‘Tis the season to get out a version (or more) of “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens. It shows up every year and everywhere, on TV and on stage. Have you actually read the story? I reread it every year. For those who haven’t, “A Christmas Carol” is first and foremost a ghost story. The images of mist and darkness and gloom hardly make for the cheery Christmas scenes we see in the TV versions. Scrooge is haunted not so much for despising Christmas, but for locking himself away from humanity and his family. It is not his money but himself he is not sharing with others.
In the movies, his epiphany and change are saved for the ‘head stone’ scene, to create theatrical drama. In the book, he starts to change and ‘warm up’ right away with the Ghost of Christmas Past.
Dickens is a master of description and detail; the actual characters are sometimes not accurate when portrayed in the movies – and for good reason! The Ghost of Christmas Past is quite a spectacle of fast altering shapes and images, as is fitting for vague memories. He is a mixture of spring and winter symbols. In most versions they leave out he has a bright, shining light coming from his head. Scrooge extinguishes the spirit with the candle snuffer the ghost is carrying. (The George C. Scott version does this well).
Another detail left out in most productions is the aging of the Ghost of Christmas Present. He lives for 12 days as he takes Scrooge to several celebrations around the world. By the time his ‘time on earth has spent’ on Twelfth Night, he is a white haired, frail old man. By the way, The Children of Man, Ignorance and Want, are two of the best images created by Dickens. In the book they are hideous.
The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come is not a really well defined specter but a vague image hardly distinguishable from the surrounding darkness. Only the extended pointed hand is clear. It is more Death than Christmas, which is apt our futures all lead to the same end.
I disagree with some critics Dickens’ “Carol” removed “Christ” from Christmas. There are references to the Christ child throughout the story. It is mostly the TV versions that leave out the religious statements, so we should not blame Dickens.
Tiny Tim is a arguably the greatest challenge of the story. Nowadays we find cute and sickly children cloying but in Dickens’s time they were common and considered one of the ultimate tragedies. If we no longer cry at the pathos of a dying child we should ask ourselves why.
By the way, some of my favorite lines of literature reside in “A Christmas Carol” :
“Are you the spirit whose visit was foretold to me?”
“I am’
“Who are you?”
“I am the Ghost of Christmas Past”
“Long past?”
“No, your past.”
What is your favorite version of ‘A Christmas Carol”? I like best the 1950s ‘Alastair Sim’ version despite some liberties taken. It also has one of my favorite lines from a movie –
“Can you deny that when this juicy little scandal leaks out, the next meeting of the stockholders will resemble an orchestra of scorched cats?”
Spo-Reflections 
18 comments
December 2, 2007 at 8:30 PM
deveil
I’ve only seen the old version, so it will always be my favorite one.
Urspo – each generation seems to get the version of Christmas Carol it wants, or needs. I like the George C Scott version out of all the modern takes. It is worth renting from Netflix.
December 2, 2007 at 11:25 PM
Zeph
Seen it, in one version and another, again, and again, and again.
My dad seems to find the repetition comforting. That is not quite my take on it. I’d go on about the tale itself, but I’ve done enough grinching, tonight.
December 3, 2007 at 3:49 AM
foxystone
My first memory of the Christmas Carol was the Mr. Magoo version. I still see it occasionally on television and will watch it for a while.
December 3, 2007 at 6:02 AM
Lemuel
Probably the old black and white one.
December 3, 2007 at 6:06 AM
tigeryogiji
Mr. Magoo was my first exposure to the tale as well. I think that my favorite is the Alastair Sim one. (Although I do enjoy “Scrooged” with Bill Murray too!) 😉
December 3, 2007 at 7:04 AM
Doug
The one I’ve seen most often and most recently is “Scrooged” with Bill Murray. I don’t have a clear memory of other versions, though I know I’ve seen them. And I don’t think I ever read the book. All of which is kinda sad.
December 3, 2007 at 9:03 AM
Kalvin
I’ve seen several versions, but I think there was some old live action one I saw as a kid that I really liked. I think I must echo that I liked Scrooged when I was a child although I might absolutely hate it now. I’ve tried to avoid a lot of movies I used to like anymore because I find that when I watch them now I really don’t care for them at all. I love the imagery of death as the future. It’s hard to think of the future as death, and it’s startling to be confronted with it.
December 3, 2007 at 9:41 AM
Greg
I know it’s not the traditional version, but I enjoy “Scrooged” with Bill Murray. How wonderful to watch Carol Kane knock him upside the head with a toaster!!
December 3, 2007 at 11:05 AM
Tony
I’m all for the Alistair Sim version but the George C. Scott version for television is also pretty good, either way I love this story. “A Christmas Carol” was one of the first Dickens books I read along with “A Tale of Two Cities”.
