Review of A Christmas Carol (1938) by Mark K — 14 Oct 2010

One of the earlier film adaptations of Charles Dickens classic story, the Reginald Owen Carol is one of the better ones for capturing the 'spirit' of the story of the old miser who undergoes a dramatic transformation. Rendered in black and white, it has some excellent performances for its time, and the style of acting. It's a little over-the-top, but it's supposed to be a fantasy.

Owen is impressive as a curmudgeon-lite, and his spirit visitations are slightly different from versions you may have seen on TV. Likewise, much of the darker elements of the book have been pared away. The Cratchits are an appealing family, and have some good scenes, and Scrooge's nephew and role are likewise departures from the book verse.

Since it's in black-and-white, it really 'feels' like Victorian England, even though it's an MGM back-lot special. It features some good banter, and one of the better 'goose scenes' of the many versions that have been produced. It's a good-hearted, lighter weight 9and shorter) version than many, and well worth seeing to compare with more modern versions.