God Bless Us Everyone

Posted By: Peter DavidPosted On:

I’m currently reading an annotated edition of “A Christmas Carol.” Conservatives like to claim that there’s a war on Christmas now? They don’t know from wars on Christmas. According to the book’s lengthy intro, back in the 17th Century England’s Roundhead government basically banned Christmas celebrations. Dickens’ book is largely credited for reigniting Christmas festivities after several centuries of very muted celebrating.

AMC just repeated the magnificent George C. Scott version of the classic tale. If you haven’t seen it, seek it out on DVD.

Many happy returns of the day to all, and to all a good night.

PAD

68 comments on “God Bless Us Everyone”

  1. I’m interested in hearing what everyone’s favorite versions of A Christmas Carol are. Besides the 1984 version PAD mentions, I know the 1951 Alastair Sim rendition is a classic. Any other candidates?

  2. The two we own are Patrick Stewart’s (make that three if you count his dramatic reading), plus the Muppets w/ Michael Caine. Both are very well done.

  3. Scrooge with Albert Finney and the Muppet version

    I recently listend to a book-on-tape version read by Jim Dale. I waited for him to say

    “The facts were these: Marley was dead to begin with” 🙂

    Merry Christmas (or Merry movie-and-Chinese food day) to everyone on the list

    David

  4. Sorry, but nitpick alert, and I only mention it because I’m such a fan of A Christmas Carol. It’s “God bless us, every one” — two words, not “everyone” one word. It’s a subtle difference, but meaningful to anyone who makes a living with words.

    My favorite movie version is probably the George C. Scott one, which AMC has been showing incessantly this year, but I also like Patrick Stewart and even Reginald Owen. Seymour Hicks is a bit weak but that was the age of melodrama. I like ’em all, though, for different reasons — even Mr. Magoo (some of the songs are great), the Muppets, the two musicals (Albert Finney and the newest with Kelsey Grammar — both Grammar’s and Stewart’s were Halmi-produced). Looking forward to getting the restored DVD of the Sim version.

    Audio-wise, I highly recommend Geoffrey Palmer’s reading. And I was happy I saw Patrick Stewart do a reading on stage.

  5. I liked the 1951 Alastair Sim version best, but thought the George C. Scott version was extremely good. The Reginald Owen version doesn’t seem to have sufficient gravity – While the story is ultimately a joyful one, the appearances of the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future do not convey enough regret of lost time, dismay at the present situation and terror of death and dámņáŧìøņ, respectively. If I had not seen the Sim version, it would be difficult to imagine a better rendition than Scott’s. I must not have seen the Seymour Hicks or the other versions.

  6. Well, I can’t stand A Christmas Carol anymore, but not because I don’t like it. I’ve just seen too many versions and need a break.

    Merry Christmahanaukawnzika, everyone!

  7. I like the Mr Magoo one. Oh, and the very special Christmas episodes of Family Ties, The Jetsons, Quantum Leap, The Flintstones, WKRP In Cincinnati, The 6 Million dollar Man,Alvin and the chipmunks, Tiny Toon Adventures, Blossom, The Real Ghostbusters, Popular, Roseanne, Northern Exposure, Smallville, Xena Warrior Princess, Kappa Mikey, Blackadder, Beavis and Bûŧŧhëád, and The Happy Tree Friends.

  8. There was a Very Special Christmas Episode of Happy Tree Friends??? Now that I have to look up!

    My personal favorite version of “A Christmas Carol” is the one with Bill Murray – “Scrooged”. There’s just something about watching Carol Kane clock him with a toaster – repeatedly…

  9. w*w.youtube.com/watch?v=7AFawTBn7MY

    Keep in mind that this version does take a few minor liberties with the original story.

  10. My personal favorite version of “A Christmas Carol” is the one with Bill Murray – “Scrooged”. There’s just something about watching Carol Kane clock him with a toaster – repeatedly…

    The story goes that Murray was ready to kill her by the end of the shoot. Supposedly she wasn’t holding back in any of the scenes where she’s punching or pounding on him.

