The earliest sound version of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, Henry Edwards’ brief adaptation Scrooge is nothing if not strange. Multiple versions exist and this review refers to the 60 minute edit. Seymour Hicks opens the movie as the grumpiest man on Earth while the rest of the cast appears not to notice. Christmas is apparently cause for great merriment in mid-19th century London and characters dance, prance, and sing their way around the town. Scrooge is visited by three ghosts, only one of which is seen (Christmas Present, looking like Santa Claus without the beard). The others are shadows, a frankly bizarre choice given the importance of visuals in the art of cinema. Scrooge makes a quick turnaround and by the end is dancing and tearful himself.
The film has some strong points. For one, it shows the spread of wealth that cast an effective shadow over all of Dickens’ work. The London of the film feels lived in and vivid, no small feat. Hicks is quite good as Scrooge early on, although by the end he is verging on buffoonery. However, the brevity of the film, the rapid shift in tone, and the ridiculous visualization of the spirits lead to an overall disappointing experience. The film can get you in the Christmas spirit but there are better versions (the 1951 Alastair Sim version, for one) available. ✰ ½.
MJM 12-20-2011