Scrooge (1970)

I wish I'd managed to watch this overlooked British film musical before Christmas but even with the trees and decorations down for days, it was still a very pleasurable watch. Beats me why it's never mentioned in the top list of classic festive films as it has a lot going for it.The story is so well known and there have been so many film versions of it that familiarity could breed some discontent if not quite contempt, but the twist is here is that it's played as a musical with a lively score by the celebrated Leslie Bricusse. Here, he has to contend with two of his main actors probably challenging Lee Marvin for the award for worst singer in a major production, being Albert Finney and Alec Guinness, but despite this palpable drawback, the movie works well.The evocation of mid-19th Century London is splendidly achieved (in sets apparently left over from the recently completed "Oliver!") with no stinting on cast numbers per scene either. The songs are happy singalong and yet suffused with the personality of the singer, thus Scrooge's "I Hate People" and later the crowd, led by Anton Rogers, singing "Thank You Very Much" to Scrooge for dying.The special effects aren't that great, especially when you see a white-painted Guinness as Marley's ghost float up and away on wires but they're tolerable for the time.Finney is very good even buried away under more pancaked makeup than Shrove Tuesday, Guinness a lot less so in a part in which he's obviously ill at ease. Director Neame directs with some flair and stays reasonably close to the source story.Some Christmas presents I find are best appreciated even if delayed until after the day itself. Watching this film was like that for me, a little post-Yuletide delight all the more welcome

This 1970 movie, "Scrooge," is the first and best movie musical made of "A Christmas Carol." At 113 minutes, it is a very good telling of the story, with most elements included. As with all versions, this one has its changes or extensions. Here, that is the music and an added sequence toward the end with the Spirit of Christmas Future. This film received high praise when it came out, but had some criticism of the musical score. I think the music is weak in the first half of the film. Nor are the tunes and lyrics very good or catching. Thankfully, that turns around in the second half, which has wonderful rousing and catchy tunes, as well as a couple of very good dancing\\\e scenes. Rather than debit this film for a weak start on the music, one should consider the story itself without the music. It has more depth than almost all other films in the various minor characters. A good amount of time is given to Scrooge's early love life. Albert Finney excels in the role of Scrooge. As he is taken on his trips to look into the past, present and future, he becomes immersed in the scenes. The spirits explain that these are only shadows of reality, so he isn't really there and the people can't see or hear him. But, Finney's Scrooge can't stay back as an observer. He becomes eagerly, emotionally, and energetically involved. This happens in the scene of the break-up with his fiancé, Isabel Fezziwig (played by Suzanne Neve). It happens with the party at nephew Fred's home. And, it happens in the futuristic street scene of people cheering Scrooge for the gift Tom Jenkins (played by Anton Rodgers) says Scrooge has given them. All of this makes and shapes Scrooge's character. So, each time he finds himself back in bed, he's a little less convinced that it was a dream. And, he's a little more inclined toward being able to change. I think this film shows that better than any other, including the excellent 1938 and 1951 films. My DVD of the 1970 film has the full movie, which includes a significant added sequence in the graveyard toward the end. This addition more directly and clearly depicts the moral implications of the story. It has some nice humor and cynicism amid the moral messages. Scrooge falls into his grave, spirals downward and wakes up in hell. The ghost of Jacob Marley (played excellently by Alec Guinness) is there to greet him, "because no one else wanted to." Marley tells Scrooge that Lucifer was so pleased with how he lived his life, that he was making him his personal clerk. "A singular honor," Marley says. "You will be to him, so to speak, what Bob Cratchit was to you." Scrooge says, "That's not fair. It's... It's …" Marley finishes his sentence, "Diabolical. I must confess, I find it not altogether unamusing." What great humor. But, besides the humor, this and the rest of the scene of Scrooge in hell are enough to put him over for conversion. So, when he awakens sitting on the floor at the corner of his bed with bed sheets twisted around his throat, his conversion is imminent. Finney's horrified, injured and weeping portrayal here is so sincere and real that the horror of the added sequence can be seen as the final push for his conversion. His dialog changes and his character changes as he reflects. "Perhaps it didn't happen after all. Perhaps it did. But I'm alive. I'm alive. I've got a chance to change, and I will not be the man I was. I'll begin again. I will build my life. I will live to know that I fulfilled my life. I'll begin today." The marvelous conclusion has more elaboration on the events after Scrooge's conversion, and this is where the very good musical parts come to a crescendo – tunes and dance. Besides Albert Finney's outstanding portrayal, other members of the cast excel, and all others are very good. Guinness's Jacob Marley's is by far the biggest ghost role in any films, and he nails it perfectly. The one role that I think most movies have always filled very well is the Ghost of Christmas Present. But, Kenneth More in that role here sets the standard as a head above all others. Edith Evans, a former first lady of British stage, is superb as the Ghost of Christmas Past. She isn't schmaltzy but rather direct and matter-of-fact. David Collings is superb as Bob Cratchit, Frances Cuba is spot-on as Ethel Cratchit, Michael Medwin is excellent as Nephew Fred, and Anton Rodgers plays Tom Jenkins superbly as a debtor of Scrooge. In general, this movie did more than any others to flesh out the circumstances of who Scrooge is and what he has lost in the past. Specifically, he has romantic scenes with Isabel, and we see him contacting a number of men and ladies who owe him small debts. We get the feel that besides his big business deals, he also loaned to individuals in their small businesses, probably at usury levels of interest. In the end, with the scenes we see here, Scrooge's conversion is all the more believable, realistic and exuberant. So, all of this adds up to making this 1970 musical film of the Dickens classic one of the best, if not the best. I have all the live action films in my library. But for those who don't want or can't afford that many, I recommend the 1938 (Reginald Owen), 1951 (Alastair Sim) and 1970 (Albert Finney) films. These are clearly heads above all the others.