    PAD

  11. The Annotated Christmas Carol is very well done. For more on the topic, I highly recommend Stephen Nissenbaum’s The Battle for Christmas, which is about the development of the modern Christmas celebration during the Victorian era. (In addition to Dickens, Nathaniel Hawthorne and the author of “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” whether you believe it was Clement Moore or someone else, play a large role.)

    “Muppet Christmas Carol” may be my favorite version; I saw it several times this weekend thanks to my 2 1/2-year-old niece, and didn’t get tired of it, which definitely says something about its staying power. For parody versions, “Blackadder’s Christmas Carol” deserves a nod as well.

  12. Heck, Boston did ban Christmas. It was a Pagan festival, “to the the great dishonor of God”, and there was a five shilling fine as well.

    Ah, those wacky Puritains.

  13. I’m just mad that I can’t find my Dickens’ Christmas Tales book on our (REAAAAAALLLY overcrowded) bookshelf. Still, I have the copies of the Patrick Stewart CD playing alternately with the Ye Olde Me Christmas CD(starts with Bob and Doug and goes to wierd and traditional places from there). Now, I like this book so much that the only version I DON’T enjoy is the cheap animation one that came out in the early ’90’s. (Little known thingy–if you watch/listen to one of these in a REALLY cold camera tower, or anywhere outside, really, it adds to the experience.) Although, everyone sees me with the Muppet one and I keep hearing my name muttered with Gonzo. Don’t know why, particularly.

  14. Peter you missed out the best bit the reason Oliver Cromwell banned Chirstmas was on the grounds that it was “unchristan”

    ths is of course in the days before christmas had anything to do with jesus being born and all to do with the celebration of the shortest day 23rd dec (I think)

    after years of trying to wipe out these pagan festivals the churches of Europe delevoped a hijack statergy and turned them into christian festivals to limited sucesss (see also halloween)

    I’m glad to see the true meaning of christmas is still there the tree, the lights, the gifts even as the christian stuff crumbles away

    so here’s to the true meaning of christmas long may it last

  15. I just remembered which version is my favorite. The Real Ghostbusters. They went through a vortex and entered the story. Of course they didn’t realise where they were until they had captured the ghosts. They went home and found that nobody had the Christmas spirit, so they had to go back and pretend to be the ghosts themselves.

  16. Speaking of cartoons, one of the first renditions of ACC I ever saw was the Disney one with Mickey Mouse and Uncle Scrooge. I still have a soft spot for it.

  17. The very best I’ve ever seen is Patrick Stewart doing his one-man Christmas Carol gig on Broadway. Absolutely mesmerizing. I saw the original run, and then the 10-year anniversary run, and I’d pay big money to see it again today.

    Of the commercial versions, I love the Muppets’ version, but there was a cartoon version I haven’t seen in years – it may have the been the Mr. Magoo version – but the ghosts scared the living bejeezus out of me as a kid, and I still think of that as the best.

  18. The cartoon version you’re thinking of may well be the half-hour animated version that derived its visuals directly from the original book illustrations. It was absolutely brilliant.

    PAD

  19. re: Scrooged.

    I watched that on Christmas Eve! LOVE that movie. Definitly my favorite verison of Scrooge! 🙂

    Btw, Merry Christmas (and happy holidays) everybody!

    Hope everyone had a good one. I sure did!

    One of my gifts for Christmas: The Dark Tower: Gunslinger Born Hardcover! WOW! What a great hardcover. Love the writing, the art, the colors, the cover, etc. Its just great.

    Being a big fan of both the Dark Tower Stephen King books and PAD (and liking Jae Lee’s art a whole lot. Wish I could get the Inhumans in TPB form…), well, it was just the PERFECT Christmas present!

    Almost done reading it too. lol. But I’m definitly going to read it again soon!

