A Christmas Carol (1984)

In 1843 Charles Dickens penned what has now become the most recognized and probably the most retold Christmas story other than the nativity. As it is one of all my all-time favorite tales I have watched a great many versions that have been filmed for the silver screen or the t.v. screen, and consequently have developed a laundry list of what it is that I am looking for in "A Christmas Carol". Because there are so many versions it happens that imagination gets the better of of some filmmakers, but the best retellings are those that stay true to the original. Through all of my wanderings amongst the various depictions, the 1984 made-for-t.v. movie is far and away my favorite.

George C. Scott plays the grizzled humbug, Ebeneezer Scrooge, and delivers a performance that is not only powerful in its acting, but is also a performance that makes the character a multilayered person as well as one that is completely different in its interpretation than any other I have seen.

The story--if you are unfortunate enough not to have read or seen it--is thus: the miserly, bitter, hardened old Scrooge works at his accounting firm on Christmas Eve, seven years exactly following the death of his partner, Jacob Marley. Rebuffing at the "Merry Christmas"'s that come his way and sneering at those who would do good deeds, Scrooge shows us why he is universally disliked and feared. Upon returning to his house in the foggy night, the ghost of Marley appears, burdened by a ponderous chain forged in his greedy life, and warns Scrooge that he will be visited by three spirits who will guide him to being a better person. Marley's prophecy holds true, as the spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come lead Scrooge through the follies of his life and show him the warmth to be found in the holiday season.

There are two main mistakes that most interpretations of the story almost inevitably fall into, both of which have to do with balancing acts:

The first focuses on the character of Scrooge specifically. In almost any version that you will watch there will always be two distinct Scrooges, the one we see at the beginning of the film and the one that remains after he is visited by the third spirit. The two people--I can refer to Ebeneezer by nothing other than two people in most interpretations--are so different and the shift in character development is so sudden that not only is it unbelievable, but it makes Scrooge's repentance seem false and self-serving, which it is meant to avoid.

The second is about the movie as a whole. Many a time, especially in a story like this when the main character starts so dark and so cruel, and the fact that it is a ghost story, people tend to forget that Dickens is probably the greatest English comic and that the story also has a lot of funny moments in it. Conversely, when the story is told for children, many elements of the supernatural are toned down as is Dickens's statement about working-class London which waters down much of the story's power. Most have a difficult time of navigating the subtle changes in mood when translating it to the screen.

Clive Donner avoids both of these pitfalls, especially in his direction of Scott, though I cannot give too much credit to him, considering what a monster of an actor Scott proved himself to be. The film paints a thoughtful and sinister tale of a man whose ambition drives aside the affection of his loved ones. It does not, however, forget the comedy, and Scott portrays Scrooge in a balanced and humorous way. It is understandable why people dislike him very much, but it also makes the resolution less jarring; his emotional arc does not seem false, but rather very fluid.

It boasts a very good cast of supporting actors to complete the picture including Edward Woodward as Ghost of Christmas Past, David Warner as Bob Cratchit, and Frank Finlay who gives the best portrayal of Jacob Marley there is. The casting of Fred and Tiny Tim was off, but their performances are dwarfed by the perfect powerhouse that is Scott.

The screenplay is very close to the story's dialogue and in some cases even betters it. Writer Roger O'Hirsen condensed and solidified the story to its purest and best form. This is a chilling adaptation and brilliant one. I look forward to the holidays each year so I may read Dickens's words and later see them translated visually in this version. It is very much what I think Dickens pictured when he wrote his little book, and that is a rarity and a treasure.

4/4