“Scrooge” (1938)

Scrooge

Also known as 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?

(probably written by me)

Date: 1938 (I found another version that says it’s a 1933 but is the same film, minus certain scenes)

Genre: British Christmas fantasy drama 

Running time: 1 hour 17 minutes

Cast: 

Sir Seymour Hicks (Scrooge)

Donald Calthrop (Cratchit)

Robert Cochran (Fred)

Eve Gray (Mrs. Fred)

Mary Glynne (Belle)

Garry Marsh (Belle’s husband)

Oscar Asche (Spirit of Christmas Present)

Barbara Everest (Mrs. Cratchit)

Philip Frost (Tiny Tim)

Claude Rains (Marley)

Director: Henry Edwards

Production company: Twickenham Film Studios

Based on: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Wikipedia page

Watch on Archive

Setting/Aesthetic/Feel: 4/5

It was a lot darker and harder to see than the 1951 version, but it did have a good Victorian feel. It was also a lot less creepy and less emotional overall, which I found detracted a little from the significance.  

Characters: 5/5

Sir Seymour Hicks played a different Scrooge than Alastair Sim, and I can’t decide which I like best. They both show a different side of the character. Cratchit and his family were very nice and well done, although I missed seeing more of Peter and Martha as we do in the book and in the 1951 film. Fred was perfect—I liked Robert Cochran far more than Brian Worth—but the Spirits were quite lacking. Oscar Asche in particular made a terrible Spirit of Christmas Present! 

Plot: 5/5

I really appreciated how much the film script aligned with the book! I noticed that between them the 1938 and the 1951 films covered almost the whole book, but each removed or added some things the book didn’t have. 

Theme/Message/Topics: 5/5

Again, almost a perfect alignment with the book. I particularly loved how this film included Hark! the Herald Angel Sings over and over. It fit the message to a tee. <3

Overall: 5/5

Another excellent film version of a great book! I personally think the greatest pleasure would come from watching the 1938 and 1951 back to back.