Every year I save most of the better versions of A Christmas Carol to view as it gets closer to Christmas Day.  Some of them I splurge and watch earlier. It’s inevitable the classic 1951 Scrooge starring Alastair Sim would be on my watch list.  I watch my personal DVD copy that contains three choices to watch: a restored 4:3, a restored 16:9, and a colorized option.  I’ve never watched the colorized selection.

There was once a time I was confused by the title. As an American, I first knew this titled as A Christmas Carol.  It was sometimes referred to as Scrooge. It was many years before I knew that Scrooge is the original English title and the traditional A Christmas Carol title was used for the initial U.S release. There was a period once dominant in the U.S. when the movie was referenced almost equally by either title. In the most recent times, it is rarely referenced as A Christmas Carol in the U.S.

This is the version that many folks will emphasize as the best version. Much of the reason for this is because the film had joined that exclusive club where the idea or opinion of it (created by a few critics) has become so sacrosanct that most everyone just regurgitates its superiority no matter their level of familiarity. With that comes the adjunct fear of saying anything against it or not agreeing it’s the best version. Although, you don’t have to always think it’s the best version; you just have to agree that it’s “your favorite” to avoid chastisement.

I’ve never been afraid to let it be known that I do not think this is the best version nor is it my personal favorite. It’s unusual how folks will form the belief that I don’t like this version at all simply because it’s not my personal favorite. I think this version is wonderful and one of the best! Okay…now that I have that out of the way…

There isn’t a lot I can write about this version that hasn’t been written before. Nowadays, people will bring up the dark atmosphere or bleaker story as to why the 1951 version is so good. I’m in the camp that will give most of the credit to Alastair Sim. His interpretation of Scrooge has many combined aspects which other actors only concentrated on signally: crotchety, miserly, sarcastic, a mean wittiness, etc.  Sim also leaves out trying to play his Ebenezer as a physically crooked, bent-over man, which is actually a plus.

The movie is very well filmed! The movie begins with a daunting score that is often dark, sometimes macabre. There is a lot of additional material added to the story. With few exceptions, the non-Dickens additions are extensions and backstories in conjunction with the intended tale, attempting to stay true to the Dickens novella.

The scene where Scrooge is in his room before Marley’s ghost appears is particularly spooky. An interesting effect is when the bells ring: they are only heard. Scrooge looks at the bells which always remain still yet ring loudly.

Jacob Marley (Michael Hordern who appears in movies I really like up through the 1980’s) is vocally the most remorseful Marley’s ghost. He sounds as if he is suffering when speaking. There isn’t much of an attempt to make Marley appear frightful or corpse-like. But it doesn’t really matter thanks to Michael Hordern’s incredible performance. Hordern became a real ACC veteran. He voiced Marley in the great 1971 animated version (also starring Sims) and would give a good performance as Scrooge in the 1977 BBC TV version.

The Ghost of Christmas Past is an elderly man. Scrooge’s backstory is expanded and shown during the time with the Ghost of Christmas Past.  The Ghost of Christmas Present is extremely traditional. The Ghost of Christmas Yet-to-Come looks fairly traditional but instead of the usual hooded robe, the head and face are covered by a long veil-like cloth. There are times you can see the actors face through the dark veil material.

The modern antihero culture and preference for things dark can’t erase the actual touching moments the film has. The best is when Scrooge goes to his nephew’s house for Christmas dinner; Sim’s portrayal of a hard man with an only recently softened heart is sublime!

Additions / Alterations

More than what is missing, I think it interesting to point out some of the more obvious innovations in this production.

• Hermione Baddeley (Mary Poppins, Maud’s Mrs. Naugatuck) as Mrs. Cratchit appears at the beginning of the movie in a scene with Tiny Tim.
• Fan is older than Scrooge.
• The history of Scrooge is expanded. Scrooge’s mother died in childbirth, and so did his sister, Fan. This is the reason his father is bitter toward him. This idea would later be borrowed by a small number of other versions.
• Scrooge’s fiancée, Belle, is renamed Alice; this was also borrowed at least once in a more recent adaptation. The extended romance of Scrooge and his fiancée showing the beginning of their engagement is also written in.
• It Extends the story of Fezziwig. It shows the downfall of Fezziwig, losing his business to a young Scrooge & Marley.
• The origin of Scrooge & Marley is incorporated into the story. It shows their first meeting as clerks and onward.
• This introduces the character Mr. Jorkin. Scrooge goes to work for Mr. Jorkin and meets Jacob Marley there. Mr. Jorkin loses his business in a financial scandal. Scrooge & Marley take over the business.
• There is scene of Scrooge’s sister, Fan, dying with Scrooge by her side.
• Marley’s death on Christmas Eve is shown. Scrooge is with Marley when he dies. Marley is remorseful on his deathbed and tells Scrooge to save himself!
• This version has more Christian references than most others.
• Alice (Belle) appears in the present as a helper to the poor. This is the origin of another concept that would later be borrowed by a handful of later adaptations.
• The role of the charwoman/housekeeper (Kathleen Harrison) is greatly expanded and is given the name of the laundress from the novel: Mrs. Dilber.

The housekeeper role was expanded enough that Harrison received a large credit in the movie. The housekeeper appears immediately after the visit from the future ghost; in fact, it’s her knocking on Scrooge’s bedroom door that brings him back to awareness of his surroundings. She remains for much of the reformed Scrooge scene in Scrooge’s house.

Kathleen Harrison brings in some interesting loose connections with A Christmas Carol. Harrison played Mrs. Sowerberry in the great 1948 Oliver Twist movie. In the cast of Oliver Twist was Henry Edwards. Edwards directed the 1935 Scrooge with Seymour Hicks. Also in 1948’s Oliver Twist was Alec Guinness and his infamous portrayal of Fagin. Guinness, of course, played Jacob Marley in Scrooge: 1970’s film musical of A Christmas Carol. One looser connection is Anthony Newley as the Artful Dodger in Oliver Twist. Newley’s frequent collaborator, Leslie Bricusse, would write the music and lyrics for 1970’s Scrooge. That would later be adapted for stage in the 1990’s and starred Anthony Newley in the title role!

Special Note

Alastair Sim and Michael Hordern would go one to provide the voices of their characters for the Academy Award winning 1971 animated version!

Missing

• Phantom hearse
• Leaves out Ali Baba or any reference. When Scrooge is soon at school, he is much older and no longer immersing himself in fantasy.
• Alice (Belle) as a married woman (comely matron).
• Dick Wilkins
• The lighthouse and ship at sea (although it does have the coal miners)
• Sprinklings from the torch of the Ghost of Christmas Present.

Before They Were Famous

A young Patrick Macnee (The Avengers) plays the young Jacob Marley.