How Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol' Helped Bring Christmas Back to Life

Townhall ^ | 11/22/2017 | Cortney O'Brien

[blueunicorn6]

Their Mom.

[Kartographer]

'A Christmas Carol' is a great at capturing the spirit of Christmas, but I must say the best words that truly define the power of Christmas were written by Dr. Seuss:

IT came without ribbons. it came without tags. it came without packages, boxes or bags. and he puzzled ’till his puzzler was sore. then the grinch thought of something he hadn’t before. what if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. what if christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more…

[ExGeeEye]

Best Chico piano bit, IMHO (on the ship)

[bar sin·is·ter]

Nothing better on a cold night than a hot Dickens Cider.

[Tucker39]

We ALWAYS watch 3 flicks during the Christmas Season: A Christmas Carol, starring George C. Scott; The Brit Musical “SCROOGE” starring Albert Finney; and White Christmas, starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, et al.

[dp0622]

Yes!

[Little Bill]

I still remember our 3rd grade teacher reading us kids the “Christmas Carol” before Christmas break in 1953.

[lowbridge]

Out of curiosity, why the george c scott version over all the other versions? (Ive seen that version, its very good of course. But cant see why some consider it the absolute best one).

[jmacusa]

My wife and I watch Alistair Sim as Scrooge in the 1951. Best version ever made. I heartily suggest you give it a view.

[jmacusa]

Mine too. The wife and I watch it every year. Best one ever made.

[minnesota_bound]

#23 Chico Marx Playing Piano. 10 films!! Complete
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amQ63EZfUMA

[ETL]

Out of curiosity, why the George C. Scott version over all the other versions? (Ive seen that version, its very good of course. But cant see why some consider it the absolute best one).

I especially liked it for it's beautiful cinematography and sets. But also its acting and the fact that it was in color.

Scrooge [A Christmas Carol] (1951) HD
Alastair Sim, Jack Warner, Kathleen Harrison
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2c1woo

A Christmas Carol (1984) HD
George C. Scott
“A Christmas Carol is a 1984 British-American made-for-television film adaptation of Charles Dickens’ famous 1843 novella of the same name. The film is directed by Clive Donner who had been an editor of the 1951 film Scrooge and stars George C. Scott as Ebenezer Scrooge.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZI5UWo7NCdY&t=665s

[ShasheMac]

Albert Finney’s “Srooge” can be found uncut on YouTube. It’s my favorite version.

[Kartographer]

Here are three reasons I find George C Scott 1984 ‘A Christmas Carol’ as the best.

1. George’s portial of a single minde business man and not some cartoonish mean spirited misanthrope, Scott’s Scrooge is a number of times clearly suprised that his actions are often interpreted as anything but normal business. Scott’s Scrooge has cut himself off from his fellow man and is an island to himself only realizing what the cost of his self imposed exile has been during his ghostly life review.

2. This version was flimed in Shrewsbury, England, which gives a genuine feel and look can not be duplicated on a a soundstage.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrewsbury

3. The suporting cast was and has in my opionion never been equaled in any other production. Scott’s fellow players:

Frank Finlay ... Jacob Marley
Angela Pleasence... Ghost of Christmas Past
Edward Woodward ... Ghost of Christmas Present
Michael Carter ... Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come
David Warner ... Bob Cratchit
Susannah York ... Mrs. Cratchit
Anthony Walters ... Tiny Tim
Roger Rees ... Fred Holywell / Narrator
Caroline Langrishe... Janet Holywell
Lucy Gutteridge ... Belle
Nigel Davenport ... Silas Scrooge
Mark Strickson ... Young Scrooge
Joanne Whalley ... Fan
Timothy Bateson ... Mr. Fezziwig

[ETL]

Scrooge - Albert Finney (1970)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHfaRVf5cUY

[ETL]

Scrooge (1935)

“Scrooge is a 1935 British fantasy film directed by Henry Edwards and starring Seymour Hicks, Donald Calthrop and Robert Cochran. Hicks appears as Ebenezer Scrooge, the miser who hates Christmas.

It was the first sound version of the Charles Dickens classic A Christmas Carol, not counting a 1928 short subject that now appears to be lost.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2mzZZe12kM

[ETL]

Here’s a classic cartoon version...

Mister Magoo’s Christmas Carol (1962)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKzfNu12Uqc
____________________________________

Not sure if this below is the same as one of the others I linked to

A Christmas Carol - by Charles Dickens

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XT0Rzy5Op2Q

[SamAdams76]

Aside from "Call Of The Wild" by Jack London, "A Christmas Carol" is the story I have read most often. It's been a few years since I last read it so I think I'll go ahead and read it again. Which would make maybe the 20th time.

Another book I recommend is...

[ETL]

This audio/radio version sounds interesting...

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens - Radio drama starring Ralph Richardson (1965)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oc2J3xq1geQ