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Writer's pictureStephen Burckhardt

Monday Movie Madness: A Christmas Carol (Scrooge)


Hello Posse!


We are getting to some of my very favorite all time Christmas movies. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens has seen many big screen adaptations over the years staring everyone from Sir Patrick Stewart (I LOVE his work) to the Muppets. But I still love the old black and white version released in 1951 starring Alastair Sim. It was released in the United Kingdom under the name Scrooge but the title was changed to A Christmas Carol for the US release. They have since created a colorized version of the film, but I prefer the original black and white version. I think the darkness and shadows actually add something to the story.


A Christmas Carol is the story of selfish, old miser who is ill-tempered and mean-spirited, Ebenezer Scrooge. He hates Christmas and everything to do with it. He professes that he thinks Christmas is just a way to take money from his own pocket. He boldly refuses to show any charity to anyone. On Christmas Eve, Scrooge goes out of his way to harass the clerk who works for him. He even has a confrontation with his nephew who comes to ask his uncle to spend Christmas with him and his family. He rudely refuses the invitation and goes home to have Christmas Eve dinner alone in his home.


Scrooge goes to bed but is soon awoken by the first of a series of ghosts who come to try to help Scrooge change his hateful ways before it is too late to save his soul from eternal torment in the afterlife. The events of the evening have a profound effect on Scrooge and he awakens on Christmas day a changed man.


The movie stars Alastair Sim as Ebenezer Scrooge, and features Kathleen Harrison (Mrs. Dilber, Scrooge's charwoman), George Cole (young Scrooge), Hermione Baddeley (Mrs. Cratchit), Mervyn Johns (Bob Cratchit), Clifford Mollison (Samuel Wilkins, a debtor), Jack Warner (Mr. Jorkin, a role created for the film), Ernest Thesiger (Marley's undertaker), Patrick Macnee (young Jacob Marley), and Michael Hordern (Marley). There is a narrator (Peter Bull) who adds passages from the book at the beginning and end of the film. Bull also has a brief cameo in the film as one of the businessmen at Scrooge's funeral.


We make our western connection with actress Hermione Baddeley. In 1967, she was in the American Western Comedy, The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin. Baddeley plays Miss Irene Chesney and worked with stars Roddy McDowall and Suzanne Pleshette.


Movie Snack


While this is not really movie snackish, I just could not pass up this recipe because it just goes with the movie so well, Taste of Home.com's Tiny Tim's Plum Pudding. (<--- click here)


This treat is traditional for the setting and time period for this movie and I have always wanted to try making this for Christmas. This year seemed like as good of time as any to share this recipe.


This movie is available on YouTube for free viewing in full. So, it's that time, posse! Get your snacks and settle in. It's time for another great movie!


Enjoy,

Stephen


Scrooge (1951) Full Movie


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