    DF2506

  20. My favorite version is probably A BLACKADDER CHRISTMAS STORY, where the nicest Blackadder ever realizes, from seeing his past, present, and future, that he’d be much better off if he were evil! Of course, the non-Dickensian highlight is when Queen Victoria and two assistants come to Blackadder’s door, answered by Baldrick:

    QUEEN VICTORIA: Greetings! We are Queen Victoria.
    BALDRICK: What, all three of you?

  21. Susan O wrote:but there was a cartoon version I haven’t seen in years – it may have the been the Mr. Magoo version – but the ghosts scared the living bejeezus out of me as a kid, and I still think of that as the best.

    Agreed. It can be found on YouTube.com as well.

    w*w.youtube.com/watch?v=B1oIqte5aA4

    Merry Christmas!

  22. PAD,

    Just curious, is your annotated Christmas Carol the one with illustrations by John Leech, and introduction, notes and bibliography by Michael Patrick Hearn? That’s the one I have; and it talks about the decline of Christmas traditions around the time the story was published. I try to re-read it every year. Or at least every other year. I’m not always good about doing that, however (I haven’t yet read it this year).

    The story was published Dec. 19, 1843, for the record. By an interesting coincidence, this past Dec. 18, a member of a writing group I belong to– who was unaware of the publication date of A Christmas Carol— happened to read his take on that well known tale. It involved the ghost of Abraham Lincoln visiting a certain political individual and telling this person of impending visits by three spirits; and then the spirits make their respective visits. I found it hilarious, and hope he gets it published.

    Matt, as to which film/TV version I prefer, it’s been so long since I’ve seen any, I don’t really have a favorite. I do, however, have vague memories of one version made in 1978, and hosted by Henry Winkler. In it, Winkler either encounters Dickens or Scrooge, and informs him of the year. I don’t remember how and why Dickens and/or Scrooge came to be in 1978.

    Anyway, Merry Christmas to those who celebrate it. Hope Santa (AKA Father Christmas, AKA Papa Noel, AKA Kris Kringle, AKA Saint Nicholas, AKA Sinterklass, AKA the Patron Saint of Retailers Everywhere) was good to you; ditto happy Boxing Day tomorrow to those who celebrate that holiday.

    Rick

    P.S. I bought that annotated Christmas Carol in December, 1993, and that same year, while working at Borders, I participated in a brief reading held at the store. I either read the part of Bob Cratchit or Scrooge’s nephew, I forget which. But it was fun.

  23. Another vote for the Muppet version, but as an Uncle Scrooge fan I have to give a nod to the Disney version. I’ve always liked seeing McDuck step into the role of the character that inspired his creation.

    Any other Jackie Jokers fans out there? I grew up on Harvey comics and count Jackie’s portrayal of Scrooge as one of his more memorable roles.

  24. If Star Trek had just lasted a few seasons more…considering the decline evident in the third season…I wonder if they would have done a Very Special Christmas Carol episode?

  25. Alistair Sims is just wonderful, as long as it’s not colorized. Patrick Stewart’s version has gravitas.

    Last night one of the cable networks showed A Carol Christmas with Tori Spelling and William Shatner. Sometimes the really bad adaptations are fun, too.

  26. My mom waits every year for the Alistair Sim version, its her absolute favorite. I’m partial to the 1938 version, which has been on Time Warner’s Free Movies on Demand (Channel 1008 in Staten Island and Manhattan.) I don’t recall who the star is atm, but it does have scenes in it that I just do not recall at all from any other version I have seen.

  27. “If Star Trek had just lasted a few seasons more…considering the decline evident in the third season…I wonder if they would have done a Very Special Christmas Carol episode?”

    Possibly. They did have that episode where they implied that other planets also worship Jesus. They spent the whole episode talking about the savages who were sun worshipers. When they found out they were actually “son” worshipers, even Spock broke out a big, cheesy grin. So another couple of seasons might have given us Christmas in space. There was a Next Generation comic book that emphasized Christmas but mentioned all the December religions, even the Klingon one.

