I finished a seven hour deposition late yesterday (the lawyer grilling me was a Red Sox fan, so it was okay), and from here until after New Year’s Day, I have nothing on my calendar…no, not even Christmas. I am giving gifts to the two families on my cul de sac, my long-time neighbors the Wests who have been so supportive this year, and the absurdly perfect young couple next door with their three adorable children, who warm my cold heart every time I see them riding bikes together, creating adventures, and generally making me feel like I was a crummy father. Unfortunately, the season is reminding me both of wonderful times long gone and last year’s grim, painful holidays, so everything is causing me crippling cognitive dissonance. I can’t wait for it all to be over on January 2.
Nevertheless, I am going to read “A Christmas Carol” to Spuds out loud, and of course watch at least two of the dramatic versions, the 1984 George C. Scott version, and, of course, “Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol.” I like all the “Christmas Carols” except the horrible musical starring Albert Finney and Patrick Stewart’s weak entry. No, I don’t count Bill Murray’s “Scooged,” but I do enjoy it if I’m in the right mood. I favor George’s version, first, because he was one of my favorite actors and I miss him, second, because the rest of the cast contains many of my other favorites like Edward Woodward and David Warner, and the creepiest Marley by far. I also admire the adaptation.
The entire text of “A Christmas Carol” is and has been for a long time listed under Inspirations on the Ethics Alarms homepage. I often wonder if anyone uses the Ethics Alarms links, which now reminds me that its time to cull, revise, and update the collection. I use them.
Last year I noted that the last time I directed a professional theatrical production that wasn’t my own, it was a staged reading of “A Christmas Carol.” I miss directing greatly, but if was my last hurrah, I can live with that. “A Christmas Carol” is, after all, the greatest ethics story of them all.
I worry that this Christmas the neighborhood is looking at me as Scrooge: mine is one of the few homes in the neighborhood with no lights, and no decorations, and I have been walking Spuds wearing a black Santa hat that reads “Bah Humbug.” It’s a joke, but maybe people think it’s my real attitude. Nothing could be further from the truth. I love Christmas; I always have and always will. This year, I hope for the last time, it doesn’t love me.
God bless us, every one.
Ethics Alarms 
Patrick Stewart’s Christmas Carol movie is a bit weak, but his reading of the book is excellent and I recommend it to everyone. My family enjoys it every year on one of our drives to a family Christmas.
I actually rather like the Patrick Stewart version (chacun à son goût), but the one we never fail to watch is the Blackadder Christmas Carol. It’s been 25 or 30 consecutive years, now.
Ha! Completely forgot about that, and thanks for reminding me.
Perhaps I should also mention that the first time I ever played a character with a name was as Scrooge in 5th grade. I was entrusted with the role because Mrs. Hamilton thought (correctly) that I could learn the lines. She may or may not have foreseen the crotchety old git I would become a few decades later.
And the George C Scott version has the daughter of Donald Pleasance and once you see his face in her you can’t shake it!
Christmas Carol: Even you can love Christmas if you’re terrified enough
As you may remember, I tracked down a few years ago the origin of the “There’ll be scary ghost stories” lyric in Andy Williams’ “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!” Christmas song:Apparently ghost stories were once a Christmas tradition.
I do. And it is a very interesting tradition. There was a hard “revolution” mid 1800s regarding Christmas celebrations.
I love the 1983 Disney version of A Christmas Carol. With a running time of 26 min. and made by a Disney team that clearly loved the story and knew their craft, it’s an excellent introduction for the young ‘uns.
You mean the Mickey version? That was my first introduction to the story.
Yes that one. With Scrooge McDuck as, you guessed it, Scrooge.
I’m partial to the 1938 rendition with Reginald Owen and the Lockharts. I have already watched it once (just after Thanksgiving) and will watch it again, probably this weekend.
Jack (and everyone else reading), I’m going to highly recommend Doug Brown’s reading of “A Christmas Carol.” Doug was a fixture for years in the Iowa landscape, and his show “The Book Club” on Iowa Public Radio was immensely popular. I listened for years as he guided me through – 30 minutes at a time – books that ranged from Forester’s “Hornblower” series to Bickel’s “Mawson’s Will” to Douglas Southall Freeman’s “Lee’s Lieutenants”.
Doug Brown recorded “A Christmas Carol” and it was played on IPR every Christmas Eve…it might still be played there for all I know, though Doug is no longer with us. This is in the public domain, so there are no copyright infringements.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1w4TuWQz0RqCNHiXunwtRcxc58g-aWJp4/view
If it interests you, in the upper right is a “download” button and you can pull the mp3 down to your own computer/phone.
Jack, I’m surprised neither you nor any of the other commenters (so far) mentioned what many consider the finest screen version of A Christmas Carol. The 1951 rendition starring Alastair Sim.
I’ve mentioned it before. That one finishes second on my list. It was the one my family preferred growing up, even though the Reginald Owen version, which is older still, had June Lockhart (from “Lost in Space” and “Lassie”) as the oldest Cratchitt girl while her father Gene (a prominent character actor) played Bob.
Alastair Sim’s Carol is also the standard at our house.
“No more bread!”
–Dwayne
My favorite, because I am such a sentimental person, is Magoo. I have every one of those songs memorized. But my favorite moment is when Magoo, upon hearing the approach of Jacob Marley’s ghost, asks as if to the gloom surrounding him,
Wait…WHAT DOES HE ASK AS IF TO THE GLOOM SURROUNDING HIM?????
(oops, had a glitch…)
Ahem…
…as if to the gloom surrounding him, “Rats?”
Whew! Thanks….that was going to keep me up at night!
My second favorite is A Muppet Christmas Carol. But Disney royally ticked me off when they decided to cut out the achingly beautiful song that Belle sings to young Ebenezer when she releases him from his promise (“When Love Is Gone”) because they (Disney) decided it was too sad for kids to be able to appreciate. Ugh.
They did? Ridiculous.
I wonder if Disney can be salvaged….