Having watched numerous variations of Dickens' immortal tale, I have to say that this remains the most captivating rendition I've ever seen. I know a lot of folks greatly enjoyed the more recent version with Patrick Stewart in the lead, yet I still believe that George C. Scott managed to bring a truer, more subtle, beautifully balanced portrayal of Ebenezer Scrooge to the screen. I wouldn't have thought it possible with an American actor in the lead, but Scott delivers with all the power of his extraordinary talent.
A veritable constellation of great British character actors are in his orbit on this one. The most impressive performances are Edward Woodward, both jolly and scathing as the ghost of Christmas Present; and David Warner and Susannah York, entirely convincing and deeply poignant as the put-upon Cratchits. Roger Rees plays Fred Holywell with warmth and sincerity, and the wonderful Frank Finlay portrays the ghost of Jacob Marley on a par with Michael Hordern's 1951 version.
The set designs and filming locations in Shrewsbury add marvelous color to this movie; they beautifully set the tone of an Old English Christmas season. I agree that it is regrettable that the scenes of Scrooge witnessing the way Christmas is celebrated elsewhere in the world (aboard a ship at sea, for example) were trimmed out of the story, but I don't think in this case that it suffers that much with their loss. Taken in its sum total, my family and I continue to make the viewing of this grand spectacle an annual Christmas tradition.
A veritable constellation of great British character actors are in his orbit on this one. The most impressive performances are Edward Woodward, both jolly and scathing as the ghost of Christmas Present; and David Warner and Susannah York, entirely convincing and deeply poignant as the put-upon Cratchits. Roger Rees plays Fred Holywell with warmth and sincerity, and the wonderful Frank Finlay portrays the ghost of Jacob Marley on a par with Michael Hordern's 1951 version.
The set designs and filming locations in Shrewsbury add marvelous color to this movie; they beautifully set the tone of an Old English Christmas season. I agree that it is regrettable that the scenes of Scrooge witnessing the way Christmas is celebrated elsewhere in the world (aboard a ship at sea, for example) were trimmed out of the story, but I don't think in this case that it suffers that much with their loss. Taken in its sum total, my family and I continue to make the viewing of this grand spectacle an annual Christmas tradition.