  28. Honestly? My favorite version of “A Christmas Carol” is “Groundhog Day.” At its core, it’s the story of Scrooge saving himself by rediscovering and reconnecting to his own humanity. Too many of the CC adaptations screw up that basic principle, either by mnaking it into a “scared straight” sort of scenario or adding in all kinds of useless fuffle or deleting my favorite bits.

    I don’t think anything can touch the book. Patrick Stewart’s one-man reading at Audible.com comes dámņëd close, though.

  29. In 1993, the 150th anniversary of A Christmas Carol’s publication, I went out and rented every video of the story I could find — in September. I then did an overview for Comics Buyer’s Guide. (The animated versions kind of made it relevant to comics, and Don and Maggie were very nice to me.)

    I don’t know if this is what you were thinking, Peter, but there was 1979’s , with Henry Winkler playing a Scrooge-ish character named Slade. I nearly choked to death because I was snacking on something when the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come came out as an African American man dressed in a disco suit with gold chains, and I began to laugh. Would’ve made a lousy obituary.

    I’m also of the opinion that the Sim version is the best, partly because it explains a few things that went unexplained in the book. It shows why Scrooge was estranged from his nephew, and just how Scrooge’s learning something by seeing what he missed concerning his sister goes a long way towards Scrooge’s rehabilitation. There’s also a short appearance by a young Patrick Macnee as the younger Jacob Marley.

    I’ve never been too fond of the Reginald Owen version. It was just a little bit too “MGM-ized” for my tastes, and Scrooge is pretty much reformed after the visit of the second ghost. He doesn’t need the horror of the third ghost, but it still comes.

    Mister Magoo’s Christmas Carol is my favorite animated version. (It helps that its songs were written by Jule Styne and Robert Merrill, who would follow it by writing the music for Funny Lady. There was even a rumor that “People” was originally meant for Magoo.

    The animated version mentioned by Peter, which was narrated by Sir Michael Redgrave (Vanessa and Lynn’s dad), is very good, and I did like Scrooge McDuck’s first big screen appearance in Mickey’s Christmas Carol. My only problem with these two adapations is that both only run about 30 minutes, and you feel like you’re getting the Reader’s Digest condensation of the story.

    Finally, if you can ever find it, or your area NPR station runs it, listen to the 1930s radio version of the story. (Yes, NPR’s version read by Jonathan Winters is enjoyable, too.) The golden age of radio produced Scrooge performed by Lionel Barrymore. This is interesting, because, as you may know, Barrymore would later play another famous Christmas miser — Mr. Potter in It’s a Wonderful Life.

  30. The 1938 version scared me as a kid.

    I love the Alastair Sim and Mr. Magoo versions.

    Seeing Sim as Scrooge cower as the Ghost of Christmas Present reminds him of his own words “Are there no prisons… are there no work houses” and his hesitation to enter through the doors for his nephew’s party (with the maid’s silent insistence) were delightful.

    There’s no dry eye when Jim Backus sings “I’m All Alone In The World”

  31. I wrote “I have to give a nod to the Disney version.”

    Although I must admit that Goofy was woefully miscast as Jacob Marley. If this had been made post-“DuckTales” it probably would have been Flintheart Glomgold. Goofy would have made a better Fezziwig or perhaps one of the charity workers.

  32. The best “very special episode” riff I ever saw was the one they did on “WKRP.” Carlson is being stingy and is visited by the three ghosts incarnated by the other characters. After having been visited by the ghosts of Christmas Past (Jennifer) and Present (Venus Flytrap) Carlson has had enough and is ready to start writing out bonus checks because he doesn’t want to deal with the ominous Ghost of Christmas Future. In walks Johnny Fever, looking like death warmed over, and Carlson says, “You’re too late, Johnny! See? I’m already writing out checks!” And Johnny calmly responds, “Yes…but THIS visit will be to determine just how much the checks are going to be FOR.”

