MovieChat Forums > A Christmas Carol (1999) Discussion > Ruins my very favorite scene

Ruins my very favorite scene

posted 18 years ago by amybeth68
57 replies | jump to latest

In every adaptation...Alastair Sim...George C.Scott..hell, Michael Caine with the muppets...I just love when Scrooge encounters the little boy outside his window, asking him to go and buy the prize turkey...and is beside himself to realize how bright and charming he finds the child..muttering to himself..."delightful boy, intelligent boy..a pleasure talking to him"...and then offering him a shilling to run the errand or half a crown, if he's back in 5 minutes... This version broke my heart when Patrick Stewart so grudgingly says "I'll...give you a shilling..."(so obviously not wanting to) then condescends to 2 shillings...all the magic of Scrooge's transformation was just completely lost for me at that moment.

[–] griffic-2 18 years ago

Another strange acting decision by Stewart.

[–] zeroevildarkcool 17 years ago

IF THIS MOVIE IS 'RUINS MY VERY FAVORITE SCENE' WE ONLY HAVE PATRICK STEWART TO BLAME.

[–] roghache 18 years ago

I have to agree with the original post in being less than impressed with Scrooge's grudging offer of two shillings to the boy fetching the prize turkey. The correct amount is half a crown and the reformed Scrooge should have been shown to offer it with delight.

[–] johanvanroekel 18 years ago

I totally disagree with this, in fact I think it was very well done. Scrooge being only transformed for about four minutes hesitates because he is not used to spending money, and when he doubles the offer if the boy is back in five minutes all the hesitation is gone. I thought that it underlined the change in the man.

[–] tay-15 18 years ago

I have to agree with this last post, to me the hesitation simply had to do with his suddenly being in unfamiliar territory. In the end his excitement about the episode is evident.

If the scene has been done exactly the same every time before ... time for a change.

[–] fiatlux-1 18 years ago

I agree with the last 2 posters. Scrooge was only just getting used to spending his money, after MANY years of miserliness.

'In the end his excitement about the episode is evident' Couldn't agree more! Well said.

"Some laughed. He let them. His own heart laughed, and that was enough."
-A Christmas Carol

[–] teamwak 18 years ago

I agree with the above posters too!

Scrooge was getting used to being generous. Paying the boy the extra shilling is like throwing a bag of money at him. I think that re-inforces Scrooges change

You watched it, you cant un-watch it! - Futurama

http://teamwak.blogspot.com/

[–] xavierdragonlamas-178-423469 13 years ago

Have to agree with the previous users. I didn't get the sense that it was begrudging in the slightest, merely a one-second long slight reluctance. I thought Stewart played the part absolutely beautifully.

[–] TheMagiciansWorkshop 13 years ago

Have to agree with the previous users. I didn't get the sense that it was begrudging in the slightest, merely a one-second long slight reluctance. I thought Stewart played the part absolutely beautifully.

This is my interpretation as well. Scrooge had not adjusted yet to being generous or free with his money. It seemed more natural to me that he would almost hesitate to say that he would give a boy a shilling. When was the last time he said such a thing? It would not roll off his tongue.

[–] Marmadukebagelhole 13 years ago

I don't think reluctance is the correct word at all. I feel that Scrooge is apprehensive at prehaps seeming un-generous, being unaccustomed to such sentiments. Once the first offer is not scoffed at by the boy, Scrooge gleefully doubles it.

If he was truly reluctant then the he would have hesitated at the second offer, not the first one.

[–] TexasMovieBuff 11 years ago

This is the correct answer.

[–] 11 years ago

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[–] jnwa3 17 years ago

YOu know I love this adaptation of the story but that same scene bothered me too! How could he have even said that after going through what all he had if he'd truly been changed? It still remains my favorite scrooge but that scene will bother me forever.

[–] jackboot 17 years ago

Patrick Stewart is a one-note actor, I don't think that he can portray the transformed Scrooge, he doesn't have the acting chops.

Notice also that Patrick Stewart is an executive producer of this little tele-play.

His is my least favorite portrayal of Scrooge and this wonderful story.

[–] hailebear2002 17 years ago

FYI Jackboot, Patrick Stewart has performed this as a one man play (in which he plays all the parts) and has released the one man show on cassette. It is brilliant, he is hardly a one-note actor. But in the one man play he doesn't barter with the boy at all, its exactly like the book

[–] jackboot 17 years ago

I saw him do it in NYC, I was not impressed by his performance.

I don't know what to say, I really find his performances to all be very similar and lacking in any range of emotion or variety of character. No one, more than he, would be more deserving of the Dorothy Parker commendation of having displayed the full gamut of emotions, from "A" to "B".

I've never seen him play any part that wasn't within the same narrow range as his Picard. I think that he substitutes the aping strength and authority by using that rigid carriage and strong voice, in place of any real portrayal of a character. He is one of my least favorite actors. I think that his talents, so called, are wildly overrated. Had he not gotten the lucky break on TV, I don't see how he could ever have had any kind of serious career as an actor.

