Dickens’s Carol on film a central part of Christmas past and present
In some ways, my journey into the heart of A Christmas Carol began the same way it did for millions of others.
I know in my earliest years there must have been a time BCC (Before Christmas Carol) but I do not remember it.
Looking back, it seems that Charles Dickens’s magical story about Ebenezer Scrooge and the ghost of Jacob Marley, about brave Bob Crachit, poor Tim Tiny and the spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come has always been there.
It was a ritual in our house, growing up, that we would watch A Christmas Carol on television. Usually on Christmas Eve.
It was always the 1951 version, starring Alistair Sim as the most terrifying Scrooge ever to mutter the words “Bah! Humbug!”
I still recall how scary those scenes seemed to a little boy, when the old miser came home to his dark house and slunk up the staircase and locked himself into his cold and empty chamber to sit in his nightgown before a feeble little fire and spoon up a few mouthfuls of gruel.
Since its publication in 1843, Dickens’s story has become so popular and so universally a part of our Christmas culture that there have been nearly two dozen big-screen versions and numerous TV adaptations to date.
Several silent films were made in the early 20th century, starting in 1901. The first to be called Scrooge dates from 1913, and starred Seymour Hicks, who reprised his role in a “talkie” in 1935.
The first version to commonly survive into our time is the 1938 film starring Reginald Owen. It is available on DVD.
Albert Finney and Alec Guinness made a rather dreadful musical version in 1970.
Disney made a Mickey Mouse Christmas Carol, and the Muppets, Mister Magoo, Bugs Bunny and The Flintstones all got into the game as well.
In more recent years, Patrick Stewart and George C. Scott have been excellent Ebenezers. Kelsey Grammer played the role on TV, but I haven’t seen that.
And of course, Jim Carey made a wonderful computeranimated movie in 2009.
I currently own half a dozen film versions and plan to watch one or two this holiday season.
I’m sure many of you will as well.