Scrooge 28: Scrooge (Seymour Hicks 1935)

Before I start this is another movie that was colorized at the library. Colorization of classic black and white films is an absolute atrocity. You lose all the shadows, light, nuances the cinematographer and director worked so hard to get. Instead you get something that looks drawn on and adds nothing to the story.
To me it is as offensive as if I were to go up to a Van Gogh and say ‘I don’t like how you can’t see the images completely. I’m going to fix it’. Let the artists visions stand as they created it. Do not alter it!!!
I would rather not watch a movie than see it in a colorized version. I thought that was over with VHS tapes but I’ve learned from this project that it continues. It’s outrageous!

1935-xmas-humbug-scroogeI’m nearing the end of my Scrooge series so if there are versions you would like me to review let me know.  Tomorrow I am going to see it at the local theater- Hale Center Theater Orem and greatly looking forward to that.  They do a great job and the man has been playing Scrooge for over a decade and is better than any film version I have seen.

Let’s talk briefly about the 1935 version with Seymour Hicks.  We have already reviewed a version with Hicks in my review of the silent movies.In the 19113 version Hicks plays Scrooge as a violent character who looks like a bum, more of a Frankenstein creature than a businessman.

Here that is a tempered a bit but we still have the rumpled hair and the messy look.

1935-xmas-solicitorsThis is not a very successful movie but it isn’t terrible so if you are curious go for it.  Otherwise skip.

Scrooge- Seymour Hicks is a grumpy, Frankenstein kind of creature here but not as intensely violent as in 1913. He keeps the same expression throughout the movie and I didn’t get a feeling of change or redemption.

Donald Cathrop is very good as Bob Cratchit.  They show Tim’s body in this version and when Bob is grieving over his son it is moving.

1935 cratchitDifferences-

This is one of the few versions that includes the lighthouse/ship carol scene with Present (Stewart is the only other one I remember seeing it in).

They skip over a lot not showing you him and Fan or the Fezziwigs and jump to Belle watching Scrooge not give a loan extension to a young couple.  It left me wanting more and wishing they had changed things around.

There is also a strange scene where we see the King and Queen of England dining with their friends with the poor people outside.  They then all sing God Save the Queen.  It didn’t make any sense for the story except to make British audience members happy I guess.

Another big difference is you don’t see either Present or Future, just a shadow.  We know from the earlier silent films that they could make ghosts but chose not too here which is strange? It just doesn’t work.

You don’t see Marley either, just the door open and shut and Scrooge talking to a chair.

1935-xmas-marleyStrengths- Some of the cinematography is nice with the black and white shadows.  The acting is fine. The music is fine.

Weaknesses- The way they do the ghosts does not work. Scrooge still has that Frankenstein creature look which I don’t like.  He’s a businessman and should look like one.

The Pawn Shop scene at the end goes on way too long and feels more like a low grade horror movie than a respected literary adaptation.

So overall I am not a fan of this adaptation.  Like I said earlier if you are curious check it out.  If not a definite pass.

1935-xmas-happy-scrooge

Scrooge 11 and 12: Silent Movie Scrooge’s

wise men

When I started Scrooge Month I knew I would have to do the Alistair Sim, Muppets, Mickey’s and Scotts and I looked forward to them, but I also wanted to dig deeper and find more obscure versions of Christmas Carol.  Today’s entry probably takes the cake in that department. I was able to dig up 2 silent movie versions of Christmas Carol and they were both fascinating.  I make no claim to being a silent movie aficionado so I can’t really judge the movies for quality as I’ve seen probably 5 in my life.  If you live in Utah we do have an awesome movie-going experience in Salt Lake with an original Giant Wurlitzer Theatre Pipe Organ at Edison Street Events.  I have been there twice, once to see The Kid, and then Phantom of the Opera and the silent movie with the organ the surrounds the entire room is amazing.  And it costs $6!

I wish sometime they would do these Christmas Carol versions there because the new recorded music on the DVD I had were weak at best.  In the second film I muted the sound and just watched (something that is a unique feature of silent movies I suppose!).

The first version is from 1923 and it is only 23 minutes long.  The quality is not great but I suppose it is all part of the charm. It only lists 4 people in the cast although more than that appear.

Scrooge is played by Russell Thorndike and Forbes Dawson plays Marley.

silent 1 scrooge

To show how mean Scrooge is they do something you’d never see in a million years in movies today (rightfully so) Scrooge wallops the kid singing Christmas carols outside his office with a heavy book.

silent 1 bookFred is the emphasis here and Cratchit is briefly seen.  We even get a random proposal to Mrs Fred’s Sister (that’s her name on the title cards)

silent 1 proposal silent 1 mrs fred

The Marley looks pretty good considering the quality of the rest of the movie.

silent 1 marley

silent 1 cards

Instead of taking Scrooge to see his past, present, future it is projected onto the wall (both films).

silent 1 past silent 1 expressions

We do not look in on Cratchit family but only briefly at Fred, Mrs Fred and Mrs Fred’s Sister.

What’s interesting is that Scrooge is already pleading with Present for redemption, just when Present announces he will visit Cratchit and Fred tomorrow.

silent 1 cards2

Evidently the thought of Present visiting is enough to scare Scrooge! We do get a brief visit from Future.

silent 1 future silent 1 changed

It’s just so different it’s hard to really judge it as bad or good, and I don’t know enough about silent films to judge it for its day.  It was fascinating to watch; however, and I enjoyed it. Hopefully you enjoyed getting a little taste of it.

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Silent Film #2

Old Scrooge 1913 (released in 1926 to US)

This version is a longer 46 minutes but it makes some choices that are so different from what we are used to in modern versions.

It stars Seymour Hicks who I will review again in the 1935 talkie version.  He is good but it is clear this era saw Scrooge as a Frankenstein character.  He is even called an ogre in the title cards.

silent 2 scrooge silent 2 scrooge2

silent 2 ogre

He dresses like a bum which I have never seen in a version.  It’s so strange because he’s still rich and a businessman but he dresses like a tramp?  Maybe some of you know more about this era and can elaborate as to why this might be? 1913 was well before a depression era America so that’s not it.

Scrooge also refuses an actual poor person and the benefactors which I have never seen before.

silent 2 woman

It is also the only version I have seen where the office and house are in the same room and where Jacob Marley plays the part of all 3 ghosts.

silent 2 marley silent 2 past

We get the projections on the wall like we did in the previous picture but this time we see a few more scenes (and no strange proposal).

He comes to a pretty speedy penitence in this one as well and then it is the strangest thing.  Instead of going to Cratchit’s or Fred’s he imagines it. It’s like he is still the monster and can’t really celebrate with the people.

silent 2 cardssilent 2 toast Isn’t that so odd?

And that’s the end of the movie with his imaginary feasting.

I would say these films are more of a fascination than anything else.  The choices  they make, the way films worked, the silent movie acting are all very interesting.

If you aren’t a film buff than probably not for you.  They aren’t like Buster Keaton or Charlie Chaplin which will entertain in any era.  Definitely more challenging but I’m glad I saw them and if you can hunt them down give them a watch!