picked creative team have stripped Dickens' holiday tale of all of its cheap theatrics and caricature. So — since Patrick plays Ebenezer Scrooge as if he were a real person — so too does Richard E. Grant in his portrayal of Bob Crachit. Dominic West follows Stewart & Grant's lead, turning in a very restrained performance as Scrooge's nephew, Fred. Even the actors playing the two charitable gentlemen (Edward Petherbridge & Jeremy Swift) dial things 'way down, keeping their characters as naturalistic as possible.
Copyright 2000 Turner Home Entertainment
Of course, by opting to go this route, the first 15 minutes of this particular version of "A Christmas Carol" tends to be rather muted. Mind you, Peter Barnes did try to liven things up by inventing a whole new prologue for Dickens' story. Which follows Jacob Marley's lonely funeral procession (With Scrooge as his partner's only mourner) out to the graveyard on Christmas Day.
Speaking of Jacob Marley … Given his familiarity with CG (From all those years playing Jean Luc Picard on the "Star Trek : The Next Generation" TV series), Stewart insisted that the producers use computer animation to make the ghosts in this holiday special seem that much more spectral & surreal. And — when it came to Scrooge's old partner (played by Bernard Lloyd) — this show's special effects team really delivered in spades.
From the way that Marley manifests himself in the doorknocker to that particularly ghoulish moment when Jacob's jaw becomes so unhinged that Scrooge literally has to help his old partner pull himself together …
Copyright Turner Home Entertainment
… The FX in this part of the program are outstanding. And — in some cases (Like when Marley magically throws open the window and then shows Scrooge a night sky full of restless spirits) — eeriely beautiful.
Copyright 1999 Turner Home Entertainment
Mind you, some of the very best moments in this new TV movie of "A Christmas Carol" have few if any special effects involved in them. Take — for example — Joel Grey's performance as the Ghost of Christmas Past.
While it's true that the special effects team did give this character an unearthly glow in post production, it's Joel's portrayal of this holiday spirit that makes him seem genuinely unearthly. The way Grey carries himself, the detached but bemused way that the Ghost of Christmas Past observes Scrooge as these two journey back to this miser's boyhood. Joel really keeps Patrick on his toes in this part of the program. For — while Stewart may be the one in the spotlight in this holiday special — your eye is always drawn to Grey in this section of the story. As you wonder what this character is thinking as he observes the shadows of Scrooge's past.
Copyright 2000 Turner Home Entertainment
Desmond Barrit does a similiarly fine job with the Ghost of Christmas Present. Again through the judicious use of special effects, this holiday spirit literally flies Scrooge around the world as he shows this miser how sailors far out at sea, lighthouse keepers high up in their lonely towers and even coal miners way deep down in the Earth still manage to find a way to celebrate the season.
Of course, what's nice about this particular portion of "A Christmas Carol" is that it actually makes use of a seldom-used portion of the original text of Dickens' holiday tale. The author really did have this holiday spirit fly Ebenezer around the globe so that he could see that even people who live under miserable conditions could still find time for Christmas.
Copyright 2000 Turner Home Entertainment
Speaking of miserable conditions, the Ghost of Christmas Present makes his usual stop at the Crachit house. Where Scrooge is finally introduced to Tiny Tim (Ben Tibber). And before this now-wane holiday spirit disappears right at the stroke of midnight, he also introduces Ebenezer to those two ghastly children, Ignorance & Want. (Which — as I keep pointing out over the course of the "Scrooge U" series — is usually a sign that you're watching one of the better adaptations of "A Christmas Carol".)
Copyright 2000 Turner Home Entertainment
From there, it's time for the Ghost of Christmas Past to appear. And — after revealing how the Crachit family is truly devastated by Tiny Tim's passing — this holiday spirit shows Scrooge that his funeral will be even more miserable than Marley's was. With absolutely no one mourning the passing of this miser.
We now cut to the next morning. Which — following the lead of the first 15 minutes of this TV movie — is rather muted. Sure, Scrooge is transformed. But he's not dancing in the street about it. That said, Patrick Stewart does have one wonderful moment in this portion of "A Christmas Carol." Where Scrooge — after being away from church for decades — finally attends a Christmas morning service. Just the expression of Patrick's face in this section of the story — how unsure Ebenezer is about this new setting, yet how truly much he needs & wants to be there … It's a sweet, sweet moment.
Again, I know, this is a somewhat cerebral take on "A Christmas Carol." But Patrick Stewart's intelligent & insightful performance as Ebenezer Scrooge is a real eye-opener. If you ever get the chance to check out this TV movie (FYI: TNT is actually planning on airing this version of Dickens' classic holiday tale on Christmas Eve), be sure and check it out.
And speaking of different takes on Ebenezer Scrooge … Tomorrow, Vanessa Williams makes memorable music as Dickens' miserable miser in that TV movie from 2000, "A Diva's Christmas Carol."