Scrooge

Published 2025-11-28

Film info

Title Scrooge
Director Ronald Neame
Year 1970
Run time 1hr 53m
Genres Drama, Fantasy, Family
Tagline What the Dickens have they done to Scrooge?
Cast Albert Finney, Alex Guinness

A musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic ghost tale starring Albert Finney.

Live blog

Time	Comment
3:08	This does have a real Oliver feel about it.
8:32	“I don’t pay good money for you to be forever on holiday.” One day a year.
16:02	This must actually be the Oliver set, no? The docks are the same!
17:12	This song is truly called I Hate People and I’m so here for it.
20:24	“Tomorrow it will be two pounds ten or I confiscate your puppets.”
29:33	If I didn’t recognise his voice, I would not know that was Alec Guinness.
29:53	We hear a lot about Scrooge’s nephew but I never really thought about that meaning he had a sibling.
50:36	The Isabella bit is always the saddest.
57:27	Albert Finney is acting his socks off.
1:02:43	This I Like Life song is great.
1:13:53	The Minister’s Cat is quite a fun game, it turns out.
1:15:56	“Remember Scrooge, time is short and suddenly you’re not there anymore.”
1:21:11	I know this Thank You Very Much song, who knew??
1:34:45	I do think him suddenly changing and behaving like this might get him sectioned.

Thoughts

This has so much going for it that I should love - it's a musical version of A Christmas Carol featuring Albert Finney and with input from Lesley Bricusse. It should be ticking all the boxes but somehow it doesn't. Firstly, it feels pretty drawn out and long, and so much is on Albert Finney's performance which is an acting masterclass but doesn't really fit the rest of the film. The songs are kind of upbeat (even I Hate People is actually quite a fun number), the mood is pretty sombre, and I just wasn't too sure where I stood with it. It's a shame, but on the other hand, I'm very glad I watched it because I had no idea this is where Thank You Very Much came from!

Rating: 2 / 5