December 3, 2007 at 11:27 AM
Brent
I am surprised that nobody has yet mentioned the Muppet version. We watch it every year (in addition to reading the original story). The muppet humor always cracks me up.
December 3, 2007 at 1:35 PM
BentonQuest
I had forgotten about the Mr. Magoo version! There was also another cartoon version that I remember that really seemed to capture the eerieness of the story. I would love to see that one again.
I do have to say that I love Scrooged. I know it is a stretch from the original verson, but it is fun.
December 3, 2007 at 4:15 PM
Merri
I re read the Christmas Carol every year too!
I have to say that the Alistair Sims version is my fav.
I grew up watching it(as my Dad was huge fan of his); that version just says, “Christmas” to me.
I like that it is somehow the most faithful to Dickens illustrations(which, if your other readers haven’t read it, DO! It is SO worth reading. )
Sim’s version is the least saccharine too.
The atmosphere is drear and depressing (especially in Scrooge’s own flat; gosh what a spooky place!)
But MY favourite part is one the morning when Scrooge wakes, finds that he IS alive, and skips around..
LOLOLOL! Sims does this PERFECTLY!!!
SOO endearing…
December 3, 2007 at 7:38 PM
Scott-O-Rama
I’m a sap. I like them all, but I LOVE Carol Kane in Scrooged.
December 4, 2007 at 1:07 AM
Maddog
Thanks to your prodding I read the story last year at Christmas, for the first time and loved it. What beautiful writing. And as for my favorite movie version….I like Scrooge…the musical. Only because I was in the show in college playing the ghost of Christmas present. Sometime I’ll tell you about the big green dress I wore.
December 25, 2010 at 5:06 AM
Rodney
I have to say that the Alistair Sims version is my favorite!
Having grown up in the cartoon age of Mr.Magoo , Magoo was the 1st Christmas Carol I was exposed to. It wasn’t until High School Drama Class we were told to watch and read Dickens and to watch Alistair Sims portrayal of Ebeneezer Scrooge. I was hooked. I believe I own most of them now,although the one I seem to be missing is the Disney version..(which for some reason isn’t shown anymore) was in with Mickeys Christmas Carol. Scrooge was of course Scrooge…Mickey was Bob Cratchitt…I believe Donald was Scrooges Nephew..! (of course)
. The Muppet Christmas Carol…”Always Enjoyable”
. George C.Scott…”Admirable”
. A Cartoon Version which Alistair Sims (voiced)…”Enjoyable” – can’t find
. Bill Murray’s Version…”Good with good effects”
. . .Jim Carey’s Version . .. “Must Watch”
. Patrick Stewart’s Version – “Hmm” OK ,if you can forget about Star Trek
. ..It seems that with the Sims version, maybe it’s the Actors , or their accent , or the dinginess of the era being portrayed ,it just seems thats the way Dickens wanted it. After re-reading Dickens words , yes there were liberties taken , but they fit wonderfully. Especially when Scrooge was at his sisters side with the Ghost of Christmas Past when she was dying after childbirth and she asked Ebeneezer to watch over Fred. Hell of a moving scene. I wish they’d put that scene in Every Scrooge Version.
It did take me a few years to actually understand what the little boy says back to Scrooge from the window when asked about the Prized Turkey in the Window. I always thought and heard it as “What..? Cur..?” According to Internet Dickens Resources it’s…”Walk-er” (“Humbug” – “You gotta be kidding” – “Yeah – right”.
I’m glad I happened upon this Blog…! It’s nice to see I’m not the Only
“Christmas Carol Fan”
December 25, 2010 at 9:45 AM
Urspo
thank you for stopping by ! I am honored so!
December 25, 2015 at 2:22 AM
Raybeard
I’ve too been reading it every year, at least since 2010 (I’d already read it at least twice before that) and I must say it’s one of those works which never palls, nay, possibly the pleasure even increases every time.
I read one ‘chapter’ per day (called ‘staves’ in the novella) leading up to the day itself, finishing this year’s reading yesterday, Xmas Eve.
There’s much to be said for the Alastair Sim rendering, which I only saw for the first time about 15 years ago, in a colourised version. (I’m now not sure whether I prefer that or the ‘proper’ b/w one). But must confess I do also have a soft spot for the Albert Finney portrayal in the Leslie Bricusse musical film (presumably the same musical that Maddog, above, appeared in). It’s a film that’s been derided ever since it first appeared in 1970. Even Kenneth More, who appears as ‘the Ghost of Christmas Present’ hated it. But I still hold the whole film in some affection, though of course the story is even more abridged than for Alastair Sim’s. But I rate Finney’s portrayal as remarkably fine – and the music isn’t ALL bad, especially the near-final ‘Thank You Very Much’ which is a hoot!
December 25, 2015 at 11:07 AM
Raybeard
I’ve only just noticed the date you posted this. Silly me! But what I say still holds.