MovieChat Forums > A Christmas Carol (1999) Discussion > Patrick Stewart's Poor Performance

Patrick Stewart's Poor Performance

posted 15 years ago by mypcforums
30 replies | jump to latest

I've read a number of favorable and glowing comments about Patrick Stewart's performance here at IMDb but, early on in the movie, I became disappointed with his portrayal of Ebenezer Scrooge. It seems that I'm in a vast minority with my opinion. He wore that sh*t-eating grin of a self-conscious actor that ruins a performance for me.

I also found Patrick Stewart's Ebenezer to be too brave, too sure of himself, almost unfettered, when speaking with the spirits. Any man, even Ebenezer Scrooge, would not have been as outspoken as he when found facing immortal beings. He was more apprehensive when he asked his nephew on Christmas day if he could have dinner with them.

Other times in the movie, I felt that the mannerisms and way of speaking, not the words themselves, were too modern for the time, such as the boy who was asked to get the goose.

I read a number of comments about Scrooge's offer of 2 shillings if the boy brought the butcher back with the goose in 5 minutes. Some said that Scrooge's unwillingness to part with the extra shillings did not live up to the transformation that was supposed to have happened within Scrooge and others said that the unwilling decision to part with the extra 5 shillings showed that he wasn't used to parting with money easily. When Scrooge discovered that he was still alive, his laugh became hysterical, like that of a mad scientist . . . totally ridiculous and unbelievable. To follow, if he was as hysterical as portrayed, an additional 5 shillings would not have meant much to offer.

I also didn't like the way Tim said, "Merry Christmas. Everyone." I felt it was said without any feeling. Tim is a boy who is supposed to have a heart the size of the whole outdoors so that his wish should have been very heartfelt. Tim also had very few lines in the movie, which I found disappointing.

In defense of Patrick Stewart's performance, I have to say that I haven't read the book so that I don't know Charles Dickens' image of Scrooge. My critique is based solely on watching other versions of the Scrooge character portrayed in other movies.

As a made-for-tv movie, I think the sets were well done, as were the costumes. The performances of the other actors in the movie were done very well. I was, however, a little sickened to see Bob Cratchit's rotten teeth. More than likely, most people had rotten teeth at the time but it's something that could have been done without in this movie about a man coming to grips with his mortality. If anyone should have had rotten teeth, it would have been Mrs. Cratchit because she nursed many children.

And a very heartfelt "Merry Christmas. Everyone!" from me to you.

[–] easyaslife 15 years ago

You typed all of that up based on other film adaptations instead of reading the story for yourself? You realize that gives your opinion on Patrick Stewart's portrayal of Scrooge pretty much no credibility at all. The man knows the role inside and out. I'd imagine he knows everyone's role inside and out given his years of doing his one-man show. This is one of my absolute favorite versions of A Christmas Carol. It's too bad for you that you sit and nitpick about a small boy's portrayal of Tiny Tim and a character's laugh at his relief of still being alive and Bob Cratchit's teeth rather than enjoy the movie. You are pretty much ridiculous.

[–] madisonj1 15 years ago

i love patrick stewart. i have the cd of him reading 'a christmas carol' and i listen to it every year. that being said, i do not like the movie version. i am watching it right now on tnt and my biggest issue is that he looks too clean, too washed, too nice looking. other scrooge portrayals make him more craggy and mean looking. he should look craggy and mean, not clean and nice.

[–] YankeeDood 15 years ago

[–] majorstarr8806 15 years ago

u cant critize a character if you havent read the source material.

"Its over now, the music of the night"

[–] tazman1 15 years ago

Wow this is a joke right? First off Patrick Stewart's potrayal was spot on if you ever even opened the book you wold know that. We are also talking the character that he played for years. Stewart's fisrt acting job was in one man productions of A Christmas Carol.

As for the more modern use of language well have you walked into a highschool in the last 5 years? They had to modernise it so that the brain dead idiots schools are pumping out can understand what the hell is going on.

Merry Christmas

[–] mypcforums 15 years ago

Since we're discussing the movie and not the book, unless you're living on another planet, Patrick Stewart's performance is stoic, which is great for a starship captain but not indicative of a man who was miraculously given the gifts of life, happiness and love.

You made my point . . . the acting was geared toward dead highschool idiots.

[–] mypcforums 15 years ago

This board is for the movie, not the book. The book can never be taken into consideration when critiquing a movie. It needs to be judged on its own merits. . . screenplay, direction, scenery/sets, acting, camerashots, special effects, costumes, makeup, etc, etc.

That being said, Patrick Stewart's Scrooge is one of the worst I've seen.

[–] allandssmith 15 years ago

In which case you are really a prime example of a clown my friend.

Just out of interest. Have you ever read a book of any kind? Just for the record; I do not consider JK Rowling or Dan Brown to be authors. :-)

[–] Film_o_philiac 15 years ago

I am watching it now, and I have to agree that his laugh when he realizes that he is alive, it's as if someone is sticking their finger up his arse.

[–] lurker_from_persia 15 years ago

Lol yeah Michael Caine is so much more heart warming and memorable, and I HAVE read the book!!!

