Traditional Tuesday

It’s Christmas Eve and I must prepare for my drive to midnight mass. I write  this rather personal information to explain making this entry short.

Christmas Eve is my traditional time to watch the 1984 A Christmas Carol starring George C. Scott as Ebenezer Scrooge.  How fitting that Christmas Eve is on Tuesday this year!  This version is also a perfect choice for “Traditional Tuesday.”

This is an American television made production. It has top production values for 1984 TV and a fantastic cast. Contrary to even my own past attempts keeping it at bay, this has evolved into my personal favorite version. (Remember, this is about my personal opinions).

When first presented in 1984, I was of the opinion that decent adaptations of ACC were through and any new attempt was doomed to failure. I didn’t want to like this version, I thought American TV was overstepping itself as usual, and I thought George C. Scott had a nerve playing Scrooge.  On first viewing, I knew I was watching something good but I was too stubborn to even admit it to myself.  It wasn’t until this was a few years old when I gave in and admitted its quality and status among the many A Christmas Carol offerings.  For many years, I had to depend on my home recorded VHS copy.  Strangely, it wasn’t released on VHS until well into the ’90’s.  Of course, I now have a Blue Ray copy.

It is a version I would put in the “more complete” category. It takes its own liberties and inserts its own additions to the story, but this is commonplace among most of the various versions. Some of these additions are even borrowing from other versions’ additions.

An interesting note: its director, Clive Donner, was an editor for the 1951 Scrooge starring Alistair Sim.

George C. Scott was the first example of an actor I couldn’t imagine playing Scrooge but then did so with great success.  Scott doesn’t play against type.  Instead, he works the characterization of Scrooge into a man that fits his impressive physical frame: assertive, all business, little humor, and suppressed emotion. It’s not what one normally expects from Scrooge, but Scott makes it work and does a fine job at it.

David Warner plays Bob Cratchit well as a loving man that doesn’t drip sentimentality.  Suzanna York always seemed odd in the smaller role of Mrs. Cratchit but she’s does what she can with the part. They go for the “cutesy” Tiny Tim in this version but at least his part is not over emphasized which too often happens.  Don’t’ get me wrong; I like this Tiny Tim.  One of the things I like is that his stature fits his name.

I love now recognizing Michael Gough (Alfred from the Tim Burton Batman movies) as one of the two charity solicitors (they have names in this version).

Marley’s Ghost (Frank Finlay who you can see all over the place in other offerings) is played more distinctly as a remorseful ghost. Most others don’t usually present him in that perspective.

This version has my favorite Scrooge’s nephew, Fred (Roger Rees who was in the title role of the incredible The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby!). Fred is usually portrayed as Jovial in the midst of Scrooge’s wretchedness, that he usually appears as a happy-go-lucky soul. This Fred subtly conveys the emotional hurt of the distance his uncle enforces along with his desire to simply connect with his uncle. The beauty of this portrayal is that it is done without falling into overdone sadness or overplayed emotive expressions; it’s just right. This is the only version I can think of that gives Fred a last name (Holywell).

This is a female Ghost of Christmas Past offering, played by Angela Pleasence (daughter of Donald Pleasence, she was in the superb Six Wives of Henry VIII series I loved as a child – strange child that I was). This is another version that states Scrooge’s mother died in childbirth – an obvious borrowing from the 1951 film Scrooge. This version was the closest a live-action version had been when showing Scrooge extinguishing the ghost (until the 1997 Patrick Stewart version, which had better effects by that time).

The Present and Yet-to-Come ghosts are pretty traditional and very good. For Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, I like the way he moves by floating and the eerie sound effect that seems to be in place of his absent speech.

The adaptation stays with the proper sequence of Scrooge going to his nephew’s house on Christmas Day while the Cratchit family enjoys a Scrooge donated turkey. Cratchit and Scrooge do not see each other until the day after Christmas Day.

There is so much more I could write about this but time doesn’t allow it at this opportunity.  This is pretty much one of the most complete versions ever done and I believe it’s the best. However, even though I think it is the best.

Missing

• Wandering Spirits
• The visit to the miners, lighthouse, and ship at sea with the Ghost of the Present
• The undertaker and charwoman during the visit to Old Joe.  Mrs. Dilber takes the part of all three during the scene with Old Joe.