My quest to watch and review a different version of âA Christmas Carolâ each and every December brought me to the 1984 British-American made-for-television version staring the great George C. Scott.
We all know the story, penned nearly 200 years ago by Charles Dickens. Itâs one of the best and most influential pieces of fiction ever written. Most film adaptations follow the novella tightly, and this is no exception.
George C. Scott is an award winning actor.
I first watched him in the 1997 version of â12 Angry Menâ and last saw him during 31 Days of Halloween in âExorcist 3.â I loved the former and loathed the latter. But in both instances, George C. Scott is an amazing talent to behold, and is one of the best choices for Ebenezer Scrooge. Heâs cantankerous without putting forth any effort. We can easily believe this guy is a curmudgeon who cares more about business than his own family.
I didnât recognize any other actor, save for David Warner playing Bob Cratchit. The cast is fine. Frank Finlay, Angela Pleasence, Edward Woodward, Michael Carter play Marley and the ghosts respectively. Susannah York plays Mrs. Cratchit and Anthony Walters is Tiny Tim. Mark Strickson plays Young Ebenezer Scrooge. Again â thereâs nothing new and thatâs to be expected.
While Scottâs performance is top notch, the rest of the movie is a bit sluggish. Since I already know the story, there wasnât much keeping me invested. It actually got boring. Maybe thatâs because it isnât knew. But it wasnât as captivating as other versions of the film â including the Muppets which is so far the best.
The 1984 version of âA Christmas Carolâ is a nice retelling of the story. Its traditional, and well put together. It doesnât stand out like some of the other options, but it is free to watch on Amazon.
âA Christmas Carolâ is currently available to stream on Amazon
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1 Comment
It’s interesting that you found this adaptation only so-so, seeing as it’s generally regarded as one of the best. It’s definitely my favorite.