A Christmas Carol

media release: UK | 1951 | 35mm | 86 min.

Director: Brian Desmond-Hurst

Cast: Alistair Sim, Mervyn Johns, Michael Hordern

In the most British of the cinematic Carols, the power of Sim compels as Charles Dickens’ iconic miser, Ebenezer Scrooge. Prodded to rediscover his humanity during a harrowing series of ghostly visits on Christmas Eve, Scrooge must find out if he still has the capacity for love and generosity, or if it is, in fact, too late. With less emphasis on Tiny Tim and more on Scrooge’s relentless rise through the world of business, this version is perhaps darker, more adult than most, nonetheless it is a first-rate holiday entertainment. Featuring excellent support from Mervyn Johns as the long-suffering Bob Cratchit. 35mm print from the Chicago Film Society collection at the University of Chicago Film Studies Center.