# Which version of A Christmas Carol is your guilty pleasure **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 24, 2009, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-version-of-a-christmas-carol-is-your-guilty-pleasure/522448 "2009-12-24T15:20:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kingpengvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9dc877/32.png) [@kingpengvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kingpengvin)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-version-of-a-christmas-carol-is-your-guilty-pleasure/522448/1 "2009-12-24T15:20:40Z")
Sure many of us have a favorite version of Dicken’s classic tale, Many would see the reason why we’d like it. But how about the secret guilty pleasure? Do you have a liking for a version that is either awful or reviled by others? For me it is one I used to call the [**FONZIE**](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078764/) version. This Version always worked for me. I think Winkler is actually quite good despite the abundance of rubber on his face. So how about you? ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-version-of-a-christmas-carol-is-your-guilty-pleasure/522448/2 "2009-12-24T15:27:18Z")
The 1938 Reginald Owen version doesn’t get as much love as the 1951 Sims version. Still, I prefer the Owen version. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-version-of-a-christmas-carol-is-your-guilty-pleasure/522448/3 "2009-12-24T15:39:30Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > The 1938 Reginald Owen version doesn’t get as much love as the 1951 Sims version. > > Still, I prefer the Owen version. The Owen version is too edited for me. The greatness of the Sims version is that it has all the creepy scenes & even fills in some stuff (Scrooge meeting Marley). That said, I would like the Owen version MUCH better if it had been the Lionel Barrymore version, as was originally planned. (The crippling arthitis put a halt to that but LB did do it several times for radio.) ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-version-of-a-christmas-carol-is-your-guilty-pleasure/522448/4 "2009-12-24T15:45:09Z")
The only version of The Christmas Carol I will watch is The Muppets Christmas Carol. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-version-of-a-christmas-carol-is-your-guilty-pleasure/522448/5 "2009-12-24T16:17:00Z")
There are plenty of good reasons to love the George C. Scott version. Lusting after the actress playing the Ghost of Christmas Past, though, is probably not one of them. ---
**Author:** ![Fleetwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fleetwood/32/271_2.png) [@Fleetwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fleetwood)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-version-of-a-christmas-carol-is-your-guilty-pleasure/522448/6 "2009-12-24T16:34:19Z")
MaGoo, you’ve done it again! ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-version-of-a-christmas-carol-is-your-guilty-pleasure/522448/7 "2009-12-24T16:37:49Z")
Every x-mas eve the family watches the Muppets. Looking forward to it tonight! ---
**Author:** ![Caprese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9a28c/32.png) [@Caprese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caprese)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-version-of-a-christmas-carol-is-your-guilty-pleasure/522448/8 "2009-12-24T16:46:31Z")
> [@Fleetwood](#): > > MaGoo, you’ve done it again! Magoo, all the way. With razzleberry dressing. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-version-of-a-christmas-carol-is-your-guilty-pleasure/522448/9 "2009-12-24T17:17:26Z")
> [@Fleetwood](#): > > MaGoo, you’ve done it again! > [@Caprese](#): > > Magoo, all the way. > With razzleberry dressing. La! La! La la la la la! Not sure it counts, though, since I feel no guilt at all about my love for Mr. Magoo. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-version-of-a-christmas-carol-is-your-guilty-pleasure/522448/10 "2009-12-24T17:18:51Z")
The Owen’s version was the most popular for awhile. Then the Sim’s version took over. A lot of this is when WGN (though it’s cable) switched version or rather lost the rights to the Owen’s version. The Owen’s version is much more family oriented. I think it makes better viewing for kids and family. But the Sim’s version is better, though both stray from the original story. I have always got a CD audio book version from the library and on Christmas Eve, I play that version. ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-version-of-a-christmas-carol-is-your-guilty-pleasure/522448/11 "2009-12-24T20:53:35Z")
Mr. Magoo’s version is my all-time favorite. and I’m not feeling guilty about it either ---
