Scrooge

Scrooge was designed as a follow-up to 1968's Oliver, the Oscar-winning musicalization of Charles Dickens' OLIVER TWIST. The umpteenth musical version of Dickens' 1843 novelette a CHRISTMAS CAROL, SCROOGE is blessed with several sprightly Leslie Bricusse songs, including the bonafide hit "Thank You Very Much". Once more buried under mounds of latex, Albert Finney is perfection itself as Ebeneezer Scrooge, proving as effective as a young (un-made up) man as the old skinflint we've grown to love. The Three Ghosts who turn the miserly Scrooge's life around on Christmas Eve are portrayed by Edith Evans (Past), Kenneth More (Present) and Paddy Stone (Yet to Come). Our favorite among the huge, predominantly British supporting cast is Sir Alec Guinness as a fussy, slightly effeminate Marley's Ghost. Best of all, Finney performs his many songs live and not lip-synched to a pre-recording. Though it is overproduced to the hilt, and it's Technicolor photography tends to induce eyestrain, SCROOGE is more than satisfactory Yuletide entertainment.

Director: Ronald Neame
Producer: Leslie Bricusse
Producer: Robert Solo
Actor: Albert Finney
Actor: Alec Guinness
Actor: Edith Evans
Actor: Leslie Bricusse
Actor: Kenneth More
Actor: Charles Dickens
Actor: Laurence Naismith
Actor: Clive Moss
Actor: Karen Scargill
Actor: Paddy Stone
Actor: Reg Lever
Actor: Richard Beaumont
Actor: Stephen Garlick
Actor: Michael Medwin
Actor: David Collings
Actor: Anton Rodgers
Actor: Suzanne Neve
Actor: Frances Cuka
Actor: Derek Francis
Actor: Roy Kinnear
Actor: Mary Peach
Actor: Kay Walsh
Actor: Gordon Jackson
Actor: Geoffrey Bayldon
Actor: Helena Gloag
Actor: Keith Marsh
Actor: Ronald Neame
Actor: Marianne Stone
Actor: John O'Brien
Actor: John Owens
Actor: Michael Reardon
Actor: Kenneth Waller
Actor: Molly Weir