Favorite Christmas Shows: #1 A Christmas Carol (1984)

#1: A Christmas Carol (1984)

Granted, throughout my life I wouldn’t have placed this film at the top of the list. Indeed, I first saw it not five or six years ago, after the Scott family had finally granted permission to have it re-broadcast. For my money, there is no finer adaptation of this classic Christmas tale than this one, and it’s my favorite film to watch and enjoy each and every year.

I suppose what I like best about this adaptation of the classic Dickens tale, as opposed to many of the other ones, is the strength of its cast. Led by one of the greatest actors of the 20^th century, George C. Scott, this film is supported by many great actors, who themselves have gone on to stellar careers. It also stars the great David Warner as Bob Cratchit, Roger Rees as Scrooge’s nephew Fred, (either of which would play an excellent Scrooge in their own right) Susannah York as Mrs. Cratchit, and so on and so forth.

Supporting cast members are also great. Many fans of Tim Burton’s Batman films will recognize Michael Gough as Mr. Poole, who asks Scrooge for a donation for the poor. Many of you will most likely not know the British actor John Sharp who also plays a minor role, but I recognized him from his character of Ezra Biggins who appeared in the television series “All Creatures Great & Small” which also appeared on this favorites list.

The 1984 film was filmed on location, in a manner of speaking. Filming took place in Shrewsbury England, which has since become a setting for many of Dickens film adaptations, in addition to being a great example of how London would have looked in the setting of the story. In fact, were you to travel to Shrewsbury today (and god willing, one day I will get the opportunity) you can visit the grave of Scrooge. The famous cemetery scene was filmed in a real church cemetery in the town and the tombstone was real, and still is there to this day.

The film was directed by Clive Donner. Donner served as an editor on the popular 1951 adaptation starring Alastair Sim, and was able to bring many of the same elements from that production into this one. And the music, scored by the great film composer Nick Bicat really sets the scenes. His overall theme, entitled God Bless Us, Everyone, is one of my all-time favorite Christmas tunes each year. I wish it were for general sale, but it isn’t.

As I said before, what makes this film so great is the quality of the acting, and this is the most true for its star. George C. Scott was able to channel Scrooge in a way that I haven’t seen anyone else quite rise to in any of the adaptations. Many times, when you watch an actor play a character as iconic as Scrooge, you get the feeling that they are simply reciting the lines. Perhaps it’s because many of us know the story well enough that we notice the action process more. I really don’t know. But it never seems to be that way with Scott.

He can take a line, like Scrooge’s line about the poor dying and they’d better do it or the line about every idiot going about with “Merry Christmas” on his lips and recite them as if he were the first and only person ever to utter those lines. You buy it, because he makes it so compelling.

My brother always says that if he were ever in a stage version he would play the Ghost of Christmas Future
Because he would only have to stand there, and point.

It’s a gem to watch a really great performer work. In smaller ways, I’ve seen stage actors, both at the local and professional level that I believe were able to tap into that, and Scott is one of those great actors. He makes this film, and the tremendous supporting cast that works along with him, also bring the same gravitas to their roles.

It is, in my humble opinion, the best adaptation of this classic tale, and, for my money, the best Christmas movie. I never miss an opportunity to watch and view this film at this time of the year, and sometimes multiple times during the course of the year. It’s amazing film, and worth anyone’s time to check out for themselves.