A Christmas Carol (1951)

An old bitter miser is given a chance for redemption when he is haunted by three ghosts on Christmas Eve...

Director:

Brian Desmond Hurst (as Brian Desmond-Hurst)

Writers:

Charles Dickens (adapted from "A Christmas Carol"), Noel Langley (adaptation)

Stars:

Alastair Sim, Jack Warner, Kathleen Harrison

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Alastair Sim	...	Ebenezer Scrooge
Kathleen Harrison	...	Mrs. Dilber
Mervyn Johns	...	Bob Cratchit
Hermione Baddeley	...	Mrs. Cratchit
Michael Hordern	...	Jacob Marley
George Cole	...	Young Ebenezer Scrooge
John Charlesworth	...	Peter Cratchit
Francis De Wolff	...	Spirit of Christmas Present (as Francis de Wolff)
Rona Anderson	...	Alice
Carol Marsh	...	Fan Scrooge
Brian Worth	...	Fred
Miles Malleson	...	Old Joe
Ernest Thesiger	...	The Undertaker
Glyn Dearman	...	Tiny Tim
Michael Dolan	...	Spirit of Christmas Past

Storyline

Stubbornly refusing to believe in Christmas and to be separated from his inexhaustible wealth, the Victorian money lender and parsimonious recluse, Ebenezer Scrooge, can't be bothered with the poor and destitute at the most festive time of the year. Intent on spending the holy night alone, instead, the sceptical curmudgeon is visited by an unexpected and sympathetic friend, who will pave the way for the inevitable visitation of the otherworldly spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Future. But, what do the pale ghosts want? Can a wicked old miser admit the error in his ways, and embrace change? In the end, is Scrooge ready to love and be loved?

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Plot Keywords:

christmas | ghost | miser | redemption | change of heart | 

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Taglines:

One of the world's most loved character actors, Alastair Sim, in a masterful portrayal of one of the world's best loved characters, Scrooge!

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Genres:

Drama | Fantasy

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 December 1951 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Christmas Carol

Filming Locations:

8 Scandrett Street, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

George Minter Productions, Renown Pictures Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min 74 min (video)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The opening credits of this Christmas classic clearly show that "Scrooge" is the original name of this British film, an "adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol." The name of the film was changed for its American release to match the name of Dickens' novella.

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Goofs

The final scene with Scrooge about to enter an arched alleyway, he turns upon hearing Tiny Tim call out. The camera switches to a view from inside the alleyway to facing Tim: it's painfully obvious this is not the same alley. It is easily twice the size of the first with a much higher arch. And now, Scrooge is suddenly so deep into the alley that he's out of camera range.

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Quotes

Mrs. Dilber: [of Jacob Marley] Is he dead?
Ebenezer: Yes.
Mrs. Dilber: [to the undertaker] It's just like you said!
The Undertaker: I always know.

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Alternate Versions

Both the British and American versions of this movie are on the Emerald Edition DVD.

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Connections

Version of The Christmas Carol (1949)

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Soundtracks

Hark! the Herald Angels Sing
(pub. 1856) (uncredited)
Music by Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (1840)
Lyrics by Charles Wesley (1730)
Sung by offscreen chorus during opening credits
Reprised by a family in a Spirit of Christmas Present sequence

User Reviews

the perfect Christmas carol

Many adaptations of Dickens' Christmas book have been and gone, but this is generally thought to be one of the definitive films of the story.

Brian Desmond Hurst directs a fine cast, headed by the incomparable Alastair Sim (a man who can play both malevolent and humorous) as the about-to-be-redeemed Ebenezer Scrooge. Sim's reactions are priceless and he settles down well in the role. Michael Hordern is a less successful Marley, certainly when he visits as a ghost, but the three Ghosts of Christmas are just as you imagine - Christmas Past is a wise old sage, Christmas Present is a jovial party-giver ...

Strengths of this production include the opening out of events of the past into a linear narrative (George Cole plays young Scrooge for the early segments), and the playing of Mervyn Johns and Hermoine Baddeley as the Cratchits. It is a film which has holly, plum pudding, and carol singers written all over it, from the use of Christmas tunes in the music track, to the roaring fires and snow-strewn streets in which everyone makes merry for the festive day.