A CHRISTMAS CAROL (1951) The magnificent mellowing of a miserly misanthrope

Charles Dickens' classic Victorian morality tale about the redemption of bitter old Ebenezer Scrooge has been filmed for movies and TV many times, many ways – drama, musical, comedy, parody, animation – including a saccharine-laced 1938 version by MGM. But the adaptation that best captures the dark spirit of the novella is the 1951 British-made SCROOGE (released in the U.S. as A CHRISTMAS CAROL), and for us baby boomers none other other quite measures up. Many actors have portrayed the miser-turned-mensch including Reginald Owen, Albert Finney, George C. Scott, Patrick Stewart, Bill Murray, Donald Duck and even, G*d help us, Vanessa Williams and Susan Lucci. But none of them equals Edinburgh-born character actor Alastair Sim for making him a three-dimensional personality. For me at least, he is Scrooge. Christmas Past, Present and Future SCROOGE is the best yuletide story of all time. It's 166 years old, but the universal lessons on love, forgiveness and social consciousness it reminds us of each Christmas are timeless.