Scrooge

Rating:
Summary: One of the best film versions, and exceptionally good print
Review: SCROOGE is the first sound version of Charles Dickens's "A Christmas Carol," filmed in England in 1935. I think this is one of the best screen adaptations of the story. Ebenezer Scrooge is played with Fieldsian grouchiness and ad-libbed asides by Sir Seymour Hicks, who had played the role on stage for decades, and he's terrific! (I suspect that Dickens scholar W. C. Fields caught some of Hicks's performances.) Donald Calthrop is the best Bob Cratchit I've ever seen; Robert Cochran is enjoyable as Scrooge's nephew Fred, and Philip Frost is cute as Tiny Tim. Director Henry Edwards deserves a round of applause for his careful handling of the story. The period detail is amazing, and the entire production is atmospheric and impressive. This version also goes a little deeper into story detail than most film versions (it's the only version I know in which Tiny Tim is shown in repose -- it's handled tastefully and sensitively by director and actors).

For many years, all you could find on video was the abridged, hour-long version prepared for the educational market in 1941. (This shorter version is well edited and continues to be a budget-price video perennial.) Happily, this new DVD release derives from the original 1935 release, distributed theatrically in America by Paramount. There are about 20 more minutes of footage in this new restoration, and the picture and sound are excellent, definitely superior to the usual video versions that vary in quality. For those who are more familiar with the Alastair Sim and George C. Scott interpretations, give Sir Seymour a try. He'll make himself quite at home. This review refers to the 2002 DVD release on the "Image" label (orange and green jacket) with film elements from "The Blackhawk Films Collection."

Rating:
Summary: Good movie
Review: The movie was pretty good, but there was something weird. Instead of seeing Marley's Ghost, you can only hear its voice. If you listen carefully, you can hear it say "Look well, Ebenezer Scrooge, for only you can see me." Still, it was scary.

Rating:
Summary: Make sure to get the uncut "Image" version of this one
Review: The only worthwhile DVD version of this 1935 version is from Image Entertainment...it is uncut and contains about 20 minutes more footage than most of the prints in circulation, which are often found in discount bins. Those extra 20 minutes (not to mention the much better condition print) make a huge difference.

Rating:
Summary: Don't let the low price fool you -- a good DVD!
Review: There are several versions of this on DVD. This review is for the Front Row DVD. I'm happy to say that despite the cheap price, the disc is quite acceptable. There ARE a lot of scratches on the print, but the picture is sharp (for it's age) and the sound is very clear. Best of all, the film is complete. This same title is available from Marengo Films as a double feature, but it's missing 17 minutes of footage. (See my review for details.)
As for the movie, it's not the best version of the story, but it's good and worthwhile for any Christmas Carol collection. It contains scenes on a ship and in a lighthouse that are taken from the book, but rarely filmed. It also has one scene that isn't in ANY other version -- Bob Cratchit mourning over the body of Tiny Tim, upstairs in their home. It's in the book, but a real surprise on film. On the other hand all but one of the ghosts is invisible. Oh well. Buy it anyway, and Merry Christmas!

Rating:
Summary: The oldest version of "A Christmas Carol" you can still view
Review: This 1935 version of "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens stars Seymour Hicks as Scrooge, which probably explains the title. The performance by Hicks, who had played the role on stage may times and in a 1913 silent film version, dominates the rest of the actors (Hicks was knighted that same year). Beyond that it is the sense of Victorian England that director Henry Edwards evokes that stands out. The contrast between the home of Scrooge's nephew Fred and that of Bob Crachit (Donald Calthrop) is rather shocking; you would think the Crachits were squatters because they really do have NOTHING. Combined with Scrooge's brutal treatment of his kindly clerk, this is the version of "A Christmas Carol" that really emphasizes the poverty and social conditions that offended Dickens.

This film runs only 78 minutes, and those familiar with the story will find that most of what is excised are the Ghost of Christmas Past scenes. This is rather unfortunate since they are the key building blocks in creating sympathy for Scrooge and the first steps in his transformation. Still, this is yet another fine version of "A Christmas Carol," and it is simply that there are versions that are better in various ways. But this particular "Scrooge" is the oldest version readily available and deserves to maintain that status. Final Note: Look quick for Maurice Evans as the Poor Man. The Shakespearean actor was still three decades away from his most famous roles in "Rosemary's Baby," "Planet of the Apes," and the television series "Bewitched."

Rating:
Summary: The oldest version of "A Christmas Carol" you can still view
Review: This 1935 version of "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens stars Seymour Hicks as Scrooge, which probably explains the title. The performance by Hicks, who had played the role on stage may times and in a 1913 silent film version, dominates the rest of the actors (Hicks was knighted that same year). Beyond that it is the sense of Victorian England that director Henry Edwards evokes that stands out. The contrast between the home of Scrooge's nephew Fred and that of Bob Crachit (Donald Calthrop) is rather shocking; you would think the Crachits were squatters because they really do have NOTHING. Combined with Scrooge's brutal treatment of his kindly clerk, this is the version of "A Christmas Carol" that really emphasizes the poverty and social conditions that offended Dickens.

This film runs only 78 minutes, and those familiar with the story will find that most of what is excised are the Ghost of Christmas Past scenes. This is rather unfortunate since they are the key building blocks in creating sympathy for Scrooge and the first steps in his transformation. Still, this is yet another fine version of "A Christmas Carol," and it is simply that there are versions that are better in various ways. But this particular "Scrooge" is the oldest version readily available and deserves to maintain that status. Final Note: Look quick for Maurice Evans as the Poor Man. The Shakespearean actor was still three decades away from his most famous roles in "Rosemary's Baby," "Planet of the Apes," and the television series "Bewitched."