That's just my opinion, but I must say that it seems plainly obvious to me that he is totally overrated as an actor and his portrayal of Scrooge is the worst I've ever seen.

[–] chadgeri 17 years ago

Amen.

[–] critic-2 16 years ago

Have you seen him in "I Claudius"? In the Derek Jacobi "Hamlet"? As Enobarbus in the 1974 "Antony and Cleopatra"?

Or is your basis for judging him that ridiculous "Star Trek: The Next Generation" series?

Most actors are one-note when they do a TV series because the role doesn't require much of them. Look at Angela Lansbury in "Murder She Wrote". Or Gary Sinise in "CSI: NY". Both of them are great actors, yet you couldn't tell that from watching them on those series.

[–] slhma10 9 years ago

Star Trek NG wasnt ridiculous.You obviously never watched it.Ot know anything about the character Picard.To each his own though and not everyone can please everyone.

[–] tazman1 15 years ago

most interesting assesment of Patrick Stewart. Learn history my friend we are talking about Patrick (I potrayed) Scrooge for about 10 years) Stewart.
HE IS SCROOGE
and your arguement that he can't potray the reformed Scrooge requires you to obviously watch the movie before you make a 2 bit decision

[–] Charlie Goose 17 years ago

That's the way I feel about it as well. He's just been delivered from Hell itself and given a second chance. There should be no hesitation, just limitless giddy joy.

You smell like beef and cheese, you don't smell like Santa.

[–] mont365 17 years ago

In the time that this story is set a crown was 5 shillings. A half crown was 2 shillings and 6 pence. So he hasn't shorted the boy too terribly from the original story (the 6p or 20%). And he does ungrudgingly turn over the money when the time comes.

[–] ColonelDEH 17 years ago

Maybe Stewart does stay wihin his Picard range. . . but that's a hell of a range. Capt Jean-Luc Picard was one of the most well fleshed out characters on TV.

[–] rockcairn69 17 years ago

I guess this scene and his joyful transformation or not could be linked to how happy and giddy he was when he first woke up. The rest of the Scrooges dance around, fall back on the bed, muss up their hair and even grab the cleaning woman in earlier versions, if I remember correctly.

If he was hesitant in that scene, it might fit that he'd be hesitant at giving the boy more money, he's still in his "learning curve" at this point. Or maybe not, right?? I'm watching it right now and he's still with ghost yet to come, so I'll know soon enough!!

"Go back to your oar, Forty One."

[–] rockcairn69 17 years ago

OK, he was pretty amazed and quite happy when he woke up, I suppose the scene with the little boy and how much to give him is his first nice action towards another person so he's sort of just getting warmed up.

"Go back to your oar, Forty One."

[–] kathykato 17 years ago

I watched this version for the first time yesterday, and was very disappointed. Patrick Stewart portrayed Scrooge as unlikable, even after his conversion. Compare the ending of this version with the endings of the Alastaire Sim and musical Albert Finney versions...the Sim and Finney versions exude energy, joy, delight, and you really see the affection between Scrooge and Tiny Tim. The Stewart version was pretty much bland throughout and had a tepid ending. Also, in the Stewart version Tiny Tim and some of the other main characters weren't given the same amount of attention as in the other versions--Patrick Stewart seemed to dominate the entire movie. By contrast, in the Finney version, all of the characters are well-defined, lovable and warm.

This is just my opinion, of course, but I even prefer the Magoo version over this one!

[–] Big_AL-96 17 years ago

Kathykato Alastaire Cook is a newsreader, I do believe you mean Alastair Sim. This is a very close version to the book.

And to the poster who said without his Start Trek break he wouldn't have made it as an actor, I have to correct you. He was (and still is) a much respected and fine Shakespearian actor. That is acting displaying a full range, something which Mr Stewart is eminently capable.

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] clore_2 16 years ago

The rest of the Scrooges dance around, fall back on the bed, muss up their hair and even grab the cleaning woman in earlier versions, if I remember correctly.

Stewart isn't too likely to be mussing up any hair.

It ain't easy being green, or anything else, other than to be me

[–] PJatPoole 17 years ago

I've just watched this version and would suggest that Scrooge finds himself saying that he will GIVE the boy a shilling; the idea that he will just give money away is contrary to the way he has lived his life and so he momentarily hesitates during the sentence before realising that this is how he now wants to be.

[–] chellewetalk 16 years ago

Redemption is a choice.

If Scrooge only becomes a better man because he's scared of what the last spirit revealed, is he really a better man? I always thought *that* was the mistake -- that the most touching version of Scrooge would learn more from the first spirits and wouldn't act from a place of fear. That's how Stewart played it -- as a man who opted to do the right thing not only because he didn't want the bed curtains stolen or to die unmourned, but because he realized mankind really was his business.

He was out of the habit of giving and so it would be realistic for there to be a moment when he wasn't sure how to be generous. Then he realized his offer was not enough, was a remnant of the old miserliness and he doubled it. Then he felt the joy of giving.

The end remains the same and carries the promise that he kept Christmas well for the rest of his life and there was clear repentance in the scene with his nephew and undeniable joy in his kindness to the Cratchit family.