Scrooge

One of the best film versions, and much better print than usual
This review refers to the 2002 DVD release on the "Image" label (orange and green jacket) with film elements from "The Blackhawk Films Collection."

SCROOGE is the first sound version of Charles Dickens's "A Christmas Carol," filmed in England in 1935. I think this is one of the best screen adaptations of the story. Ebenezer Scrooge is played with Fieldsian grouchiness and ad-libbed asides by Sir Seymour Hicks, who had played the role on stage for decades, and he's terrific! (I suspect that Dickens scholar W. C. Fields caught some of Hicks's performances.) Donald Calthrop is the best Bob Cratchit I've ever seen; Robert Cochran is enjoyable as Scrooge's nephew Fred, and Philip Frost is cute as Tiny Tim. Director Henry Edwards deserves a round of applause for his careful handling of the story. The period detail is amazing, and the entire production is atmospheric and impressive. This version also goes a little deeper into story detail than most film versions (it's the only...

Don't let the low price fool you -- a good DVD!
There are several versions of this on DVD. This review is for the Front Row DVD. I'm happy to say that despite the cheap price, the disc is quite acceptable. There ARE a lot of scratches on the print, but the picture is sharp (for it's age) and the sound is very clear. Best of all, the film is complete. This same title is available from Marengo Films as a double feature, but it's missing 17 minutes of footage. (See my review for details.)
As for the movie, it's not the best version of the story, but it's good and worthwhile for any Christmas Carol collection. It contains scenes on a ship and in a lighthouse that are taken from the book, but rarely filmed. It also has one scene that isn't in ANY other version -- Bob Cratchit mourning over the body of Tiny Tim, upstairs in their home. It's in the book, but a real surprise on film. On the other hand all but one of the ghosts is invisible. Oh well. Buy it anyway, and Merry Christmas!

DO NOT BUY THIS DVD!!!
Colorization, clarity DO NOT matter when 18 essential, vital minutes are hacked out of this version. I have the full movie as released by Image in 2002: try to get this one, if possible. And if you expect to find the full version as an extra on the ULTIMATE Sim version released last year or so...don't be fooled. They offer up the abridged version likewise.

This release, though, is a total travesty. Two of the BEST scenes in this version are NOT to be found herein: the Ghost of Christmas Present's tour over London and beyond and the wonderfully touching ending to the film, unique in all the Scrooge versions I know of. ( Please see my review on Amazon of this version when LEGEND first released it last year solely in black and white, but truncated all the same, for further information.)

Click to Editorial Reviews