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Scrooged was a starring vehicle for Bill Murray who teamed up with director Richard Donner for this re-working of Dicken's A Christmas Carol.

The movie is essentially a 'concept vehicle' a term in vogue at the time. A starring role for Murray, make him a high powered television executive and team him up with an action director who had success a year earlier with Lethal Weapon.

Bill Murray is climbing the corporate media ladder as the ruthless, cynical, mean and heartless Frank Cross. In his office he has a sign which defines Cross. 'Something you nail people to!'

For Christmas Murray has devised a multi location live television broadcast which has to be the show to watch with a strong promotional clip to publicise it which makes his fellow executives sick. However he has to contend with a rival, John Glover, there to help out but actually eyeing up his job.

One night before Christmas his old television boss (John Forsythe) who has been dead for years visits him and tells him to mend his ways and informs him that he will be visited by three ghosts.

They include the Ghost of Christmas past, a cigar smoking cab driver, the Ghost of Christmas Present, an angelic fairy who likes a bit of the rough stuff and certainly dishes it out, finally the Ghost of Christmas Future, a terrifying dark hooded figure who would certainly scare the kids.

Each ghostly spectre takes Murray to a time and place. Such as when he was young and dorky working his way up in television and in love with Karen Allen. As time goes by he becomes obsessed with work and frustrated by Allen's do-gooder attitude.

Murray actually calls on Allen when he his spooked out and finds out that she is helping out with the homeless but she stirs something in Murray who his still a Grinch.

There is no Cratchit in this movie that part in effect goes to Alfre Woodard who plays Murray's secretary. Bobcat Goldthwait plays an executive whose life heads towards a downward spiral when he is dismissed by Murray.

I remember the film was largely dismissed by critics when the film was released but it is rather an enjoyable reworking of Dickens's story. Murray despite not getting on with the director pitches it just right, almost remaining lovable even though he is mean spirited. I rather enjoyed his Richard Burton impression. The film has lots of star cameos from John Houseman, Lee Majors, Jamie Farr, Anne Ramsey and Robert Mitchum as Murray's cat obsessed boss.

Director Richard Donner adds plenty of social commentary with references to apartheid South Africa for example.

The ending might be regarded as tad sentimental which follows the book, but once they start singing the final song even you would want to 'Put a Little Love in Your Heart.'