A Christmas Carol (Alastair Sim)

The 1951 Alastair Sim Scrooge is another film adaptation of the Dickens classic. Sim makes one of the best Scrooges ever. He becomes gradually more heartless early in his career and has a joyful conversion. Kathleen Harrison plays Mrs. Dilber. Michael Hordern is Marley. Ernest Thesiger plays the undertaker.

It's at youtube in 9 parts, with embedding disabled: part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7, part 8, part 9

The New York Times closes its review this way:

In short, what we have in this rendition of Dickens' sometimes misunderstood "Carol" is an accurate comprehension of the agony of a shabby soul. And this is presented not only in the tortured aspects of Mr. Sim but in the phantasmagoric creation of a somber and chilly atmosphere. These, set against the exhibition of conventional manifests of love and cheer, do right by the moral of Dickens and round a trenchant and inspiring Christmas show.

Foster on Film declares:

This British, B&W version of the well-known story is generally considered to be the finest version by critics and viewers alike, and I agree.

We have a couple of quibbles with this one -mainly the big, healthy-looking Tim, whose only claim to frailty is to use a crutch while holding one foot up behind him and hopping along on the other.

Here's Scrooge post-conversion:


"I don't deserve to be so happy. I can't help it! I just can't help it!"