**Author:** ![Anamorphic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anamorphic/32/3057_2.png) [@Anamorphic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anamorphic)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-version-of-a-christmas-carol-is-your-guilty-pleasure/522448/12 "2009-12-24T21:07:26Z")
A&E Network’s [“Karroll’s Christmas”](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0427430/). Not because it’s particularly good (it’s not). But I co-wrote it and get a residual check every time it airs. Thus, guilty pleasure. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-version-of-a-christmas-carol-is-your-guilty-pleasure/522448/13 "2009-12-24T21:16:53Z")
Don’t know if this counts, but, [Scrooged](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0096061/). ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-version-of-a-christmas-carol-is-your-guilty-pleasure/522448/14 "2009-12-24T21:17:15Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > The only version of The Christmas Carol I will watch is The Muppets Christmas Carol. I’m not quite THAT adamant about it, but I just picked up the DVD at Best Buy precisely because I love it, and I can never find it in the darn rental places at Christmas. ☹ It has a very good song in the middle of it, sung by the Ghost of Christmas Present. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-version-of-a-christmas-carol-is-your-guilty-pleasure/522448/15 "2009-12-24T21:18:38Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Every x-mas eve the family watches the Muppets. Looking forward to it tonight! You, sir, have just redeemed yourself in my eyes, perhaps permanently! 😛 Well, at least until the next Tiger Woods thread. 😃 Merry Christmas! ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-version-of-a-christmas-carol-is-your-guilty-pleasure/522448/16 "2009-12-24T22:28:16Z")
> [@Anamorphic](#): > > A&E Network’s [“Karroll’s Christmas”](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0427430/). Not because it’s particularly good (it’s not). But I co-wrote it and get a residual check every time it airs. Thus, guilty pleasure. I admire your candor. But you still must die. (Yeah, I watched it. I still may again. It does have Wallace Shawn!) ---
**Author:** ![Prelude\_to\_Fascination](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Prelude\_to\_Fascination](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prelude_to_Fascination)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-version-of-a-christmas-carol-is-your-guilty-pleasure/522448/17 "2009-12-24T22:48:33Z")
Albert Finney’s _Scrooge_. After 30+ years of watching it, I still tear up when he sings about letting his fiancee go. “You…you were good to me…and I let you go…” Plus I love how much of the dialogue is delivered (spoken, not just sung). ---
**Author:** ![Anamorphic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anamorphic/32/3057_2.png) [@Anamorphic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anamorphic)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-version-of-a-christmas-carol-is-your-guilty-pleasure/522448/18 "2009-12-24T23:22:59Z")
> [@FriarTed](#): > > I admire your candor. > > But you still must die. > > (Yeah, I watched it. I still may again. It does have Wallace Shawn!) I am nothing if not candid. I’m still pretty proud of the original script. Not claiming it was a work of genius or anything, but I think it was a pretty funny and touching script. They slapsticked it up, and totally miscast it. Oh well. > [@Prelude\_to\_Fascination](#): > > Albert Finney’s _Scrooge_. After 30+ years of watching it, I still tear up when he sings about letting his fiancee go. “You…you were good to me…and I let you go…” > > Plus I love how much of the dialogue is delivered (spoken, not just sung). No guilt for me on this one. I love this version! And I’m someone who generally does not care for musicals. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2009, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-version-of-a-christmas-carol-is-your-guilty-pleasure/522448/19 "2009-12-25T01:50:22Z")
I adored the new Christmas Carol movie that is in theaters, the one with Jim Carey. I think I’ll watch it for a few years of Christmases. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2009, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-version-of-a-christmas-carol-is-your-guilty-pleasure/522448/20 "2009-12-25T02:10:01Z")
George C. Scott barely edges out Patrick Stewart for the win. But the new Disney 3-D version is a definite keeper. The Kelsey Grammar version sucks except for Jane Krakowski as the Ghost of Christmas Past. She’s awesome. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-version-of-a-christmas-carol-is-your-guilty-pleasure/522448.md?page=2)