Scrooge - My Favourite Films

First published in 1843, Charles Dickens "A Christmas Carol" was an instant success in England. It tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a sour and stingy man who after a being visited by a number of ghosts and forced to face the truth about himself, became a transformed and reformed character.

The earliest record of a "Scrooge" film that I have found is "A Christmas Carol" released in 1908. It was a 15 minute long silent film starring Tom Rickets.

In 1910 - "A Christmas Carol" was released starring Marc McDermott as Scrooge. This was another silent film lasting approximately 17 minutes.

1913 and 1926 - "Old Scrooge" - released in 1913 and then re-released in 1926. Starred Seymour Hicks.

The first feature length film "Scrooge" was released in 1935 and starred Seymour Hicks. This time with sound.

MGM released "A Christmas Carol" in 1938. Reginald Owen played Scrooge.

1951 saw a further release of "Scrooge" - in the US it was released as "A Christmas Carol." Alastair Sim starred as Ebenezer Scrooge and it has become one of the best known versions of the story. In Great Britain it received wonderful reviews whilst in the United States in received mixed reviews. I consider this performance of Scrooge, to be one of my most favourite and a version that I can comfortably watch over and over again.

In 1970 "Scrooge" starred Albert Finney winning him a Golden Globe for best actor in a musical or comedy. The film also received 4 Oscar nominations.

"A Christmas Carol", 1971. This time an animated film version. Alistair Sim (from the 1951 film) played the voice of Scrooge.

"A Christmas Carol", 1984. George C. Scott starred as Scrooge. It was a well received version and considered by many to be one of the best adaptations of the Dickens Story.

In 1988 "Scrooged" starred Bill Murray in a much modernised version of the Dickens story. The film made a great deal of money at the box office and is very watch-able, but for me it strayed too far from the original story and lost something in the attempt to give it a modern slant.

"A Christmas Carol", 1999. Patrick Stewart played Ebenezer Scrooge. Patrick Stewart (better known for his role in Star Trek - the Next Generation), played the part wonderfully and in my opinion rates in the top 2 of the "Ebenezer Scrooge" actors.

The Ghost of Christmas Past is the first of the three spirits to haunt Ebeneezer Scrooge.


"It was a strange figure - like a child: yet not so like a
child as like an old man, viewed through some supernatural
medium, which gave him the appearance of having receded
from the view, and being diminished to a child's proportions.
Its hair, which hung about its neck and down its back, was
white as if with age; and yet the face had not a wrinkle in
it, and the tenderest bloom was on the skin. The arms were
very long and muscular; the hands the same, as if its hold
were of uncommon strength. Its legs and feet, most delicately
formed, were, like those upper members, bare. It wore a tunic
of the purest white, and round its waist was bound
a lustrous belt, the sheen of which was beautiful. It held
a branch of fresh green holly in its hand; and, in singular
contradiction of that wintry emblem, had its dress trimmed
with summer flowers. But the strangest thing about it was,
that from the crown of its head there sprung a bright clear
jet of light, by which all this was visible; and which was
doubtless the occasion of its using, in its duller moments, a
great extinguisher for a cap, which it now held under its arm.

from - A Christmas Carol: The First of the Three Spirits