My Review of A Christmas Carol (1938)

 

Written by Hugo Butler

Directed by Edwin L. Marin

Christmas Present: "No! You don't like Christmas!"

Scrooge: "Yes! Yes I do! I like Christmas! I LOVE Christmas!"

Spoiler alert: This isn't the first time I've reviewed something in relation to A Christmas Carol and it might be the last time either in 2025 either. We'll see. However this version was a first time viewing for me, so there's that.

Taking on the role of Ebenezer Scrooge was Reginald Owen. While it's not my favourite version, it's still a pretty great performance nonetheless as Ebenezer was the most miserly of men in Victorian London.

The film started with him berating loyal employee Bob Cratchit (Gene Lockhart) for wanting Christmas Day off to spend with his family. On top of that, Scrooge then fired Cratchit for a harmless snowball first. Cratchit was too embarrassed to admit that he had been sacked, even though his daughter got it out of him.

Keeping with tradition, of course there were the three Ghosts. Christmas Past (Ann Rutherford) showed a time when Ebenezer was a more considerate person who was close to his sister, Fan (Elvira Stevens) as well as his early days in business.

Christmas Present (Lionel Braham) appeared to show Scrooge a look into his nephew Fred (Barry MacKay) and his fiancée Bess (Lynne Carver) enjoying their engagement party without Scrooge ruining the mood for everyone as well as a look into the Cratchit household and death for Tiny Tim (Terry Kilburn).

Christmas Yet To Come (D'Arcy Corrigan) presented Scrooge with the harshest lesson if the latter wouldn't change for the better. If course, it worked and Scrooge changed for the better and Tiny Tim didn't die. 

- Marley's Ghost was played by Leo G. Carroll. Other prominent cast members included June Lockhart, Ronald Sinclair and Forrester Harvey to name a few.

- Lionel Barrymore was originally set to start as Scrooge but had to drop out due to arthritis.

- Standout music: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, O Come All Ye Faithful and Silent Night, Holy Night.

- Chronology: Christmas Eve and Day in Victorian London.

You know what, for a first time, this was great. It's a short but lovely version of A Christmas Carol and I do think Reginald Owen did a great job as Scrooge. It's just lovely.

Rating: 8 out of 10