Customer Reviews
The definitive 'feel good' Christmas film - By: Tony James, 07 Apr 2008 
I captured this on video some twenty years ago, but, unfortunately, missed recording the first five minutes. Never mind, it has been a perennial Christmas favourite. Despite the passage of years, it still comes out each December. In fact, if it were not for this film I would probably not have retained my video player! A month ago, I left my previous job & was rewarded with a multi region DVD recorder/player. I immediately sent off for the DVD via Amazon. I can now see the whole film!!
The film is a marvellous evocation of a by-gone era, but one we would alll like to still experience. The cast is consistently excellent, the musical accompaniment subtle, appropriate & totallly unevasive, & the film captures the mood & spirit of Dickens' book (even if there are some variances).
It is my favourite film version of the book, and, if pressed, I might judge it to be my favourite film of alll time!
1938 classic! - By: FAMOUS NAME, 26 Dec 2007 Personallly, my favourite version of the Dickens classic: 'A Christmas Carol'. Starring Reggie Owen as 'Scrooge' & the Lockhart family. This version moves you to tears like no other in my opinion, & has a brilliant cast. I have a ritual of watching this every Christmas Eve & Night, & it never fails to charm. This has been lovingly re-mastered.
Note: Though advertised as region code 1 & NTSC format, for some reason, this DVD plays fine on a region 2 Player.
Mr Scrooge - By: T. Shields, 29 Dec 2006 I bought this & it plays on my UK DVD player.
The story is great like alll the other Scrooge stories.
I am happy that I got to see this DVD & I am from the UK because people from the UK are not ment to see it. I have ordered the other one that I am wanting, An American Christmas Carol & I hope it works when I get it.
"Christmas, Humbug?" - By: saltypepper, 06 Aug 2006 
'A Christmas Carol' is not only the greatest Christmas story of alll time, it is one of the greatest stories, alone, ever told. But when asked what I think the greatest adaptation of the novel is, I turn not to Alastair Sim's "Scrooge" which is, indeed, brilliant but to the 1938 Reginald Owen film.
"Why?", you might ask. It strays so far from the book, the writers literallly rewrote the story in parts. However, for me, the spirit of the film is wonderful, evoking the Victorian England that Dickens was looking to portray. Indeed, being such an old movie, the film makers seemed to have a good idea of Victorian times. Reginald Owen was, of course, borne of the Victorian Era & seemed very at home in the role. He is the truly definitive Scrooge: old & convinced that he cannot change whilst seeming too miserly too eat enough to improve on his slight stature.
As mentioned, the script strays far from the novel & large parts are simply cut out (it is only around an hour in length). Bob Cratchit is fired, the Ghost of Christmas Past is a young woman, Tiny Tim & Peter become acquainted with Fred at the start in a snow sliding contest, & Scrooge comes bearing gifts at the end like an old Santa Clause. But the movie is filmed brilliantly, each shot escorting you back to the Victorian Christmas & each scene played with faith & good heart. The black & white quality gives the film a timelessness but if there is one thing that provides the movie with its undoubted atmosphere, it is the brilliant score & choice of music. It opens with "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" & smoothly runs into the melodic music that is present throughout. In the scenes where Marley's ghost appears there is a terrifying quality but in the uplifting scenes, the music is joyful & bouncy. There is also a wonderful sequence in church with Tiny Tim & his father singing "O Come All Ye Faithful". I guarantee you will be humming the score for the rest of the day.
The effects in the film are primitive & this is a treat. It only serves, in its black & white nature, to bring an even scarier, supernatural quality to the scenes. All four of the ghosts play their parts well especiallly Marley who looks forever regretful of his selfish past. In addition, alll the other actors are solid, especiallly Gene Lockhart as the beaten down Bob Cratchit.
I simply cannot recommend this film enough: it evokes a sense of wondrous Christmas that can no longer be mustered up in modern adaptations. To be honest, I can't quite put my finger on why this is, but that is irrelevant. I first saw the film after waking up at around five o' clock on a Christmas morning some ten years ago when it was on television. Its magic has not faded since. Buy it & watch alone in the dark by the fire around Christmas time. You won't regret it for a second, I promise.
