Scrooge (1970)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Luke B

  
  A wonderfully different version of A Christmas Carol. A 34 year old Albert Finney, takes on the role of Scrooge. For the most part he hits every single note. He's bitter and twisted, but also is shown having some enjoyment. As the film progresses, it's easy to see the fairly… More
  A wonderfully different version of A Christmas Carol. A 34 year old Albert Finney, takes on the role of Scrooge. For the most part he hits every single note. He's bitter and twisted, but also is shown having some enjoyment. As the film progresses, it's easy to see the fairly natural change. The songs aren't great nor memorable, but they do move the story forward. There is one classic, that we get to hear twice "Thank you very much." which has enough power to get you moving and dancing in the Christmas spirit. This song alone is used brilliantly in the film, being used first as an example of very dark humor, before taking on it's kinder meaning later on. The performances are nice, even if Guiness does seem to be pulling his performance from a different production. Some of the effects are very dated, with The Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come, being a wasted and hardly scary prop.The scenes in hell are a little different, but also confusing. Marley doesn't seem to hate the place that much. This is a very nice adaptation that stands out from the others.

• Anthony L

  
  My favourite of the Christmas Carol's. Not that I like Christmas. Humbug!

• Michael G

  
  Scrooge is a holiday favorite shoved down my throat from an early age by my mother. If I didn't see this and it didn't stick (those songs were really catchy) I'd give it only 3 stars. But because nostalgia plays a big part in my opinion of this movie I've got to… More
  Scrooge is a holiday favorite shoved down my throat from an early age by my mother. If I didn't see this and it didn't stick (those songs were really catchy) I'd give it only 3 stars. But because nostalgia plays a big part in my opinion of this movie I've got to give it 3 1/2 stars. Albert Finney does a great job but Alec Guinness steals the show. Scrooge is definitely worth a watch if musicals don't make you want to puke up a dozen organs, but otherwise go hit up Alastair Sym.

• Lafe F

  
  The best version of Scrooge available! It's a musical with great settings and special effects. Albert Finney is a great Ebenezer Scrooge. It gets a lot of the historical details bang-on. The Christmas ghosts are truly wonderful, but some of them are scary. It's a musical… More
  The best version of Scrooge available! It's a musical with great settings and special effects. Albert Finney is a great Ebenezer Scrooge. It gets a lot of the historical details bang-on. The Christmas ghosts are truly wonderful, but some of them are scary. It's a musical masterpiece; I'd love to see this at the theatre.

• Mark E

  
  Perfect xmas film

• Mark K

  
  Adding music to the classic Dickens Christmas story doesn't hurt it in the slightest, and Albert Finney is fun to watch in his role as the man you love to hate. The music, while not memorable, adds a nice break from the usual gloom of the Christmas Carol films. It's not… More
  Adding music to the classic Dickens Christmas story doesn't hurt it in the slightest, and Albert Finney is fun to watch in his role as the man you love to hate. The music, while not memorable, adds a nice break from the usual gloom of the Christmas Carol films. It's not intended to be realistic, and instead it highlights part of the story very differently from a straight film version. It cleverly uses the music to change the tone pre-and-post redemption, especially the song 'Thank You Very Much'. Since music is a traditional part of the holiday, the inclusion of music in the film helps the overall feeling of cheer, even if some of the songs are rather dragged out. The movie departs from the book in several ways. The inclusion of the 'hell' sequence is a novel approach, although not really necessary for showing what's going to happen to Scrooge, he's already seen his own death several times. Finney shines the brightest in his redemption of several Scrooge adaptations, but some of the other characters have good moments. Sir Alec Guinness has a good time spooking Scrooge as Marley's ghost. The pacing is a little uneven, with the frequent bursts of song, but if you like musicals, this one is very different, from the traditional musical treatment, really more like a play with music.

• Christopher O

  
  One of my favorite versions of the Dicken's classic set to the spirited music of Leslie Briscuse and featuring a stellar lead performance by Albert Finney as Scrooge. Many of England's top theater performers lended their talents to this production and it helped it… More
  One of my favorite versions of the Dicken's classic set to the spirited music of Leslie Briscuse and featuring a stellar lead performance by Albert Finney as Scrooge. Many of England's top theater performers lended their talents to this production and it helped it considerably. Alec Guiness also shines as Jacob Marley. This version has a slam bang ending and will make you smile.

• David S

  
  This was one of the Christmas films I watched repeatedly when I was a child and the songs have stuck in my head ever since (especially 'Thank You Very Much'). I watched it again last night for the first time since then and was immediately transported back to my youth.… More
  This was one of the Christmas films I watched repeatedly when I was a child and the songs have stuck in my head ever since (especially 'Thank You Very Much'). I watched it again last night for the first time since then and was immediately transported back to my youth. It's one of my favourite versions of the story and I love the look of the film (it looks very similar to the set of 'Oliver!') Finney was only in his 30's when he played the role but apart from when you see him in the flashbacks you would never guess as he plays the role brilliantly and copes well with the little singing he has to do (he does what Judi Dench does and convinces with the emotion of the songs rather than trying to 'sing it'). I also like the little additions to the story the film puts in like the night flight with Marley and the nightmare scene in hell with the large chain. There were some scenes in here that terrified me as a kid (e.g. the aforementioned flight with Marley and the shock skeleton appearance of the Ghost of Christmas Future) but now looking at it there is also a lot of humour, mostly coming from Guinness' Jacob Marley. Overall a Christmas favourite and a great reminder of my own Christmas past.

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