While this isn't quite in the same league as the Sim, Owen, or Magoo versions of this Dickens classic, "Scrooge" is, nonetheless, a magical retelling of a classic tale that should be part of everyone's Christmas, as it's been part of mine ever since I saw it as part of the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Show in 1970.
Period London is beautifully evoked throughout in designs inspired by Ronald Searle. Leslie Bricuisse's score and screenplay, written just after his work on the original "Doctor Dolittle," is superior to the earlier film in just about everyway. "Thank You Very Much" was the big hit song from this film, and an Oscar nominee (It lost to "For All We Know."), but there is also the wistful melancholy of "You," the celebratoty spirit of "December the Twenty-Fifth," the ironic humor of "Father Christmas," and the old #!&*$#!* himself summing up his own philosophy of life in "I Hate People."
Now, as to the performances, Albert Finney (Looking just about as he does now, come to think of it!) is as vivid a Scrooge as one could wish for, with George Frost's make-up effectively transforming him from the handsome, young man of the flashbacks to a crabbed old miser. David Collings is one of the most likable Bob Cratchits you'll ever see, Sir Alec Guiness a somewhat whimsical Marley's Ghost, Kenneth Moore an imposing, jolly giant of a Ghost of Christmas Present, and Dame Edith Evans her usual imperious self as the Ghost of Christmas Past. The musical sequences are energetically staged by the late Paddy Stone, who also plays the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come.
I have only two reservations regarding this film. The "See the Phantoms" and "Scrooge in Hell" sequences, both of which entail Marley's showing Scrooge what will become of him if he doesn't change his ways, may be just a little tough sledding for children under the age of, oh, eight or so. To that end, they're usually cut when this film is run on commercial TV. If you're going to watch the video with your kids, though, you might want to keep that in mind and prepare accordingly.
Other than that, though, no objections. This is excellent Holiday entertainment, and one of the best versions of the Dickens classic ever put on film.
Period London is beautifully evoked throughout in designs inspired by Ronald Searle. Leslie Bricuisse's score and screenplay, written just after his work on the original "Doctor Dolittle," is superior to the earlier film in just about everyway. "Thank You Very Much" was the big hit song from this film, and an Oscar nominee (It lost to "For All We Know."), but there is also the wistful melancholy of "You," the celebratoty spirit of "December the Twenty-Fifth," the ironic humor of "Father Christmas," and the old #!&*$#!* himself summing up his own philosophy of life in "I Hate People."
Now, as to the performances, Albert Finney (Looking just about as he does now, come to think of it!) is as vivid a Scrooge as one could wish for, with George Frost's make-up effectively transforming him from the handsome, young man of the flashbacks to a crabbed old miser. David Collings is one of the most likable Bob Cratchits you'll ever see, Sir Alec Guiness a somewhat whimsical Marley's Ghost, Kenneth Moore an imposing, jolly giant of a Ghost of Christmas Present, and Dame Edith Evans her usual imperious self as the Ghost of Christmas Past. The musical sequences are energetically staged by the late Paddy Stone, who also plays the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come.
I have only two reservations regarding this film. The "See the Phantoms" and "Scrooge in Hell" sequences, both of which entail Marley's showing Scrooge what will become of him if he doesn't change his ways, may be just a little tough sledding for children under the age of, oh, eight or so. To that end, they're usually cut when this film is run on commercial TV. If you're going to watch the video with your kids, though, you might want to keep that in mind and prepare accordingly.
Other than that, though, no objections. This is excellent Holiday entertainment, and one of the best versions of the Dickens classic ever put on film.