A Christmas Carol (1938)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

Edwin L. Marin

Writers:

Charles Dickens (short story)
Hugo Butler (screenplay)

Release Date:

16 December 1938 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy

Tagline:

Greater than "David Copperfield" !

Plot:

The timeworn Dickens' story about the old merchant Scrooge and how his own disappointments in life shape...

Plot Keywords:

Ghost | Christmas | Christmas Eve | Death | Charity

Cast

Reginald Owen	...	Ebenezer Scrooge
Gene Lockhart	...	Bob Cratchit
Kathleen Lockhart	...	Mrs. Cratchit
Terry Kilburn	...	Tiny Tim Cratchit
Barry MacKay	...	Fred - Scrooge's nephew (as Barry Mackay)
Lynne Carver	...	Bess - Fred's fiancee
Leo G. Carroll	...	Marley's Ghost
Lionel Braham	...	Spirit of Christmas Present
Ann Rutherford	...	Spirit of Christmas Past
D'Arcy Corrigan	...	Spirit of Christmas Future
Ronald Sinclair	...	Young Scrooge

Also Known As:

Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol (USA) (complete title)

Runtime:

69 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Canada:G (video rating) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | Finland:S | USA:Approved (PCA #4884)

Company:

Loew's

Trivia:

In the 1950s New York television market, there was a local channel 9 (WOR-TV then, WWOR-TV, Secaucus, NJ now) that broadcast a "movies only" show called "Million Dollar Movie". Its theme song was "Tara's Theme" from Gone with the Wind (1939), and its format was showing movies over and over again, back to back, not unlike in a movie theater. But on Christmas Eve for years and years, it would continuously play this movie right up to Christmas morning.

Goofs:

Continuity: After Bob is fired by Scrooge for throwing the snowball at him, he sadly walks behind the man with a goose; at different shots he has his scarf nesting right on his shoulder joint, and then hanging freely in front of him, and then back on his shoulder.

Quotes:

Ebenezer Scrooge: Please let me stay!
Spirit of Christmas Present: Nonsense! You don't want to stay!
Ebenezer Scrooge: Yes, I do!
Spirit of Christmas Present: No! You don't like Christmas!
Ebenezer Scrooge: Yes! Yes I do! I like Christmas! I LOVE Christmas!

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Jane Austen's Mafia! (1998)

Soundtrack:

Hark! the Herald Angels Sing

Reginald Owen is the star.....

How refreshing to see Reginald Owen as star of a movie. So what if he was the last minute replacement for Lionel Barrymore. I have read earlier comments for this movie, and I will give you my take.

I first saw Reginald Owen in "Mary Poppins", playing Admiral Boom, a character whom I thought was insanely crazy. I realized, many years later, that Owen was a very intelligent actor who had carried many a movie, mostly in character settings. Indeed, in "Poppins", Owen played along with all the craziness in the story.

In "A Christmas Carol", Owen plays Ebenezer Scrooge, essaying the lead part well. How refreshing, indeed. As an acting student, I noticed how Scrooge's forehead "old-age makeup" resembled that of what I was taught last summer in a theatre stage makeup class at The Ohio State University. There is that liquid latex (that has dried, of course) with just enough wrinkle to make his face give the hint of elderliness, whereas in real life Owen was only 51 years old.

As for Lionel Barrymore, I glean from my studies of the Barrymores that if they had made enough money on the stage they would never have "gone Hollywood", like they did. I think they had long ago sold out to the moneyed establishment. Definitely a lucky break for Reginald Owen, who for most of his career played the-glue character parts or second leads. Admiral Boom is certainly "an aside" in Mary Poppins.

In "A Christmas Carol", I noticed that "Tiny Tim" was played by the boy who played "Colley" in "Goodbye, Mr. Chips". So what if the actor was too old. He conveyed the spirit of the story. He was a good actor.

The Lockharts were great, especially Gene as Bob Cratchit. Lockhart also played the double roles of The Starkeeper and The Graduation Speaker in "Carousel", as an older man, and certainly always a rotund one. Indeed, it was other actors supporting Reginald Owen this time, not the other way 'round.

The Ghost of Christmas Present was well made up and costumed. I liked his hair and beautiful robes -- the robes reminded me of the fur-trimmed outfits of modern Santa Clauses. He did a good job showing Ebenezer Scrooge the error of his ways.

All, it was a heartwarming story about how a wretchedly selfish individual gets shown the error of his ways, and is given a chance to right his self-centered existence. A charming holiday season movie to watch.