Ebenezer Scrooge: A Household Name for Nearly Two Centuries

A Christmas Carol and Its Adaptations: Dickens's Story on Screen and Television, Fred Guida

Last year I read Craig Wichman's book about radio drama adaptations of A Christmas Carol and in my review mentioned "[a]t least one book devotes itself to following all the film versions of the reformation of Ebenezer Scrooge, that "tight-fisted hand at the grindstone, Scrooge! a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner!" Well, this is that book!

My first exposure to this classic was seven days after I'd turned seven years old: Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol. I don't remember watching it, but I must have enjoyed it, because the very next December I recall sitting on the sofa chanting "It's almost time for Mr. Magoo!" (and my mother telling me to quit kicking the sofa 😀 ). Over the years I've watched various older versions (Sim, Hicks, Owen) and dipped into new ones as they came along (Mickey Mouse, George C. Scott, Patrick Stewart, even the creepy three night British version from last year). My favorite version is still Magoo's, but my favorite Carol is still the book.

Anyway—anyone interested in how A Christmas Carol has been done on film over the years should really enjoy this book. Guida gives a very thorough treatment of all the films and television productions he could find records of up until the time of the publication of the book, which went to press before the Patrick Stewart version aired. He even covers a few student and amateur versions that were filmed by private filmmakers, and a Mexican version of the Carol that is filmed as a Victorian English drama that I'd never heard of. Also covered are Carol variations: television shows that used elements of the story in an Christmas episode, such as The Odd Couple and Bewitched (he left out the Quantum Leap version, though). And of course he talks about the versions he considers "superior," including the 1951 Sim version and ... surprise! ... Magoo's Carol. Such good taste. 😁

The book opens with a short history of Dickens' Christmas books, of the reasons he wrote the Carol, and the difficulties he had after it was published keeping book pirates from printing their own versions, including versions with treacly additions. There's also a chapter on Dickens' own readings of the book, stage versions, and even magic lantern slide narratives. At the back of the book is a list of every silent film, sound film, and television version Guida could track down.

(I'm not sure if Mr. Guida is still with us, but I'd love to see what he thought of the British version that was broadcast last year!)