    PAD

  34. I just read an article that said the same thing, but pointed out that the Nativity was not mentioned one time, and the word church was used in passing only twice. So Dickens’ Christmas is a secular holiday

  35. “If Star Trek had just lasted a few seasons more…considering the decline evident in the third season…I wonder if they would have done a Very Special Christmas Carol episode?”

    Actually, Bill… turns out they did, if this article (http://www.scalzi.com/whatever/003030.html) is to be believed. From the article, “filmed during the series’ run, this episode was never shown on network television and was offered in syndication only once, in 1975. Star Trek fans hint the episode was later personally destroyed by Gene Roddenberry. Rumor suggests Harlan Ellison may have written the original script; asked about the episode at 1978’s IgunaCon II science fiction convention, however, Ellison described the episode as ‘a quiescently glistening cherem of pus.'” Maybe, since they’re tight, PAD can ask HE about it and get the straight skinny.

    Oh, and the Sim version always does it for me, though many of the others mentioned are fine substitutes. While we’re on the subject, can any of the NYC residents tell me if WPIX still plays Laurel & Hardy’s “Babes in Toyland”/”March of the Wooden Soldiers” on Christmas morning? I haven’t seen that since I moved to GA, and I’ve never been able to get my hands on a copy of the original black and white version. My Christmas mornings have been uncomplete for almost two decades now… 🙁

  36. While we’re on the subject, can any of the NYC residents tell me if WPIX still plays Laurel & Hardy’s “Babes in Toyland”/”March of the Wooden Soldiers” on Christmas morning?

    It was on from 1pm-3pm yesterday. Right after the ever popular “Yule Log.”

  37. Actually, Bill… turns out they did, if this article (http://www.scalzi.com/whatever/003030.html) is to be believed. From the article, “filmed during the series’ run, this episode was never shown on network television and was offered in syndication only once, in 1975. Star Trek fans hint the episode was later personally destroyed by Gene Roddenberry. Rumor suggests Harlan Ellison may have written the original script; asked about the episode at 1978’s IgunaCon II science fiction convention, however, Ellison described the episode as ‘a quiescently glistening cherem of pus.'” Maybe, since they’re tight, PAD can ask HE about it and get the straight skinny.

    Okay, this, right here, is how internet rumors get started.

    Go reread the piece. IT’S A SPOOF. It’s a satirical piece that appeared in National Lampoon, for crying out loud. The article is about “the worst holiday specials ever” and it’s clearly a joke.

    Dude, seriously…ease up on the eggnog. It’s clouding your judgment…

    PAD

  38. Okay, this, right here, is how internet rumors get started.

    PAD, he did say “if this article is to be believed” which suggests he wasn’t taking it as red, and then suggested you could confirm or deny.

    You’ve said it’s a crock; so, no bad eggnog here. 😉

  39. March of the Wooden Soldiers gave me the serious heebeejeebees when I was a kid. What a wonderfully weird movie…one that should have been in 3 strip technocolor. I think I saw a colorized version once but it was soft pastels when it needed some real oomph. (Normally I hate colorization but there are a few films that could have used it–anyone else check out the Harryhausen-overseen colorization of 20 Million Miles To Earth? )

  40. I recommend the one-man stage show, “Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol,” in which we learn what was happening with Marley behind the scenes, and Jacob earns his own redemption.
    Which leads me to note that one reason the Sim version is so good is that it’s one of the few where Marley really seems to be suffering, not just ghostly.
    The Winkler version is “An American Christmas Carol,” set sometime in the late 19th century, I think.
    There’s a great touch in Karroll’s Christmas (Having someone named “Carol” or some variation seems to be a new cliche) where the protagonist is haunted by the ghost of Jacob Marley’s descendant, Bob Marley.
    The Scott version is interesting because coming it during the Reagan era, it’s at pains to emphasize the poor Scrooge refuses to help are hard-working, decent people and not welfare queens.
    While it’s not first-ranked, I’m greatly fond of Albert Finney’s Scrooge. I was floored to get the DVD this year and discover that the off-air tape I’ve been watching since the eighties has a scene cut out (Scrooge learns he will become a clerk in Hëll’s accounting office after death, and “in relation to Satan as Cratchitt is to you.”)
    For TV specials, there’s an episode of The George Burns Comedy Show from the eighties in which the ghosts return a year later to make Scrooge see he’s become a complete sap allowing everyone to sponge off him (the end has him finding the correct balance). Wonderfully cast with James Whitmore as Scrooge, Roddy mcDowell and Samantha Eggar as the Cratchitts, Carolyn Seymour as Christmas Past and Ed Begley Jr. as a grown up Tiny Tim (“Don’t call me that—from now on, I shall be Tiny Timothy!”).

