I am a huge fan of Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol'. I have read the unabridged novelette several times - Always during the Christmas Season - Over the past few years, and it is my most favorite piece of literature ever written. It therefore follows, that I am also a huge fan of the major cinematic productions based on the story, which I have seen over the years (Though that doesn't necessarily mean that I like them all).
The many different filmed versions of this story are practically uncountable. But of the ones I have seen, only the following 8 bear a serious look: Under the title of 'A Christmas Carol', there was the 1938 version, with Reginald Owen as Scrooge, and the made-for-TV productions: 1984 - With George C. Scott, 1999 - With Patrick Stewart, more recently, 2004, with Kelsey Grammar (Officially titled: 'A Christmas Carol: The Musical'), and the 2009 animated version with Jim Carrey. Under the title 'Scrooge', there's the 1951 version - With Alistair Sim as Scrooge, the 1970 musical, with Albert Finney, and this rather obscure 1935 version, which I would have to rank at #6.
Sir Seymour Hicks was knighted in 1935, but it couldn't have been because he was a good actor. Not having seen any of his other film appearances, I have only this one to judge his talent on, and his performance, here, was a big disappointment. I can't even say that his acting was consistent, for, in some scenes, Hicks acts as though he'd memorized his lines just before his scenes were shot, and took little, if any, time to work on characterization. In others, his actions are somewhat jerky, and he spits out his lines with hardly any emotion, and in still others, he overacts, which is almost as bad as not acting at all.
Donald Calthrop plays a barely acceptable Bob Cratchit. He looks a bit too old for the part, and his acting is below average, at best. Robert Cochran appears briefly as Scrooge's Nephew, Fred, but does well with his short screen time. Also in brief, but notable performances, are Mary Glynne, as Scrooge's lost love - Belle, and Barbara Everest as Bob Cratchit's Wife, both of whom do well, with what little they've got to work with.
The 'Rag and bone shop' scene is my favorite, in this movie, though that's not saying much. Hugh E. Wright, Athene Seyler, Margaret Yarde, and D.J. Williams - as 'Old Joe', 'Scrooge's Charwoman', 'Scrooge's Laundress', and 'The Undertaker', respectively, do okay, but other interpretations of this scene, in other productions, are much better.
Jacob Marley - Scrooge's 7-years-dead partner - Is seen only once, and very briefly. His confrontation scene with Scrooge, later, is not nearly as terrifying as it should have been, for reasons that will be obvious, when you see it. Much greater care should have been taken in the portrayal of a character as important to this story as Marley. I realize that special effects were, by comparison, primitive, in those days, but it seems that something could have been done to make this important scene more believable.
I was very disappointed, almost to the point of sadness, with Oscar Asche's performance as 'The Spirit Of Christmas Present'. This character is supposed to be a gentle, jolly giant, but Asche makes him a disgusting slob. He delivers his lines as though he's reading them from a cue card, and keeps losing his place. Perhaps he was a better Actor on the stage, with Shakespearean roles, but here, he turns what is supposed to be quite a likable character into someone you'd try to avoid.
If you're as big a fan of Dickens' story and characters as me, you might want to see this version just out of curiosity. And, by all means, please do! Just don't expect much, and you won't be as disappointed as I was.
The many different filmed versions of this story are practically uncountable. But of the ones I have seen, only the following 8 bear a serious look: Under the title of 'A Christmas Carol', there was the 1938 version, with Reginald Owen as Scrooge, and the made-for-TV productions: 1984 - With George C. Scott, 1999 - With Patrick Stewart, more recently, 2004, with Kelsey Grammar (Officially titled: 'A Christmas Carol: The Musical'), and the 2009 animated version with Jim Carrey. Under the title 'Scrooge', there's the 1951 version - With Alistair Sim as Scrooge, the 1970 musical, with Albert Finney, and this rather obscure 1935 version, which I would have to rank at #6.
Sir Seymour Hicks was knighted in 1935, but it couldn't have been because he was a good actor. Not having seen any of his other film appearances, I have only this one to judge his talent on, and his performance, here, was a big disappointment. I can't even say that his acting was consistent, for, in some scenes, Hicks acts as though he'd memorized his lines just before his scenes were shot, and took little, if any, time to work on characterization. In others, his actions are somewhat jerky, and he spits out his lines with hardly any emotion, and in still others, he overacts, which is almost as bad as not acting at all.
Donald Calthrop plays a barely acceptable Bob Cratchit. He looks a bit too old for the part, and his acting is below average, at best. Robert Cochran appears briefly as Scrooge's Nephew, Fred, but does well with his short screen time. Also in brief, but notable performances, are Mary Glynne, as Scrooge's lost love - Belle, and Barbara Everest as Bob Cratchit's Wife, both of whom do well, with what little they've got to work with.
The 'Rag and bone shop' scene is my favorite, in this movie, though that's not saying much. Hugh E. Wright, Athene Seyler, Margaret Yarde, and D.J. Williams - as 'Old Joe', 'Scrooge's Charwoman', 'Scrooge's Laundress', and 'The Undertaker', respectively, do okay, but other interpretations of this scene, in other productions, are much better.
Jacob Marley - Scrooge's 7-years-dead partner - Is seen only once, and very briefly. His confrontation scene with Scrooge, later, is not nearly as terrifying as it should have been, for reasons that will be obvious, when you see it. Much greater care should have been taken in the portrayal of a character as important to this story as Marley. I realize that special effects were, by comparison, primitive, in those days, but it seems that something could have been done to make this important scene more believable.
I was very disappointed, almost to the point of sadness, with Oscar Asche's performance as 'The Spirit Of Christmas Present'. This character is supposed to be a gentle, jolly giant, but Asche makes him a disgusting slob. He delivers his lines as though he's reading them from a cue card, and keeps losing his place. Perhaps he was a better Actor on the stage, with Shakespearean roles, but here, he turns what is supposed to be quite a likable character into someone you'd try to avoid.
If you're as big a fan of Dickens' story and characters as me, you might want to see this version just out of curiosity. And, by all means, please do! Just don't expect much, and you won't be as disappointed as I was.