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Thanks for the memories!

good back-story, and good acting

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios presented viewers with many a Classic Story re-written to suit their style. Their 1938 version of "A Christmas Carol" continues this tradition. Reginald Owen plays Scrooge in this version.Not to say that the film is bad .. it's actually pretty good BUT ... it's often not really like the book. There have been several crucial changes inflicted on the plot.. adding some incidents and eliminating others. If other versions of the story have not been viewed, it might not be all that noticeable OR if the story were not so well known BUT( <-- there it is again ) it is just so "HOLLYWOOD" to have Scrooge fire Bob Cratchit on Christmas Eve. All that sliding on the ice and throwing of snowballs ... Dickens would have shaken his head.When they stick to the story, it's no worse than some of the other shorter versions. The actors all do what they were hired to do with no one standing out as outstanding. "Tiny Tim" is way too big to be carried about by his poor short rotund dad and is not an attractive child even on his better days.. but I have a problem with the "tiny" thing and the general robust condition of almost all of the "tims".Complete-ists. Go for it. It's Not all that bad, really.

This a pretty decent, fairly reliable version of Dickens' famous story. Reginald Owen is an above average Scrooge, much more formidable than he is often portrayed. He is lithe and athletic in appearance and quite frightening to those who encounter him. He is lacking depth of character, not being the actor that Alistair Sim is, but still manages to do the job. Sim's Scrooge has a kind of depth, a touch of melancholy, that none of the others, including George C. Scott and Patrick Stewart, had. What I don't care for in this is some plot elements that could have been left alone. Cratchitt getting fired for throwing snowball at Scrooge seemed silly. It eliminated the tender scene at the end where Scrooge waits for the tardy clerk in his office. The scene here where he actually shows up at Bob's house is frantic and silly. Gene Lockhart is a reasonably good Cratchitt, but in most of the renditions he is seen as a bit too well fed and his family a bit too affluent, considering his circumstances. For me, however, the actors playing Tiny Tim and Fred, Scrooge's nephew are so distracting and so giddy, I can hardly stand to watch them. I suppose the screenwriters felt they were better storytellers than Dickens.

a special adaptation. Christmas spirit . and more. a good cast. and lovely atmosphere. sure, an antique. but very wise, touching and precise. the old fashion shining is not only virtue. it remains basis of an admirable work. sentimental and good medicine for soul, it is, in same time, a real Dickens. no tricks, no innovation. only lines of a classical story about conquest of a holiday. so, a honest movie. or little more because Reginald Owen does a memorable Scrooge. bitter, warm, seductive. fresh, fragile. perfect character without strange shadows. memory of respectable dear Charles Dickens is present in each performance. and the fragile map of this carol is more important by many other adaptations.

In the 1970's KTTV Channel 11 in Los Angles would play this film on Christmas Eve at 11:00pm. My parents would be mad because my two sisters and I would be watching this in oldest My sister's room. It was a tradition that we did for years (Keeping my parents up well past Midnight on Christmas Eve I am sure was very hard on them). This version was my introduction to the story of Mr Scrooge and II will forever hold dear in my heart because it is a favorite Christmas Memory! Its not the gifts that I got it was just watching and enjoying this film with my sisters. Now there have been better adaption however this version is very well made and there is something about this Old B/W movie that will always bring a smile in my heart. To me its not Christmas unless I get a chance to watch this version. I hope one day my sisters and I can watch this again together on Christmas Eve. To me that would be a perfect Christmas gift.