A Christmas Carol

I collect this title. I like this older one. It seems more like the times.

This is really a wonderful production and very well done. It's a serious take on the story - I doubt it could be made today.Fredric March inhabits Scrooge. It's a performance unlike any other Scrooge or any other by March. Understated but not boring. I really was surprised by just how well he does. Rathbone is also an understated and pitiful ghost of Marley. His screen time is short, but effective. He doesn't try to make the most of it, if you catch my drift. He plays his part effectively and is gone. Today, any director working with an artist of Rathbone's talent and notoriety would feel obliged to somehow work his presence into additional scenes. That doesn't happen here, and it's refreshing.This production is quite daring in what it attempts and achieves. Without giving anything away, I will say that the very end of the show is unprecedented in the demands it puts on March in an extended shot that would never be attempted on TV these days.The rest of the cast is also very good. There's not a weak link. No mugging from anybody, either.Bernard Hermann's music is just perfect in that it foots the bill without drawing undue attention to itself. It tends to the operatic, or maybe, operetta-ish. In addition to the incidental/background music (most of which has a note of foreboding to it), it's striking to realize that all of the music is original. That includes Tiny Tim's Xmas song (reprised at the end by the chorus), a duet for the young Scrooge (tenor) and his fiance (soprano) (here called Belle, and sung by a young SOPRANO Marilyn Horne), a buffo baritone song for the Ghost of Xmas present (which turns up later in the show with a few catches sung by none other than Fredric March), and a Christmas Carol sung at the beginning of the production by the chorus (the Roger Wagner Chorale).The DVD itself is very basic. Contrary to the blurb on the DVD case, there are no interactive menus and there is no intro by William Lundigan included in the video. The disc goes in your player and one option comes up - Play. I watched it through my BluRay player, so I don't know if there are options available if played in a DVD player.Finally, I have to believe this show was shot on film and isn't drawn from kinescopes. The quality of the picture is simply too clear and steady to not have been a film production. It was shot by DesiLu, who I believe were using film on "I Love Lucy," so why not for this production as well?Definitely a sleeper and worth much more than the $3.98 it cost me from amazon.

A Christmas Carol is one of my favorite stories and I have been collecting every movie made of this Charles Dickens story. This one is a musical and a very condensed version. I must say it is one of my least favorite versions I’ve seen but it adds to my collection.

This is a surprisingly delightful take on the classic Dickens' tale. Shot in the late fifties (and in color, I believe, although this DVD is not in color), the production values are extremely good for the time. Fredric March makes a wonderful Scrooge - despite a ridiculously big nose. The doubling of the Ghosts of Christmas Past and Present with Scrooge's lost lady-love and nephew Fred playing the dual roles is a nice innovation. Basil Rathbone makes for a haunting, understated Marley with chilling music underscoring his post-mortem agonies.And speaking of music the real "star" of this treasure of the early years of televison is the wonderful score by the wonderful Bernard Hermann. As hinted at by another reviewer on this board, the Tiny Tim song is one of the most beautiful, tender and touching Christmas songs ever written. The lyrics equal the melody and both combined truly touch one's heart. The other songs are also memorable, especially the song for the opening sequence. And there is an extended shot of Scrooge's face (with the Tiny Tim song sung by full chorus to accompany the shot) that was very brave on the director's part and shows an incredible range of emotions playing across Scrooge's face as he reflects on years wasted and the reborn years to come. Fredric March displays truly great acting in this daring, imaginitive, non-verbal, extended moment. It is a moment totally unique to all other Scrooge adaptations. And this entire version concludes with a fantastic shot that will definitely move you - unless you are made of stone. There are faults: Tiny Tim isn't tiny and the American accents are distracting to the time and place being depicted. But these are small matters. This is 50 minutes of pure gold from the Fifties - and for the low price of the item, you can't miss. Highly recommended!

This "Christmas Carol" is an early TV version from 1954 with Fredric March as Scrooge (he won an Emmy) and Basil Rathbone as Marley. It's not a bad effort for TV for the time, but rather dated by today's standards. (Scrooge even tries to refer to hell, but was not allowed to say the word on TV at that time which leads to an unintentionally funny moment.)The background music is by Bernard Hermann (of Hitchcock Psycho fame) and is the best part about this version (listen to the spooky chorus underneath Jacob Marley's scene). But the actual songs (also by Hermann) are less than memorable (especially the song of Christmas Present). However, the two original carols, sung by the outstanding Roger Wagner Chorale are great (if not time-appropriate to the story).As for the acting: Fredric March was an outstanding actor, but he's trying too hard (and there are several gestures thrown in over the hour that are over the top). However, I think it was well received at the time (winning an Emmy). The story is rather bare bones (this version is only an hour--with songs), but still makes it's point.This version is basically for those old enough to remember it, or those interested in TV of the time (or perhaps Bernard Hermann fans--who knew he did TV?). Perhaps also for those who are Christmas Carol completists. Look for Bonnie Franklin's first TV acting role (as one of the Cratchit kids).This version, however, should not be the only version of this story you have.

It’s added collection of all the Christmas movies.

Enjoyable to see this old version recreated…. but do not expect the best sound.

This version of A Christmas carol is pretty cruddy - just as one might expect from American TV given Frederic March as Scrooge and Basil Rathbone as the late Jacob Marley.....Rathbone is excellently chilling, but as for the rest, from the "Quality Street" chocolate tin style of the street sets, the smiling flautist who doesn't purse his lips (damn it, man at least PRETEND properly).SPOILERS: Scrooge reforms, and ends up chowing down with the Cratchits instead of his nephew as Dickens had it, sitting at the table looking like a stuffed dummy - and I for one expect Tiny Tim to be Tiny. He isn't and worse than that, he sings.Why 3 stars? This production shares with the Kelsey Grammer musical version the prize for Most Horrible Example Of Why Americans Should Not Be Let Near Literary Classics. It's riper than a 10 year old Stilton and stinks worse.

Loved it . Christmas at its best.

not quite watched all of it yet. picture and sound seem ok. i bought it because ive got quite a few versions of a xmas carol. and its region free plays fine on my dvd player. its not region 1. hope this helps.

Crap

My favourite Scrooge