Scrooge (1970)

A musical retelling of Charles Dickens' classic Christmas tale.

Director:

Ronald Neame

Writers:

Charles Dickens (story), Leslie Bricusse (screenplay)

Stars:

Albert Finney, Edith Evans, Kenneth More

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 1 win & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Albert Finney	...	Ebenezer Scrooge
Edith Evans	...	Ghost of Christmas Past
Kenneth More	...	Ghost of Christmas Present
Laurence Naismith	...	Mr. Fezziwig
Michael Medwin	...	Nephew Fred
David Collings	...	Bob Cratchit
Anton Rodgers	...	Tom Jenkins
Suzanne Neve	...	Isabel Fezziwig
Frances Cuka	...	Ethel 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

Storyline

In 1860, the stingy and cranky Ebenezer Scrooge that hates Christmas; loathes people and defends the decrease of the surplus of poor population runs his bank exploiting his employee Bob Cratchit and clients, giving a bitter treatment to his own nephew and acquaintances. However, in the Christmas Eve, he is visited by the doomed ghost of his former partner Jacob Marley that tells him that three spirits would visit him that night. The first one, the spirit of past Christmas, recalls his miserable youth when he lost his only love due to his greed; the spirit of the present Christmas shows him the poor situation of Bob's family and how joyful life may be; and the spirit of future Christmas shows his fate. Scrooge finds that life is good and time is too short and suddenly you are not there anymore, changing his behavior toward Christmas, Bob, his nephew and people in general.

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Plot Keywords:

christmas | spirit | nephew | 1860s | ghost | 

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Taglines:

A NEW MUSICAL

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Genres:

Fantasy | Musical

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Certificate:

G

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 November 1970 (USA)

Also Known As:

Et juleeventyr

Filming Locations:

Black Park Lake, Black Park, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cinema Center Films, Waterbury Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

113 min

Sound Mix:

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

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Richard Harris rejected the role of Scrooge. Rex Harrison agreed to play the part, but had to back out due to a commitment to a difficult play. (Harrison was also having an affair with Harris' then-wife, who he would later marry.) Albert Finney, who had been offered the role before Harrison but had initially rejected it, reconsidered once he read the script and asked for the role. (He was a business associate of Michael Medwin, the co-writer who played his nephew in the film.)

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Goofs

When we first meet Tiny Tim, he and his sister are looking into a toy store window. If you look closely at the bottom right corner of the screen as the camera zooms in on Tim, you can see the shadow of the camera on a dolly.

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Quotes

Ebenezer Scrooge: Fifteen shillings a week, a wife and five children... and he still talks of a Merry Christmas!

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Crazy Credits

The phrase "Merry Christmas" appears at the end of the movie.

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Connections

Version of An All Dogs Christmas Carol (1998)

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Soundtracks

"Happiness"
(reprise)
Music by Leslie Bricusse
Lyrics by Leslie Bricusse
Performed by Suzanne Neve and Albert Finney

User Reviews

Greatest Christmas Movie Ever

I disagree with all of the critics. I always felt that this was the best Christmas movie ever made. Albert Finney is an incredible actor and he brings the character of Scrooge to life more than any other actor has. I personally never liked the Alistir Sims portrayal. Like some of the other comments, my family has a yearly tradition of saving this Christmas movie for the last one of the season to really get us in the Christmas spirit.