Good as Alastair Sim was, the made-for-television version of A Christmas Carol starring Geaorge. C. Scott as Scrooge is the best filmed version of the story.

Seconded. Definitely treats the tale as the creepy ghost story it is. Though I would have to say the Muppet version comes in second, for a good combination of comedy and heart. Third that is Patrick Stewart's version, which, while not having quite the same heart or creepiness factor, follows the book most closely of all the ones I've seen thus far.

Just...no.

Care to articulate that a little more than the cheap snarkiness?

I have enjoyed many versions of this story (the Alastair Sims version, the George C. Scott version, the Muppets, Patrick Stewart, Bill Murray as "Scrooged" evenl) , but the version I actually enjoyed the most was the animated version starring Mister Magoo as Scrooge. It was a musical, and after all these years I still can sing some of the songs that were employed. That's staying power.

alittlesense:

Good as Alastair Sim was, the made-for-television version of A Christmas Carol starring Geaorge. C. Scott as Scrooge is the best filmed version of the story.

I agree!

The Scott version simply told the story as Dickens told the story without a great deal of the usual Hollywood fluff and glitter that is so often used to prevent the auidence from changing the channel. As a result, they told the story in a very faithful, yet very entertaining way.

I've seen both the Scott and Sim productions. I prefer the Sim production, but in critique of my own criticism, I wonder if some of that isn't a matter of either sentiment or nostalgia.

The Sim production is, quite literally, the one with which I grew up. It is tied in my mind to too many "Christmases past." George C. Scott brought his incredible acting skills to a great role, in a production that was well done, and had high production values.

Yet I still find myself drawn to the rather wimpier version of Scrooge portrayed by Sim. Maybe it's color? I saw a colorized version of the Sim production some years ago, and I didn't like it as well as the black and white original. The dreariness of London in the 1850s, or of Scrooge's bording school 40 years earlier, seems to be more suited to the gray scale. I suppose I'll aways think of Sim when the name "Scrooge" is mentioned.

Jim Carey? Over-rated, over-paid scenery chewer, IMHO. He shouldn't be allowed on the set to hold cue cards.

I've seen many film versions of this tale and am always game to see another, though my favorite remains the Alistair Sim version. That version didn't introduce me to the story--and neither did the book. I first heard the story as it was dramatized for a radio play starring Basil Rathbone as Scrooge. Even now, when I think of the character, I remember first the sound of Basil Rathbone snapping, "Bah! Humbug!"--as I heard it on the recording my family had of that performance, a recording we played every Christmas. I didn't see the Alistair Sim version until I grew up, and Sim took me a while to get used to after Rathbone. But once Scrooge became these two great interpretations in my mind, I've been open to new interpretations. So I look forward to seeing the new version.