Scrooge (1935)

Director:

Henry Edwards

Writers:

Charles Dickens (novel)
H. Fowler Mear (writer)

Release Date:

30 November 1935 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Family | Fantasy

Plot:

Scrooge, the ultimate Victorian miser, hasn't a good word for Christmas, though his impoverished clerk...

Plot Keywords:

Scrooge | Christmas | Redemption | Victorian Era | Period Piece

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Seymour Hicks	...	Ebenezer Scrooge (as Sir Seymour Hicks)
Donald Calthrop	...	Bob Cratchit
Robert Cochran	...	Fred
Mary Glynne	...	Belle
Garry Marsh	...	Belle's husband
Oscar Asche	...	Spirit of Christmas Present
Marie Ney	...	Spirit of Christmas Past
C.V. France	...	Spirit of Christmas Future
Athene Seyler	...	Scrooge's charwoman
Maurice Evans	...	Poor man
Mary Lawson	...	Poor man's wife
Barbara Everest	...	Mrs. Cratchit
Eve Gray	...	Fred's wife
Morris Harvey	...	Poulterer with Prize Turkey
Philip Frost	...	Tiny Tim

Runtime:

78 min | USA:63 min (edited version)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Visatone Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:G | USA:Approved | UK:U

Filming Locations:

Twickenham Film Studios, St Margarets, Twickenham, Middlesex, England, UK

Company:

Twickenham Film Studios

Trivia:

The voice of the Ghost of Christmas Past is not that of Marie Ney, whose physical outline can be seen onscreen as the Ghost. Ney was a woman, and the voice of the Ghost of Christmas Past is that of an uncredited male actor.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: As Cratchit enters a room to see his dead son Tiny Tim, a crew's middle finger can be seen slowly closing the door behind him.

Quotes:

Ebenezer Scrooge: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all the world!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "EastEnders: Christmas Day 2001: Part 1" (2001)

Shorter version has been a PBS favorite

Because of the overwhelming popularity of Alistair Sim's portrayal of Ebenezer Scrooge this trimmer, older version may be overlooked as a matter of course. To some it may appear creaky and old fashioned, and yet after watching Sir Seymour Hick's performance it is difficult to disagree with the claim that his is the best rendition of the miser so far given. What this particular telling of Dickens' classic tale has going for it, is the time spent with the first part of the story, which focuses on the cruel & despicable Ebenezer. Hicks, with scant make-up cannot be outdone as the embodiment of a person who is to be avoided at all costs. The problem with the other films is that they spend too little time with the first 3rd of the story. One of the most important details has to be the transformation of Scrooge, and if not enough time in proportion is given in the beginning, the end result doesn't come off as strong. And as with most people who grew up watching, say, Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes personified, well then, if you viewed Hicks before Sims, you would no doubt cast your vote for Hicks, who had in fact played the part before. In the acting department the other actors do a very fine job as well. As for special effects, you'll be best forewarned not to expect any. The main question, though, regarding this motion picture is the exact running time. There are 2 editions that are shown on TV, one 60 minutes, the other a minute longer. The scene that is missing from one is when Mr. Scrooge follows after the boy to the butcher's to see the prize goose he is about to purchase. The other various minutes are as follows: video catalogs have given it 61, "The World Encyclopedia of the Film" has 67, and IMDb 78!