Scrooge (1935)

Scrooge
Directed by Henry Edwards
1935/UK
Twickenham Film Studios
First viewing

“I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach!” ― Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

This was the first sound film adaptation of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.  Miserly Ebenezer Scrooge (Seymour Hicks) is all business and thinks Christmas is a humbug.  His deceased business partner Jacob Marley has learned differently and sends the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future to teach Scrooge a lesson in what Christmas is all about.

It would take a lot to top the 1951 Alistair Sim version of this story in my estimation and this film does not have what it takes.  That said, Seymour Hicks makes a very credible Scrooge and this is a pleasant enough entertainment.  It does suffer from a bit of over-earnestness in what is already a pretty melodramatic story.  It also spends a puzzling amount of time in a 75 minute movie dwelling on atmospheric Christmas scenes that have nothing to do with the story. Not a must but also not unworthy of a viewing.

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