MovieChat Forums > Scrooge (1971) Discussion > Can't say enough!

Can't say enough!

posted 11 years ago by hmmwhat
15 replies | jump to latest

I know this has been said many a time but his role as Scrooge was truly amazing.
I remember watching it when I was very small, 5 to be exact. I have watched that movie countless times and never missing a year. It brings such joy and Christmas feeling to me it makes me a child again.
A Christmas Carol to me it would not be Christmas if I did not get to watch it. This movie is the reason I like musicals so much now. I really can't put into words watching it. I remember so many fond Christmas memories because of it. A Merry Christmas to everyone and a Happy New Year!

[–] phillindholm 11 years ago

You put it beautifully. My thoughts exactly. Merry Christmas to you, too,

[–] beatleguy64-429-364588 11 years ago

I personally prefer the Alistair Sim version.

[–] boll-weavil 11 years ago

A lot of people prefer the Alistair Sim version and it has been quite rightly highly-regarded over the years but the musical boasts the finest Scrooge on celluloid - Finney's performance is remarkable and the highlight of the show. He is the first Scrooge to lose the all-good or all-bad pantomime characterisation that earlier versions thought was necessary to produce a powerful ending. We actually sympathise with Finney as he loses his hopes and his love and all the good things in his life and we can see how he would have been a much better man if he had made the right decisions at various stages in his life. That was the point Dickens was making to us through the book - no one is all good or all bad but decisions makes them so and the wrong choices have lasting consequences. The story makes us look at our own lives and Finney's portrayal is spot on !

[–] phillindholm 11 years ago

Yes, and because he was able to pay his ''younger'' self (one of the few movie Scrooges who was young enough to do so) it made his story even more heartbreaking.

[–] boll-weavil 11 years ago

Yes, I think that's a big part of it.

[–] richard-III 11 years ago

I just watched it on a big screen, I am still singing 'Thank you, thank you, thank you very much'.

A Merry Christmas and Happy new year to you, too!

"I don't discriminate between entertainment
and arthouse. A film is a goddam film."

[–] boll-weavil 11 years ago

Too late for a Happy Christmas but have a great New Year !

[–] residentevil6901 10 years ago

I'm not one for musicals but this is one of my all time favorite movies. Saw it when I was a kid too, probably 6 or 7 and it just doesn't feel like Christmas until I watch this in December. I love the look of it, that old English and dark and dreary with the costumes that fit the time period so well. The songs are very catchy and my kids will now walk around the house singing them. Albert Finney did a great job and I'd love to see them remake this today and have Finney once again play the part of old Scrooge. We used to have an old theater here that would show this every year until they finally shut down about 5 years ago. All my extended family loves this show as well, my cousins are the country music group Shedaisy and they sing Christmas Children from this movie on their Christmas album. I personally would love to hear them sing every song from this movie. Funny how one movie can mean so much to you in so many ways.

[–] boll-weavil 10 years ago

It is funny but if you have just such a movie its a gift and when you come here, you find like-minded souls who have the same thoughts about it - me for one ! We know where you're coming from.

[–] phillindholm 10 years ago

Yes, indeed. This film is a treasure. ''Happiness'' is watching it over the holidays. They just don't make ''em like this any more.

[–] residentevil6901 8 years ago

I agree and now they're taking away these message boards so we can't come here and have the same thoughts about it anymore.

[–] SamoanJoes 10 years ago

Great performances, great art-direction, great cinematography. What's there not to love?

[–] kurtbrian14 9 years ago

I own the DVD and plan to get the lyrics for the songs, which are wonderful.

[–] robert3750-92-607013 8 years ago

The film is an absolute treasure! Finney's performance is superb, the best portrayal of the character I've ever seen. All the performances are excellent. I love the songs. They make me happy and wistful (in the case of "Happiness"). The sets, the lighting, the costumes, all contribute to a wonderful old time Christmas feel.

[–] jdforyou1983 (1470) 3 years ago

This one of the best Christmas Carol versions I've seen.