Rating:
Summary: The oldest version of "A Christmas Carol" you can still view
Review: This 1935 version of "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens stars Seymour Hicks as Scrooge, which probably explains the title. The performance by Hicks, who had played the role on stage may times and in a 1913 silent film version, dominates the rest of the actors (Hicks was knighted that same year). Beyond that it is the sense of Victorian England that director Henry Edwards evokes that stands out. The contrast between the home of Scrooge's nephew Fred and that of Bob Crachit (Donald Calthrop) is rather shocking; you would think the Crachits were squatters because they really do have NOTHING. Combined with Scrooge's brutal treatment of his kindly clerk, this is the version of "A Christmas Carol" that really emphasizes the poverty and social conditions that offended Dickens.

This film runs only 78 minutes, and those familiar with the story will find that most of what is excised are the Ghost of Christmas Past scenes. This is rather unfortunate since they are the key building blocks in creating sympathy for Scrooge and the first steps in his transformation. Still, this is yet another fine version of "A Christmas Carol," and it is simply that there are versions that are better in various ways. But this particular "Scrooge" is the oldest version readily available and deserves to maintain that status. Final Note: Look quick for Maurice Evans as the Poor Man. The Shakespearean actor was still three decades away from his most famous roles in "Rosemary's Baby," "Planet of the Apes," and the television series "Bewitched."

Rating:
Summary: Excellent version, and a good print of it
Review: This is one of the most beautiful adaptations, and keeps to the heart of Dickens (unlike the unnecessarily visious Alastair Sim version, or the downright wierd Reginald Owen version.) Sir Seymour Hicks really captures Scrooge's character as written in the original novelette.

This print is very good, the best I have seen in a while, and includes scenes usually editted out that really add to the atmosphere of the movie. The sound is also excellent- most of the prints I have seen lately have the soundtrack going too fast, and this one is fine. There are a couple of dark spots, but considering the other prints out there, the majority of the print is excellent, and this DVD is a good print to have for years to come.

Rating:
Summary: Recorded at wrong speed
Review: This version of Scrooge has made the now all-too-common mistake of running the reels a half a beat too fast when recording it. I think folks want the initial music to be livlier, and they set the speed based on that, rather than the moving and speaking of the characters. Consequently, the beautifully clear print is spoiled by the annoying speed of the dialogue, which makes everyone seem exceedingly nervous. My search for a watchable copy of this movie continues!

Rating:
Summary: An unusual but rewarding 1935 adaptation of the classic tale
Review: We true fans of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol and the various film adaptations it has inspired tend to have pretty strong feelings when it comes to which version is best. The film starring Alistair Simms wins the vote of many, despite its sometimes rash departures from Dickens' original story, while the newer version starring George C. Scott has many of its own stalwart defenders - including me. I doubt that many fans would nominate 1935's Scrooge, starring Sir Seymour Hicks, as their all-time favorite, but it is definitely a respectable and immensely rewarding theatrical recreation of the story of Ebenezer Scrooge. Some of this film's obvious shortcomings are necessarily accounted for by the time of its creation,

Sir Seymour Hicks makes for a surly and unattractive incarnation of Mr. Scrooge, leading me to wonder just how convincing his eventual change of heart would be on the screen, but those final scenes play out wonderfully and erased any prior doubts I had up until that point as to the emotional power of the film. Heart-strings that have been pulled many times in the past were pulled yet again for this fan, making this a truly memorable version of Dickens' intimately familiar Christmas story.

You'll notice some definite peculiarities with this film. It's rather dark, for one thing - and not just in terms of the print; a few scenes seem to have soft touches of German expressionism woven into them. All of this is not surprising, given the date of production. I will admit that one scene, in which an unimportant character's head becomes momentarily transparent, borders on the weird, though. Don't expect a whole lot from Jacob Marley - upon his arrival, he announces that only Scrooge can see him. He isn't lying, as Marley's ghost is completely invisible here. The Ghost of Christmas Past is equally unimpressive, existing as sort of a hazy area of light. (The Ghost of Christmas Present appears in all his glory, however - albeit without a certain pair of disturbing children underneath his flowing robes.)

The film is basically pretty faithful to Dickens' story up until the appearance of the Ghost of Christmas Past. Many adaptations spend an inordinate amount of time in the past, but here the first haunting is over before you can say "Bah! Humbug!" There's almost no attempt to explore the path by which Scrooge became such an insufferable miser. The Ghost of Christmas Present takes a few odd detours in his journey with Scrooge, but the story of the Cratchits is told quite well. (I was a little bothered to see Scrooge's nephew belittling him unmercifully at his own Christmas celebration, though.) The look at Christmas Future plays out very well indeed, and then of course we have the aforementioned change of heart that transforms Scrooge into the merriest of men. That change of heart begins far too early, however - right after the very much abbreviated look at Christmas Past, in fact.

The film is a little uneven in its middle portions, and it adds a few needless scenes to the original story, but Seymour Hicks evidences a grand rebirth on Christmas morning, and a film that moved me very little early on proved itself more than capable of delivering a powerful and heart-touching ending. I feel safe in saying there are better adaptations of A Christmas Carol out there, but this early film is more than worth your time should you happen across it.