Scrooge (1970)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Ronald Neame

Writers:

Charles Dickens (story)
Leslie Bricusse (screenplay)

Release Date:

5 November 1970 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Musical | Fantasy | Family

Tagline:

A NEW MUSICAL

Plot:

A musical retelling of Charles Dickens' classic Christmas tale.

Plot Keywords:

Christmas | Ghost | 1860s | Rowboat | Abyss

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 1 win & 6 nominations

Cast

Albert Finney	...	Ebenezer Scrooge
Edith Evans	...	Ghost of Christmas Past
Kenneth More	...	Ghost of Christmas Present
Laurence Naismith	...	Mr. Fezziwig
Michael Medwin	...	Nephew Harry
David Collings	...	Bob Cratchit
Anton Rodgers	...	Tom Jenkins
Suzanne Neve	...	Isabel Fezziwig
Frances Cuka	...	Mrs. Cratchit
Derek Francis	...	1st Gentleman of Charity
Gordon Jackson	...	Tom - Friend of Harry's
Roy Kinnear	...	2nd Gentleman of Charity
Mary Peach	...	Fred's Wife
Paddy Stone	...	Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come
Kay Walsh	...	Mrs. Fezziwig

Runtime:

113 min | UK:120 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Mono (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Canada:G (Manitoba) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Iceland:L | Finland:K-8 | Sweden:Btl | UK:U | USA:G | Singapore:PG

Company:

Waterbury Films

Trivia:

Alec Guinness did not enjoy doing this movie. It required much more time than he expected, with the need of wires and a harness for his floating character. He suffered a double-hernia that required surgery to repair.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Just before The Ghost of Christmas Present and Scrooge fly through the window, you can see the wires that are connected to Albert Finney.

Quotes:

Ebenezer Scrooge: What reason have you got to be merry? You're poor enough.
Fred: What reason have you got to be miserable? You're rich enough.
Ebenezer Scrooge: There is no such thing as rich enough; only poor enough.

Movie Connections:

Featured in A Hollywood Christmas (1996) (V)

Soundtrack:

Happiness

Unbeatable!

I have just read a negative comment about this movie. I believe it's the first I've ever encountered. Yes, I was a bit scared when I was young, but I had reassuring parents and saw that in the end, it was upbeat and fun.

One favorite part is while Bob Crachit and his kids are getting last minute things for Christmas Eve (During Christmas Children), there is such an obvious display of the differences between the rich and the poorer classes. The rich pick up their things and he, a poorer man, picks up what he can with his 15 schillings - yet stays upbeat, thankful and loving. It's really a beautiful scene.

I love to watch this movie at any time of the year. Albert Finney really nails this character. It's hard to believe that he was only 34 when he made this film. My kids (4 and 7) could not believe that was really him in the Christmas Past scenes.

The rest of the cast indeed are incredible. Bob Crachit was outstanding and so tender and the ghost of Christmas Present was so fun.

I attempted to watch the latest musical version with Kelsey Grammar, I really tried. It was a painful 15 minutes. You just can't create another musical version of this story that tops this one!