...or else I might just have passed on something hawked as "Scrooge, the Musical!". I actually had to used my allowance to go see this with a friend (I was 12) and I actually scraped some of my money together to go see it a second time. Unlike so many experiences from childhood that seem larger than life and are disappointing as an adult, I still love this film and think it is the best of the film renditions of "A Christmas Carol".I am putting a spoiler warning on this just in case there is somebody on earth who has never heard of the story of Dickens' "A Christmas Carol". Believe me, the joy is in the experience, not knowing every little plot point.Albert Finney was at just the right age that he could strike a handsome impressive pose as Scrooge the shy young man, yet look realistic with the right makeup (and trust me the makeup jobs here are great) as a bitter dried up old man who finds comfort in nothing, not even his money. He simply holds fast to it because he thinks everyone sane is as self involved as he is and if not, that they are fools.Alec Guinness is terrific as Marley, Scrooge's long dead partner now in hell. He is terrifying yet he plays the part somewhat tongue in cheek almost to the point that you feel he isn't too upset that Scrooge is headed to where he is in the afterlife, he just enjoys scaring the daylights out of him.Never being particularly religious as a child, the vision of hell conjured up when Scrooge confronts his future was very terrifying to me at the time, just the same.And then there is the music - the songs actually work and add to the enjoyment of the film, "Thank You Very Much" being the most rousing.There is just ONE tiny thing that occurs to me now when I watch this 44 years later that did not occur to me as a child. Would everybody have been so welcoming to a redeemed generous Scrooge the day after his epiphany if he hadn't had the money to buy things for them? Just a thought.

There so many versions it's hard to keep up and.not compared them to the early at the ones 1938 .1951. And I have also seen 1935 was I did not like and was not fan of billy muffs Scrooge .When I put this on . I had no idea was a musical one at all,, not a fan musicals. . That is one reasons I did nit like it.The other reason is that even before the singing started , I just could not get into the movie at all. Ii felt the seem were longer the. Others and lingers sconces , I was a Little bored and looking at my watch .I don't think I like can't of songs at all and they went for to long for my taste even those thank you every much song , got stuck in my head all the next day and yet I. Hated it.For me this was not one of my fav version of Scrooge . 4/10