“A Christmas Carol” (1971)

A Christmas Carol 

Brief Description:

On Christmas Eve, tight-fisted businessman Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by the Spirit of Christmas Past, the Spirit of Christmas Present, and the Spirit of Christmas Yet to Come. Is there any chance his frozen old heart will change, and that he can escape the frightful destiny that awaits him? 

(written by me)

Date: 1971

Genre: British Christmas drama fantasy family film animation

Running time: 25 minutes

Cast: 

Alastair Sim (Scrooge)

Michael Redgrave (Narrator)

Michael Hordern (Marley)

Diana Quick (Ghost of Christmas Past)

Felix Felton (Ghost of Christmas Present)

Melvyn Hayes (Cratchit)

Joan Sims (Mrs. Cratchit)

Paul Whitsun-Jones (Fezziwig / Old Joe)

David Tate (Fred/Charity Man)

Annie West (Belle)

Mary Ellen Ray (Mrs. Dilber)

Alexander Williams (Tiny Tim)

Director: Richard Williams

Production company: Richard Williams Productions

Based on: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Wikipedia page

Watch on YouTube

Setting/Aesthetic/Feel: 4/5

As this was an animation, of course it didn’t have the same feel as a “living” production would have; but it was pretty good. It had a very interesting touch unlike any other animation I have seen… I can’t really put my finger on it, but I quite liked it. 

Characters: 5/5

The characters were all well done. Scrooge was very Scrooge-like, Crachit was Crachit, Fred was Fred, and so forth. The three spirits were particularly well done! Marley, however, was this weird monster-skeleton apparition, and so were the others “ghosts” that Scrooge saw filling the air in the seldom-seen scene with the beggar woman and her child. 

Plot: 5/5

The plot aligned well with the book, with a very few slight deviances. I was very happy to see the aforementioned scene with the beggar woman and her child! Also, the addition of God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen at the beginning and end was a masterful touch—gave a joyful twist to the message (as opposed to a holy/reverent one with Hark! the Herald Angel Sings, like the 1938) and was a nice nod to the book.

Overall: 4.5/5

These reviews are getting worse and worse, for which I apologize and promise better ones soon. In the meantime, this was another of my favourite Christmas Carol adaptations and very different from the 1969, which was quite nice.