The Evangelical Universalist Forum

A Christmas Carol

Studies Film, Movie & Video Clips
#1

Oh, my! How many film versions there are of this most effective story!

I don’t know if you know this, but Dicken’s originally wrote it, in part, as a satire on the attitude the Parliament of his day had toward the poor. Scrooge’s words at the beginning are right from the floor of Parliament.

However, that relevancy is lost on us, much like it is in Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels. But the story remains to us as one of the most glorious stories ever penned of… redemption. Scrooge’s reaction after the third ghost departs often reminds me of the joy that must have been barely contained in the home of Zachaeus when the King visited with him.

And even at that, “There is more Joy in Heaven when one sinner repents…!”

JOY!! That’s what all this redemption is about! Redemption brings JOY!!

I get it. I got it. I want more of it.

So, which version of a Christmas Carol is your favorite?

And why?

Mine, of the six versions I have, is the 1999 Patrick Stewart’s version because of his reaction after the last visit. It is quite memorable.

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

Next is Albert Finney in the 1970 musical version because of the cool songs, like Thank You Very Much, and the appearance of Obi-Wan Kenobi, well, Sir Alec Guinness, anyway, portraying a quite scary Marley’s ghost with a very wry humor - before he became Obi-Wan Kenobi, and later, Obi-Wan’s ghost!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DopWfOB2XX8

The other versions I have are the 1951 version with Alistair Sim as Scrooge; the 1999 version with George C. Scott; 1988’s Scrooged with Bill Murray and a delightful and very funny portrayal of the Ghost of Christmas present by Carol Kane; and lastly, Disney’s recent version with Jim Carey as almost everyone. That version contains dialogue from the book that has never appeared in any version I am familiar with, when the Ghost of Christmas present is challenged by Scrooge to explain why all the bakers and grocers are forced to close on Sunday, when it is the poor who need them open the most.

I read the entire story to my family almost every Christmas, and with practiced flourish. It’s a really good book for one to master the reading.

So what versions of A Christmas Carol have you seen apart from these? I want to watch them all!

#2

The Alistair Sim Was always a must see but I must say the George C Scott version is undoubtedly my favorite! :smiley: The subtlety of the acting and writers plot, makes the GCS version draw one in… Very well done, and a very moving version :exclamation:

#3

This English musical version, had some dark humor. Like this scene:

or

youtube.com/watch?v=Dkq7WZTzkLQ

And if folks are singing this song at your funeral - guess what? If the universalists advocating postmortem correction, or fundamentalists advocating ECT - are right, then you are in big trouble. And don’t add insult to injury, by singing along as a ghost - like Scrooge did. :exclamation: :laughing:

#4

I agree. Scott’s terse and urbane portrayal of Scrooge, before his repentance, sets the viewer to well appreciate the satisfied and debonair portrayal of Ebeneezer after he experiences the first joy of his redemption. This is especially true as we watch him give a most profound and intelligent apology to his nephew, Fred, and Fred’s wife in a scene much expanded from the original.
And that’s another plus for this version because we get to witness subtle departures from the original story, like Scrooge meeting Tiny Tim before the Ghost of Christmas Present brought Scrooge to the Cratchit home, and getting to see an interaction between the young Ebeneezer and his Father through the Ghost of Christmas Past.
Also, David Warner as Bob Cratchit was a good, but unexpected choice, considering Warner usually portrays a, “bad guy.”

Obviously, this is a story that, like the Prodigal Son, will be retold and re-imagined and re-understood for all the time that is left us till Jesus’ return to complete the redemption of all. A-mem.

So, until then, may it continue to haunt all our homes pleasantly, and none wish to lay it.