Category Archives: Scrooge

STAVE FIVE: The End Of It      Yes!  And the bedpost was his own.  The bed was his own, the room was his own.  Best and happiest of all, the time before him was his own, to make amends in!      “I shall live in the Past, the Present, and the Future!” Scrooge repeated, asContinue reading “Screen Scrooges: Oh, Glorious! Glorious!”

      “Spirit,” said Scrooge, “Something informs me that our moment of parting is at hand.  I know it, but I know not how.  Tell me what man that was we saw lying dead?”      The Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come conveyed him, as before—though at a different time, he thought; indeed, there seemed noContinue reading “Screen Scrooges: The Stone”

     She hurried out to meet him, and little Bob in his comforter—he had need of it, poor fellow—came in.  His tea was ready for him on the hob, and they all tried who should help him to it most.  Then the two young Cratchits sat upon his knees and laid, each child a littleContinue reading “Screen Scrooges: Bob In Mourning”

     The Ghost conducted him through several streets familiar to his feet; and as they went along, Scrooge looked here and there to find himself, but nowhere was he to be seen.  They entered poor Bob Cratchit’s house; the dwelling he had visited before; and found the mother and children seated around the fire.     Continue reading “Screen Scrooges: Some Tenderness”

     Again it seemed to look upon him.      “If there is any person in the town, who feels emotion caused by this man’s death,” said Scrooge quite agonized, “show that person to me, Spirit, I beseech you!”      The Phantom spread its dark robe before him for a moment, like a wing; and, withdrawingContinue reading “Screen Scrooges: Honest Emotion”

     He recoiled in terror, for the scene had changed, and now he almost touched a bed: a bare, uncurtained bed; on which, beneath a ragged sheet, there lay a something covered up, which, though it was dumb, announced itself in awful language.      The room was very dark, too dark to be observed withContinue reading “Screen Scrooges: A Dead Man”

     They left the busy scene, and went into an obscure part of the town, where Scrooge had never penetrated before although he recognized the situation, and its bad repute.  The ways were foul and narrow, the shops and houses wretched; the people half-naked, drunken, slip-shod, ugly.  Alleys and archways, like so many cesspools, disgorgedContinue reading “Screen Scrooges: Scavengers”

     I realize that my serialized publication of my unpublished coffee table boo on performances of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol has a way to go, but as the season for actually watching these movies approaches, I thought I would add a few notes on which versions you should seek out.      By the way,Continue reading “What the Dickens?”

     “Lead on!” said Scrooge.  “Lead on!  The night is waning fast, and it is precious time to me, I know.  Lead on, Spirit!”      The Spirit moved away as it had come towards him.  Scrooge followed in the shadow of its dress, which bore him up, he thought, and carried him along.      TheyContinue reading “Screen Scrooges: The Businessmen”

STAVE FOUR: the Last of the Spirits      The Phantom slowly, gravely, silently, approached.  When it came near him, Scrooge bent down upon his knees; got in the very air through which this Spirit moved it seemed to scatter gloom and mystery.      It was shrouded in a deep black garment, which concealed its head,Continue reading “Screen Scrooges: One More Ghost”