What is the Best Version of Dickens' "A Christmas Carol"?

[SittinYonder]

Yep!

[yarddog]

I am not sure if that is the same one I remember but one of the black and whites which date from the 50's or maybe 40's is much better than any of the new ones.

Actually the Donald Duck/Mickey Mouse one was not that bad considering it was a cartoon.

[RosieCotton]

*sniff*

That's just beautiful, isn't it?

[unbalanced but fair]

"Muppets' Christmas Carol"...you've got to love Gonzo as Charles Dickens, Kermit as Bob Cratchit, and Michael Caine as Scrooge! Also,I don't usually like musical versions, but I liked the musical "Scrooge" with Albert Finney. Couldn't get the song "Thank You Very Much" out of my head.

[tet68]

Alistair Sim is truly the best but I also like
the Susan Lucci one .

[JenB]

Haven't seen the Rankin/Bass version. I've seen lots of other versions... that Patrick Stewart one's not bad. But I still like the muppets best.

[brewer1516]

Spot on!
Excellent version. (The book version is a kick as well).

[Maigret]

I am not sure if that is the same one I remember but one of the black and whites which date from the 50's or maybe 40's is much better than any of the new ones.

That is the one, Scrooge is what it is usually called, starred Alastair Sim and was made in 1951.

And if anyone would like a new Christmas CD this year I heartily recommend Clay Aiken's Christmas with Love. It is full of heartfelt old fashioned Christmas tunes and one beautiful newer one called Mary Did You Know. His special will be on next Wednesday night on NBC.

[WhiteGuy]

Muppets.

No question.

[isom35]

blackadder's with rowan atkinson. in his, the reverse happens- he starts out as nice, and ends up being mean. I thought it was the version closest to real life :)

[SamAdams76]

I'm partial to the 1951 Alistair Sim version as that was the first one I saw growing up as a child. My fourth grade teacher actually took the class to see it as a field trip back in 1971. Can you imagine that? That would never happen today. Wouldn't want to "offend" anybody!

BTW, that was the first movie I had ever been to. My parents weren't big moviegoers and never took me to a movie. So that was quite an experience for me.

I like just about every version of The Christmas Carol.

[Starrling]

I like An American Christmas Carol with Henry Winkler followed by the version with George C. Scott. Does anyone remember An American Christmas Carol?

[traderrob6]

Yea, that was a great one indeed

[MissouriConservative]

Best versions in order to me

1. 1951 Alister Sims version

2. 2004 Kelsey Grammer musical version

3. Bill Murray version (Scrooged)

[ihatemyalarmclock]

Sim's transformation is the most dramatic of all the Scrooge actors IMO.

I'm with you, TP2. A true epiphany in the Sim portrayal.

In the larger sense, "A Christmas Carol" is a British story penned by a British novelist, and the Brits just seem to tell it better than the Yanks do.

[Republican Wildcat]

Scrooge: What can I do for you gentlemen?
Solicitor1: We're here on behalf of the indingant and destitute.
Scrooge: For the what?
Solicitor2: We're collecting for the poor.
Scrooge: Oh...uh huh. Well...uh...if you give to the poor they wouldn't be poor anymore?
Solicitor1: Well, I suppose...
Scrooge: And if they weren't poor anymore, then you gentlemen wouldn't have to collect money for them anymore!
Solicitor2: Uh, yes ...
Scrooge: And if you don't have to collect money for them anymore...then you gentlemen would be out of a job...oh, please gentlemen, don't ask me to put you out of a job...not on Christmas Eve!

[Bahbah]

"The English version with Alstair Sim has always been my favorite."

Mine as well, but I want to add Bill Murray's "Scrooged" which I think is just gret.

[Truth is a Weapon]

Bump for Later

[SoftballMominVA]

"Mary, Did you know?" is also sung beautifully by Kathy Mattea. Heartwarming--listening to it right now!

[bboop]

Muppet Christmas Carol -- I second that.