A Christmas Carol, Which Version Do You Like Best?

[Mr. DS]

I'm not sure if this has ever come up but what is everyone's favorite version of A Christmas Carol?  I prefer the one starring George C. Scott that came out in 1984.    As a novelty I like Mickey' Christmas Carol which I grew up with as a kid. 

[RCMerchant]

SCROOGE(1951) With Alistair Sim was my favorite as a kid...still is! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CfpJ4X4bC0
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[Doctor Menard]

SCROOGE(1951) With Alistair Sim was my favorite as a kid...still is! 

Ditto

There is no other version.

[GoHawks]

I prefer the 1951 version Scrooge (aka A Christmas Carol), starring Alastair Sim.

I also have a soft spot for the 1938 version A Christmas Carol.

[Bmeansgood]

I absolutely love Scrooged with Bill Murray.  I know that is probably blasphemy on this thread, but I just had to put that out there.  I haven't seen it yet this Christmas season, I better start looking for it!

[JJ80]

I think the British version with Alsitair Sim is definitely the best but I didn't think that "Scrooged" was too bad at all.

[Rat-Bat-Spider]

To me, I would still say the most accomplished and ambitious adaptation was done in 1910 by J. Searle Dawley. If you're into silent films, this one is pretty tops. It's of course only 16-17 minutes long, breakneck pace; as if they were paying by the print. There are a couple of challenging aspects; for the most part, you are expected to know the story, each ghost gets seemingly no time to linger, and no Tiny Tim (*cough*cough). But the effects are amazing for their time, the acting is particularly good, and it really is a breath of fresh air (from 1910) compared to the now standard and complacent time-honored tradition of keeping this story as lifeless as possible. Give it a whirl. It surprises me every time I watch it.

[Jack]

Gotta go with Scrooged with Bill Murray.  Just good silly fun.

[schmendrik]

I actually grew up with the Mr. Magoo version. I was an adult before I saw any other (except for various stage productions). Of the non-animated versions, I suppose I like the Alistair Sim version best.

But can I just say that I hate, hate, hate the reformed Scrooge "get the biggest goose they have" scene at the end? I know that's the whole point, the thing we've been leading up to, but no matter who plays Scrooge, no matter what production I see, that scene really grates my teeth like fingernails on a blackboard and it's just something I have to get through. Including in the Dickens original.

I know this makes me a terrible person. But there, I said it.

[peter johnson]

I on the other hand love, love, love the ending, and yes, that is the whole point.  God bless us every one & all that --

Never heard of the silent version, and I do like silent film, so will have to seek it out.

Both the wife and I can sing all the songs from the Magoo cartoon, and frequently do.  We're weird.  We especially like the grave-robbers song . . ."We're just blankety blank blank -- NO GOOD!!".

I understand there was once a stage version, wherein Frank Langella played Marley.  It gives me goose-skin just thinking about it!

Alistair Sim sort of sets the bar, but I loved George C. Scott's meat-and-potatoes interpretation, especially when he doesn't overplay the familiar lines.  I guess the only version I don't care that much for is Albert Finney's musical version, and that only because I generally do not enjoy musicals.  I was once forced to watch a staged version of the musical, and will now walk on the other side of the street when I have to pass that theatre . . . brrr . . .

peter johnson/denny crane

[schmendrik]

I understand there was once a stage version, wherein Frank Langella played Marley.  It gives me goose-skin just thinking about it!

Not to hijack the thread, but I've been lucky enough to see Langella on stage a couple of times, and we've been fans ever since we saw him as Salieri in "Amadeus". It's an amazing thing to see one guy in a wheelchair (toward the end of the play) fill an entire stage. His movie roles just don't convey the power of the guy.

[Mofo Rising]

Schmendrik, I believe you may be mixing up Langella and F. Murray Abraham.

I'm not a big fan of A Christmas Carol in general, so the only version I really enjoy is Scrooged, which I attempt to watch every Christmas season.

I also like the Mr. Magoo version.

[Hammock Rider]

I like Alistair Sim's version for the traditonal version of the story. But there are so many variations you could probably watch one a night for the entire month of December and not see them all.Hmmm, there's an idea. Scrooged is a favorite, it's freakin hilarious and has Buddy Hackett asn Ebenezer Scrooge and Marylou Retton as Tiny Tim, and who wouldn't want to date a hippie Karen Allen?

[schmendrik]

Schmendrik, I believe you may be mixing up Langella and F. Murray Abraham.

Nope. Abraham was in the movie, but Langella was definitely in the Broadway version I saw.

His credits show that he played the role from 1980 to 1983.

http://www.ibdb.com/person.php?id=15362

That entry shows that Langella was the replacement player for the production I saw. Apparently the main player for the role was Ian McKellen.

http://www.ibdb.com/person.php?id=6425

[JaseSF]

I definitely agree the 1951 Scrooge with Alistair Sim is the best of them all. Still there's quite a few good variations out there. Have to give props to the George Scott version from 1984, Scrooged, A 28 minute animated version from 1971 that also has Alistair Sim as the voice of Scrooge, the Albert Finney musical version is kinda interesting too if you're in the mood for something a bit different and I even enjoyed the 1938 version with Reginald Owen although it's a bit lesser than most of those others mentioned.