A Christmas Carol film adaptation series part 2:
Laura’s Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
Known as Scrooge in England and released as A Christmas Carol in the U.S., this black and white film has more of an old-fashioned feel to it. However, it surprisingly strays a bit from the original story. There are less direct quotes from the novella, but most rephrasings are nearly identical in meaning.
The Analysis:
The movie has a rather serious tone and feels very traditional, with classical Christmas songs playing in the background throughout and religion emphasized more than other versions. This movie adaptation of A Christmas Carol also really emphasizes Dickens' original idea of a Christmas ghost story. There is a spookier feeling when the spirits arrive. Ghostly moans and noises put Scrooge on edge after he sees the face of Jacob Marley in his door knocker. Upon arrival, the spirit is more shrieking, desperate, and haunting than in other versions. I find that this makes him more convincing in his message to Scrooge. Also, it is clearly stated that it is Jacob who has orchestrated this potential path to salvation for his old partner, which I found interesting.
There were some substantial changes from the original story in this film adaptation, including many added scenes that do not appear in the book. Most of these additions occur during the visit from the Ghost of Christmas Past and serve to give Scrooge a more detailed backstory. We see an offer for Scrooge to work at a prestigious firm, the death of his sister, Scrooge’s old employer Fezziwig going out of business, his new employer being involved in an embezzlement scandal, and even the death of Jacob Marley. While none of these scenes explicitly appear in the book, they also do not stray completely from the story. They are simply more fleshed out ideas of things implied in the book. I personally prefer adaptations that stick closely to the source material but it was interesting to see the details of the main story reimagined in this version.
There is no narration in this version like in the Dickens story or other movie versions, forcing main actor Alastair Sim to convey thoughts and feelings more strongly through action. For most of the film, he excels at this but I did not enjoy his performance as Scrooge near the end of the movie, where he comes across as crazy and bumbling. This is an interesting adaptation of A Christmas Carol that stays true to the main message of the story while adding its own flair and interpretation.
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