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.

---

Plot Keywords:

christmas | spirit | nephew | 1860s | ghost | 

---

Taglines:

What the dickens have they done to Scrooge?... They've put him in a big, big musical.

---

Genres:

Fantasy | Musical

---

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

Scrooge (played by then 34-year old Albert Finney) is actually younger than his nephew Fred (played by then 46-year old Michael Medwin).

---

Goofs

While with the Ghost of Christmas Present, Scrooge peeks into a home, wiping the frost and condensation off the window. Setting aside the question of whether an incorporeal spirit could do this, frost and condensation collect on the warm side of a window, not on the cold side, where Scrooge is.

---

Quotes

[Scrooge is covertly watching Harry's Christmas party]
Tom - Friend of Harry's: Harry, I've visited you every Christmas for the past five years, and to this day I can never understand this extraordinary ritual of toasting the health of your old uncle Ebenezer. I mean, everyone knows he's the most miserable old skinflint that ever walked God's earth.
Ebenezer Scrooge: [glaring] Who's he?
the Ghost of Christmas Present: Oh... just a friend.
Nephew Harry: My dear Tom, it's very simple. He is indeed a despicable old miser, worse than you could ever possibly imagine.
[...]

---

Crazy Credits

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

---

Connections

Version of A Christmas Carol (1914)

---

Soundtracks

"A Christmas Carol"
Music by Leslie Bricusse
Lyrics by Leslie Bricusse
Performed by Choir

User Reviews

A christmas classic, and one of Finney's finest hours...

This film is an underrated classic family musical. In the spirit and tradition of Oliver! and My Fair Lady, with an energetic memorable score and an eclectic cast all on top form. Sir Alec Guinness, Dame Edith Evans and the wonderful Kenneth Moore support magnificently. Moore in one of the last roles before his untimely death, clearly enjoying hamming it up as the ghost of Christmas present carrying the miserable scrooge along for the ride of his life whilst singing `I like life!' is a joy to see.

But Finney's performance is the standout. At a time when he was making films like Charlie Bubbles and Gumshoe, and with a reputation of being one of Britain's foremost angry young men this role was as unexpected as it was wonderful.

As a side note I was lucky enough to be able to see Anthony Newley as the miser in Bricusse's early nineties theatrical revival, and although good was no where near as cutting or humorous as Finney.

A must see at Christmas time, you too will be singing `I like life' and `thank you very much' for days afterwards!