Category Archives: Scrooge

     I realize that my serialized publication of my unpublished coffee table boo on performances of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol has a way to go, but as the season for actually watching these movies approaches, I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”

     Much they saw, and far they went, and many homes they visited, but always with a happy end.  The Spirit stood beside sick beds, and they were cheerful; on foreign lands, and they were close to home; by struggling men, and they were patient in their greater hope; by poverty, and it was rich. Continue reading “Screen Scrooges: Last Lecture of a Phantom”

     After tea, they had some music.  For they were a musical family, and knew what they were about, when they sang a Glee or Catch, I can assure you: especially Topper, who could growl away in the bass like a good one, and never swell the large veins in his forehead, or get redContinue reading “Screen Scrooges: Fred’s Party”

     It was a great surprise to Scrooge, while listening to the moaning of the wind, and thinking what a solemn thing it was to move on through the lonely darkness over an unknown abyss, whose depths were secrets as profound as Death; it was a great surprise to Scrooge, while thus engaged, to hearContinue reading “SCREEN SCROOGES: Fred’s Uncle”

    By this time it was getting dark, and snowing pretty heavily; and as Scrooge and the Spirit went along the streets, the brightness of the roaring fires in kitchens, parlours, and all sorts of rooms, was wonderful.  Here, the flickering of the blaze showed preparations for a cosy dinner, with hot plates baking throughContinue reading “Screen Scrooges: Other Christmases Present”

     Scrooge bent before the Ghost’s rebuke, and trembling cast his eyes upon the ground.  But he raised them speedily, on hearing his own name.      “Mr. Scrooge!” said Bob; “I’ll give you Mr. Scrooge, the Founder of the Feast!”      “The Founder of the Feast indeed!” cried Mrs. Cratchit, reddening, “I wish I hadContinue reading “Screen Scrooges: The Founder of the Feast”

      He sat very close to his father’s side, upon his little stool.  Bob held his withered little hand in his, as if he loved the child, and wished to keep him by his side, and dreaded that he might be taken from him.      “Spirit,” said Scrooge, with an interest he had never feltContinue reading “Screen Scrooges: Tiny Tim”

     “And how did little Tim behave?” asked Mrs. Cratchit, when she had rallied Bob on his credulity and Bob had hugged his daughter to his heart’s content.      “As good as gold,” said Bob, “and better.  Somehow he gets thoughtful sitting by himself so much, and thinks the strangest things you ever heard.  HeContinue reading “Screen Scrooges: The Cratchit Christmas Dinner”