# A Christmas Carol -- version question **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 16, 2002, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-christmas-carol-version-question/143024 "2002-12-16T05:23:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-christmas-carol-version-question/143024/1 "2002-12-16T05:23:23Z")
No, this is not another “which is the best version” thread! I remember seeing a version of _A Christmas Carol_ that showed Scrooge and Marley as young men, buying out and evicting Mr. Fezziwig. Does anyone know which version that was? ---
**Author:** ![Vidking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@Vidking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vidking)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-christmas-carol-version-question/143024/2 "2002-12-16T06:20:32Z")
Could it been the Alester Simm version? What ever happened to the Henry Winkler version, where he was Scrooge I think it was called an American Christmas Carol. Alester Simm is the best. ---
**Author:** ![Vidking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@Vidking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vidking)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-christmas-carol-version-question/143024/3 "2002-12-16T06:24:50Z")
I remember in Scrooged where he staples antlers onto a mouse to make it a reindeer. ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-christmas-carol-version-question/143024/4 "2002-12-16T06:32:12Z")
Wasn’t that the one with Mr. MaGoo? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-christmas-carol-version-question/143024/5 "2002-12-16T06:39:55Z")
I’m pretty sure it was not the Alistair Simm version. I’ve seen that one often enough. Unless I’ve been seeing edited versions all these years. But the one I’m asking about _was_ a B&W one. [sub](And the George C. Scott version was the bast.)[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-christmas-carol-version-question/143024/6 "2002-12-16T06:55:58Z")
[http://www.geocities.com/dickenscc/](http://www.geocities.com/dickenscc/) I don’t know which version you’re looking for, but this link might help you figure it out.🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-christmas-carol-version-question/143024/7 "2002-12-16T09:12:46Z")
Could it have been the George C. Scott version with someone else playing the younger Scrooge? ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Mapp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miss_mapp/32/369_2.png) [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-christmas-carol-version-question/143024/8 "2002-12-16T11:40:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Johnny L.A. \* > \*\*I’m pretty sure it was not the Alistair Simm version. I’ve seen that one often enough. Unless I’ve been seeing edited versions all these years. But the one I’m asking about _was_ a B&W one. [sub](And the George C. Scott version was the bast.)[/sub] \*\* The Alistair Simm version _is_ in black-and-white (although I remember there being a colorized version of it a few years ago). I’m fairly certain it is in the Alistair Simm; I just watched the other B&W version, the Reginald Owen one, last weekend, and the scenes you refer to are definitely not in there. I have the Alistair Simm version on DVD and can check it when I get home tonight. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-christmas-carol-version-question/143024/9 "2002-12-16T12:34:57Z")
It _is_ the Alistar Sim version. I’ve watched it often enough, and AFAIK, it’s the only one to show Scrooge and Marley as young businessmen (the Fezziwig scenes show Scrooge with Dick Wilkins. Only the Sim version shows Marley coming in and Fezziwig’s departure). ---
**Author:** ![Jimson\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/838e76/32.png) [@Jimson\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimson_Jim)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-christmas-carol-version-question/143024/10 "2002-12-16T13:41:26Z")
I can confirm that it is the Alistar Sim version. I saw that very part it last night was was quite puzzeled as I am currently reading the Christmas Carol. That entire scene was written for the movie as it is not in the book. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-christmas-carol-version-question/143024/11 "2002-12-16T14:32:27Z")
I guess Mr. S’s favorite Christmas movie is as good a reason as any to blow post #2000 on, even if only for a spelling correction: Alastair Sim ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-christmas-carol-version-question/143024/12 "2002-12-16T15:48:07Z")
> [@](#): > > The Alistair Simm version is in black-and-white I knew that. It’s hard to convey that sometimes in text. Funny, I haven’t seen that scene in years, and I do see the 1951 (Sim) version once a year. The scene I remember shows Scrooge and Marley standing outside of Fezziwig’s shop as Fezziwig sadly climbs onto a carriage. As he’s leaving they’re gloating over their own business acumen, portraying them both as greedy opportunists who don’t care about others. That’s what I like about the Scott version: that Scrooge is not portrayed as an asshole, but as someone whose own pain has made him hard. I don’t think the other versions showed that as well as Scott’s version did. (And there I go, ignoring my own “this is not a ‘which version is best’ thread”!) ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-christmas-carol-version-question/143024/13 "2002-12-16T23:37:38Z")
Here’s how the Sim version (definitely the best) goes. Jorkin is trying to get Fezziwig to sell to him. Later Scrooge quits and joins Jorkin. Still later Jorkin finally succeeds. There’s a brief scene showing Fezziwig leaving and his sign being removed, and Scrooge shows up with Marley (played by Patrick Macnee). It’s not clear what Scrooge’s exact role is, a part owner of the company or just as an employee or manager. He does offer one of Fezziwig’s former employees a job at a lower wage. Years later, it’s revealed Jorkin has embezzled a lot of money, saddling the company with a huge debt. Scrooge and Marley make good on the debt for a 51% share of the company. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-christmas-carol-version-question/143024/14 "2002-12-16T23:41:37Z")
**rowrrbazzle** : That’s exactly it! I wonder why I haven’t seen that scene in years, even though I’ve seen the 1951 version? ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-christmas-carol-version-question/143024/15 "2002-12-16T23:59:16Z")
As I said, that scene is very brief. If you’ve been watching it on TV or cable rather than VHS, it may have been cut. I’d say that in the Fezziwig-leaving scene Scrooge was still a bit conflicted at that point. He looks at Fezziwig leaving with an expression of pained regret, but a minute later gives the employee the take-it-or-leave-it offer. Perhaps that sequence is meant to show the final extinction of his feelings. In that scene, Marley only says “Isn’t that Fezziwig?” Kind of hard to get “gloating” and “greedy opportunist” out of that. And there’s no reason for Marley to feel anything about Fezziwig because he didn’t have the history with him that Scrooge did. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-christmas-carol-version-question/143024/16 "2002-12-17T00:04:50Z")
Make that “but a minute earlier gave”.