  41. …ease up on the eggnog.

    Considering the wacky questions I am getting from my coworkers today (I’m in the company’s IT dept), I could use some of that eggnog right about now…

  42. The best performance I’ve ever seen is Patrick Stewart’s one man show. I missed that when it came to London in 1993, so I was very glad to see it in 2005: worth every penny. I’ve also seen the film version that he was in (with other people); it’s ok, but nowhere near as good as the stage version.

  43. PAD- “Okay, this, right here, is how internet rumors get started.”

    I thought it was fishy; while the author said he wrote it and it later appeared in National Lampoon, it didn’t specify whether or not it was fictional. A quick spin through Snopes.com didn’t turn up any hits on the subject, and I figured if it was a complete lark, PAD would call it as such, given his friendship with Ellison. Good to have that resolved.
    It warms my egg-nogged heart to know they’re still running “March of the Wooden Soldiers,” and to agree with Bill, I don’t think they’ve ever done a good colorized version, which is why I’ve always preferred the original black and white. Can’t say the same for “Yule Log,” though… It’s like watching radio with a broken picture.

  45. “I don’t think they’ve ever done a good colorized version,”

    This is just my opinion as a movie freak and film maker, but I would add to words to that statement.

    “of anything.”

  46. Someone mentioned WPIX Channel 11.

    Jeez, I miss that station. We in South Jersey lost Channel 11 and Channel 9 a few years back.
    I was on split sessions in high school back in the 70’s. What a great time my friends and I had watching reruns of Green Acres, Get Smart and The Addams Family before school. I Dream Of Jeannie might’ve been in there someplace, too.

  47. Sean wrote: “of anything.”

    Agreed. What I can’t stand is when they colorize movies intentionally filmed in black and white when color was available. For example, “Night of the Living Dead.”

    Ever wonder if some of those into colorizing had their coloring books taken away too early as children? (Though I will admit to a slight guilty, snarky pleasure at seeing movies where they color “outside the lines”)

  48. Harryhausen stated that they would have filmed his movies in color if they had the budget. I’m willing to support anything that puts a few more coins in his pocket (and they thoughtfully include the B&W version on the DVD).

    The movies they SHOULD be coloring are a lot of the color films from the 60s and 70s that have faded to a dull yellow and magenta.

  49. While there wasn’t a STAR TREK Christmas Carol, there was a mock version on THE SIMPSONS. Homer has a dream where he’s visited by three ghosts, then wakes up and tells his family about it. The other Simpsons tell him that it’s “A Christmas Carol,” the most frequently performed Christmas Story ever. Marge then clicks on the TV and it’s the classic STAR TREK, warning that the one of the Ghosts is approaching. Kirk orders them to fire, and Scotty tell him, “I cannae do it. I’ve seen the future — I’m so fat!”

  50. I have to agree with several other posters: the Sim version, the Scott version, and the Magoo version, plus Patrick Stewart’s one-man stage show–I’ve seen it three times, and I wish he’d bring it back to the Los Angeles area.

    Astounding.

    Almost as satisfying is his audio performance, which I finally got on CD and have listened to at least three times this season. On the other hand, I also enjoyed “Scrooged,” loathed the Reginald Owen version, and cannot recall having seen either the Uncle Scrooge or Muppet incarnations. Oh, well, something to look forward to for next year, I guess…

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