A Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens
Screenplay: Noel Langley
Director: Brian Desmond Hurst
Staring: Alistair Sim
Spoiler Alert – if you haven’t seen this version of A Christmas Carol with Alistair Sim, please see it and return.
Return to Blog page and main site – click here.
What an incredible film. I’ve seen it, probably 40 times and it never fails to deliver. The story and the acting are amazing. Dickens’ tale of a ruthless, grasping, selfish business man brought to his knees by the truth of his callus dealings with other people and the utter worthlessness of his life is still relevant enough today to give us all pause.
The message is delivered to Scrooge by ghosts, one of which he is destined to become very soon if he does not change his ways. Not the least of the ghosts which visit him on Christmas Eve is one Jacob Marley his former partner who carries about him a terrible weight and chains, the burden of all the bad things he did (negative karma) he “earned” during his time on earth. He tells Scrooge, “It is a ponderous chain you wear yourself. It was as long and heavy as my own when I died and you have labored on his since.” A no finer description of self-inflicted bad karma weighing upon us as Soul exists in film that I can recall.
But, Scrooge is a story of redemption and the tremendous change of consciousness which occurs within him on one fateful Christmas Eve. A shift of outlook which changes his life completely and in one night, where pure gratitude just to be alive and an unselfish caring, generosity and unconditional love for those he has rejected and mistreated finally comes to the surface. Scrooge, like no other character, is a fully changed man. Scrooge is told as a Christmas story but its truth runs far deeper than any one religion or specific holiday, its about who we decide to BE in this life and the price we pay if we choose unworthy values.
No other actor has been able to master the role so perfectly at both extremes, both ends of the spectrum (in my humble opinion) than Alistair Sim. His performance is simply amazing and if you haven’t seen this version run and view it and see if you don’t agree that his depiction of Ebeneezer Scrooge is perfect and utterly moving. It begins with Scrooge as a frightening, ruthless, calculating, heartless uncle, husband, partner, employer, someone who may not be clinically insane but surely has descended into a kind of materialistic madness as demonstrated by his view of the world, exploitation of the weak, rejection of love and utter indifference to the suffering of those around him. Then Sim convincingly takes Scrooge from this dark and terrifying personal wasteland to a soul who undergoes a full personal redemption. He becomes filled with gratitude, humility, joy and generosity, just to be alive. His transformation is a complete delight and one which should not be missed by anyone who would like to see a master actor at work.
Of course, Dickens story lays the foundation and establishes the path for the wonder of this and other incredible acting performances within the piece. Who but Dickens could nail the utter poverty that Scrooge lives when he, a wealthy man, dressed in rags, is out to dinner and asks the waiter for more bread and the waiter tells him, “It’s a penny sir.” Scrooge’s reaction is priceless, to having to part with even a penny for bread he scowls, bitter, grasping, feeling abused by the world, taken advantage of, this wealthy man shouts back angrily, “No more bread!” and returns to his meager pitiless gruel.
No one is more poverty struck than Scrooge and his lack of generosity is no more glaringly absent than with himself. He denies himself even the simplest and least costly of necessities in his total dedication to the gathering of wealth. No actor has better depicted the wasteland of humanity in which he lives than Sim through Dickens incredible story-telling genius.
There are other remarkable characters and acting performances in this movie from the early fifties, Scrooge’s long suffering house-keeper Mrs. Dilber (Kathleen Harrison), their interaction on the stairs after his revelation is nothing short of a revelation itself. Her utter puzzled wonder at his here-to-fore absent generosity and her joy at finally realizing that his generous gift to her is genuine and real without strings – it’s simply wonderful. Scrooge’s reassuring confirmation and recognition of his own transformation when he responds, “Mrs. Dilber, I haven’t lost my senses, I’ve come to them”, is a moment in film I can never forget, nor do I wish to.
It is closely followed by Sims’ portrayal of Scrooge going to his adult nephew’s home, finally accepting his invitation after years of neglect and resentment. In his best clothes, embarrassed by his previous behavior, hat in hand, cautiously he enters the room unsure if he will be welcomed. With a look the maid encourages him to muster his courage and he ventures forth, fully repentant, fully vulnerable and yearning for forgiveness and the joy of a relationship he has squandered all these years. He states as much to his nephew’s delighted and deeply moved fiance, “Can you forgive a pig-headed old fool who has had no ears to hear with and no eyes to see with – all these years?” His transformation is complete and his performance is simply wonderful.
He says to himself at the end, after giving Bob Cratchit (Mervyn Johns) a raise, “I don’t deserve to be so happy!” and Sim tosses away his quill and dissolves into merriment. What an incredible moment and the whole remarkable story and performance is a life changing revelation for us all. It reminds me of the line from one of Bob Dylan’s great songs, “When I was deep in poverty, you taught me how to give.”
Return to Blog page and main site – click here.
