Scrooge (1951)

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Director:

Brian Desmond Hurst

Writers:

Charles Dickens (story) and
Noel Langley (adaptation)

Release Date:

31 October 1951 (UK)

Genre:

Fantasy | Drama

Tagline:

Now! The story that has brought joy to millions! A new screen triumph!

Plot:

An old bitter miser is given a chance for redemption when he is haunted by ghosts on Christmas Eve.

Plot Keywords:

Christmas | Ghost | Scrooge | Miser | Redemption

Cast

Alastair Sim	...	Ebenezer Scrooge
Kathleen Harrison	...	Mrs. Dilber
Mervyn Johns	...	Bob Cratchit
Hermione Baddeley	...	Mrs. Cratchit
Michael Hordern	...	Jacob Marley / Marley's Ghost
George Cole	...	Young Ebenezer Scrooge
John Charlesworth	...	Peter Cratchit
Francis De Wolff	...	Spirit of Christmas Present (as Francis de Wolff)
Rona Anderson	...	Alice
Carol Marsh	...	Fan Scrooge
Brian Worth	...	Fred
Miles Malleson	...	Old Joe
Ernest Thesiger	...	The Undertaker
Glyn Dearman	...	Tiny Tim
Michael Dolan	...	Spirit of Christmas Past

Also Known As:

A Christmas Carol (USA)

Runtime:

86 min | Germany:74 min (video version)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (tinted)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #15238) | Finland:K-8 | UK:U | West Germany:6

Filming Locations:

Nettlefold Studios, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, England, UK

Company:

George Minter Productions

Trivia:

Michael Hordern was not on set when the "Marley's Ghost" segment was filmed; he was added in later through the use of an optical printer. He only appears together with Sim in the two scenes at the end of the "Ghost of Christmas Past" sequence, the latter of the two being the scene where Jacob Marley dies. This was also true of Michael Dolan, who played the Spirit of Christmas Past; he never actually played any scenes on the set with Sim.

Goofs:

Continuity: Early in the movie, Scrooge is complaining about having to give Bob Cratchit Christmas day off with pay. Scrooge puts his scarf on and then Cratchit helps him put his coat on, over the scarf. In the next shot, Scrooge is seen walking outside with the scarf wrapped over his mouth, outside of his of coat.

Quotes:

Ebenezer: [to Bob Cratchit] Well, my friend, I'm not going to beat around the bush. I'm simply not going to stand this sort of thing any longer. Which leaves me no choice, but to raise your salary.
[starts laughing hysterically]

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Christmas Special Christmas Special (2004) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Silent Night

My all time favourite film

I am sure Charles Dickens would be more than pleased with the film adaptation of 'A Christmas Carol'. A truly remarkable film that never fails to delight me. There are so many poignant scenes. When for instance Scrooge asks his nephew's wife for forgiveness for being a 'pig headed old fool' it never fails to have me reaching for the nearest tissues. However, the one scene that sticks in my mind is where Scrooge is settling down to eat his bowl of soup in his dressing gown and slippers in front of the fire. The expression on his face on hearing the voice of Jacob Marley, and subsequently dropping his spoon and its contents into his soup bowl, is for me a cinematic treasure.