The personal blog of author Kelly Sedinger, chronicling the adventures of one overalls-clad wanderer.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Your Daily Dose of Christmas
It seemed that the Christmas season in junior high and high school always somehow managed to involve a viewing of some version of A Christmas Carol. My favorite was the George C. Scott version, but the musical version Scrooge, starring Albert Finney, was also pretty fine. From that film, here's the Ghost of Christmas Present confronting Scrooge with the realization "I like life!"
My favorite version is the black-and-white one from 1951, starring Alastair Sim as Scrooge and a way-young Patrick Macnee in a blink-and-you-miss-him appearance as Young Marley. It's probably a case of this being the first version I ever saw when I was a kid, but I think the black-and-white lends a nice moody feel to the material, and Sim is really wonderful, especially at the end. His new-found joy is utterly convincing and infectious.
I totally agree Jason. The 1951 version is best. I also like the 1933 version but can't find a copy that is clear. Sim was magnificent. I wonder if you ever noticed the flaw in this version:
upon awakening after the visit from the ghost of Christmas-yet-to-come, Sim looks into the mirror. Behind him for about 3 seconds you can see the image of a stage hand.
Earl, no, I've never noticed that in probably a dozen or more viewings since I was a kid. Probably one of those things where once you've seen it, you can't NOT see it, right? :)
3 comments:
My favorite version is the black-and-white one from 1951, starring Alastair Sim as Scrooge and a way-young Patrick Macnee in a blink-and-you-miss-him appearance as Young Marley. It's probably a case of this being the first version I ever saw when I was a kid, but I think the black-and-white lends a nice moody feel to the material, and Sim is really wonderful, especially at the end. His new-found joy is utterly convincing and infectious.
I totally agree Jason. The 1951 version is best. I also like the 1933 version but can't find a copy that is clear. Sim was magnificent. I wonder if you ever noticed the flaw in this version:
upon awakening after the visit from the ghost of Christmas-yet-to-come, Sim looks into the mirror. Behind him for about 3 seconds you can see the image of a stage hand.
Earl, no, I've never noticed that in probably a dozen or more viewings since I was a kid. Probably one of those things where once you've seen it, you can't NOT see it, right? :)
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