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Although I had never before seen this 1951 version
of the classic Dickens story A Christmas Carol, I felt a sense
of deja vu throughout the whole movie. One reason for this is
the fact that this tale has been told so many times by so many
people that the words 'Scrooge' and 'humbug' have become part
of the English language. Another reason is that I suspect that
Alistair Sims' rendition of Ebeneezer Scrooge has been the basis
(either consciously or unintentionally) of many subsequent villainous
characters. Even C. Montgomery Burns from the Simpsons bears
an uncanny resemblance.
The story itself is timeless, but I found this
version to be particularly poignant. The black and white film
adds a certain amount of atmosphere, while Alistair Sims provides
us with an excellent performance as the title character. The
narrative progresses nicely, drawing us into a distaste of Scrooge's
wickedness, then revealing the aspects of his past that bring
us to pity him, until his eventual redemption where he almost
becomes a hero. When you think about it those terms, this story
even parallels the story that George Lucas is in the middle
of giving us about a certain Darth Vader.
This is one of the ultimate tales to remind
us of the true spirit of Christmas. If you haven't got the spirit
of Christmas after seeing It's a Wonderful Life, then see this
version of Scrooge. These two movies together will provide you
with all the Christmas spirit you can handle. If that's not
enough then watch this just to see a very young George Cole
in action (as the young Ebeneezer).
A classic.
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