[–] YankeeDood 15 years ago

I am watching it now, and I have to agree that his laugh when he realizes that he is alive, it's as if someone is sticking their finger up his arse.
****
I must admit, aside from his laughter, that one scene with Scrooge choking was rather strange. Obviously, Stewart added that in to signal a death to his old self and a birth to his enlightened heart. It just came across awkwardly.
However, this is a minor complaint because just about every other golden scene makes it easy to bypass and this version has far fewer odd scenes than the Scott version. I thought the Ghost Of Christmas Present over-acted and showed way too much of his chest in that one, lol!
Here, the ghost is portrayed more as someone with a lot of compassion and sorrow instead of the usual focus on his righteousness. I found that to be a refreshing change.

[–] mypcforums 15 years ago

allandssmith:

I'm an avid reader and have read several hundred books.

Again, this board is to review movies, not books.

This board is also not here to critique reviews but to critique movies.

[–] blitzkrieg3828 15 years ago

mypcforums, I agree with you.

[–] mypcforums 15 years ago

Thank you blitzkrieg :)

[–] YankeeDood 15 years ago

I disagree. Stewart was superb in this role!
Some parts were altered so modern day viewers could understand it better. I think it was quite effective.

[–] Film_o_philiac 14 years ago

GhostGalleon:

I disagree, Stewart acted like someone was giving him a prostate massage with a potatoe peeler.

Hey, go easy.. I do actually suffer with Dyslexia.

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] TheMagiciansWorkshop 14 years ago

I think it's funny that the only actor who has been able to play that part of Scrooge's character with the most amount of believability is Michael Caine and he was surrounded by muppets!

This is so true. Caine did play it the best, it's why the Muppet version of A Christmas Carol is my favorite.

By the way, who is sim?

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] Marmadukebagelhole 13 years ago

Bollocks to that, I say.

[–] 13 years ago

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[–] Marmadukebagelhole 13 years ago

its no secret, his was poor.

You're opinion yes. Not a fact.

[–] yabbadabbadu2 11 years ago

I can't believe I never saw this until just tonight. Right from the get-go....I should have known that Stewart's performance would match the tv-styled look of the piece.

Stewart is a very ANGRY Scrooge. Dickens' Scrooge wasn't just angry, he was mean, nasty and cold. Stewart takes off in *front of* the ghost of Xmas Past, striding like a young man. Um, Scrooge is OLD. If Scrooge were even 40 in the book, it would be a lot older 40 than the 40 year olds of today. Old men don't stride. They hunch over and shuffle or hobble.

Not to mention, the wooden lines....same Scrooge at the beginning as he was at the end. If it weren't for the fact that I'd never seen it before, I would not have watched it to the end. Mr. Magoo was a better actor. Even creepy old Alastair Sim was better. And I didn't like his performance at all, he does the whole performance with a sneer on his face. WTH.

The styling was off, too. Stewart's bald head is way too slick for an old guy who is too cheap to put another piece of coal on the fire. Sorry, that's a pro job, and a real Scrooge head needs some age spots and some whiskers. And a somewhat dirty face, much less a dirty office. Should look like there was coal dust everywhere. Pfft. Nice lighting in the office, btw. @@

Watch the old Seymour Hicks version if you want to see a real Scrooge. I wish I could un-watch this one.

If Roman Polanski would do this the way he did Oliver Twist a few years ago, now THAT would probably be hard to beat.

Fred

[–] 11 years ago

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[–] 11 years ago

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[–] Scarecrow-88 9 years ago

I do think he's at his best when Scrooge is an embittered *beep* but I liked him throughout. I didn't really see stage actor theatricality until the very end when he's spared. But even that wasn't too bothersome. When you start comparing him to Sim or Scott, Stewart will most likely always suffer.

http://brianscarecrow.blogspot.com/

[–] suebob-28169 9 years ago

I agree--I liked Stewart throughout this version as well. After seeing other Scrooge portrayals over the years, it was rather fun to see a more combative and somewhat more youthful Scrooge. I liked seeing how awkward he was at trying to fit in at first after his transformation--attending church, trying to charm Fred's maid after she opens the door, surprising Cratchit back at work and almost getting attacked by him (or perhaps Cratchit was trying to defend himself :) ). The fun he was having at Fred's party showed that he still had some charm. I would like to think that this Scrooge could find another woman to love if he chose to.

[–] PaladinNJ (21525) 6 years ago

I don't think Stewart did a bad job except for one thing and I wasn't the only person who has noticed it. Patrick Stewart has been doing the role as a one-man play since the eighties. As a result his timing was off in some scenes because he was used to doing it that way. as a result he would sometimes pause to catch up or have to slow himself down.

[–] PrimeMinisterX (8757) 6 years ago

Can't say I noticed that particular issue.

I have always enjoyed this adaptation and have thought he did a great job. In fact, a few years ago I got a still from the film autographed by him at a Comic-Con!

I own this version on DVD and think it's very strong, especially for a made-for-TV film. My only issue with it is the design for the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. He looks pretty awful.