MovieChat Forums > A Christmas Carol (1999) Discussion > Didn't Mrs. Cratchit look kind of scary?

Didn't Mrs. Cratchit look kind of scary?

posted 14 years ago by jeffyoung1
7 replies | jump to latest

In this remake of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol", Mr. Robert (Bob) Cratchit is played by talented actor, Richard E. Grant, looking gaunt and frail from his 1989 "Warlock" movie where he depicts a GQ-handsome, buff and tough warlock sorcerer hunter.

Bob Cratchit's wife is played by experienced British actress, Sakia Reeves, who looks unrecognizable from her other IMDB photos. Mrs. Cratchit also looks somewhat scary in this movie, with her large, piercing, blue eyes that seem to bore right into you. Her large, icy blue glaring eyes look as if she could melt ice by staring at it. When Mrs. Cratchit smiles, her mouth opens wide to show a row of large, yellowed teeth, 'gag'! I have scary thoughts of Mrs. Cratchit reaching over, grabbing me and freezing me in place with her large scary blue eyes and then biting me hard with her large yellowed teeth, inflicing a fatal infected wound on me like some zombie.

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] TheMagiciansWorkshop 14 years ago

I think you're being rather harsh in your description of her. She certainly didn't look scary by any stretch of the imagination. However she was the least attractive of all the actresses I've seen play Mrs Cratchit, not counting Miss Piggy, of course.

[–] jeffyoung1 14 years ago

It was those big, yellowed teeth.

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] TheMagiciansWorkshop 14 years ago

Indeed. Dental hygiene in those times wouldn't win any prizes. Bob's teeth are even worse than Mrs Cratchit's.

[–] dkwj 14 years ago

Right. Besides, the Crachits, while they weren't destitute, were certainly not well-to-do either. I think they really got it right here, from the gaunt look caused by poor nutrition (as good as the Crachits were in the 1951 version, I think they were a bit, um, plump?), to the typically bad Victorian English teeth (or, typically bad English teeth? Kidding!), to Reeves' bit of Cockney-ish accent (Susanna York, a great actress, came across as a bit patrician class in the 1984 version, I thought).

I liked Saskia Reeves performance and thought she was one of the best Mrs. Crachits. Besides, I thought she had this real-life charm and even attractiveness about her.... despite the teeth. Hey, if Austin Powers can do it for the ladies....? :-p

[–] 14 years ago

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