Yes it are!
The older I get, the better I was.
dunno of all time but the best one Ive seen lately is The Lighthouse
Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.
"The White Zone is for loading and unloading only. If you got to load or unload go to the White Zone!"
I'm kind of bummed that TCM has chosen to run with the Reginald Owen Christmas Carol (1938) rather than the Alastair Sims (1951)
I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down.'- Bob Newhart
I prefer the Sim version as well, with George C. Scott a close second.
It's on Fox Movie as I type. I'm recording it to watch later.
----------
As for all the various CC versions, Scrooge is so far superior to the others I don't usually bother with them. I admit, tho, I haven't seen the '38 version since I was a kid. My mom pointed out to me that one of the kids was the daughter of the guy playing Cratchit: June Lockhart, who grew up to star in Lost in Space.
Anyway, as for the best Scrooge, no one can hold a candle to Sims.
As much as I like George C Scott, while excellent as the mean Scrooge I thought he was only okay as the reformed Scrooge.
Albert Finney was the opposite.
Patrick Stewart was okay; I thought he'd be much better in that role.
Have never seen the '35 version.
The Richard Williams '71 animated version was very good with Sims reprising his role as Scrooge.
My ex made me watch Ebbie with her, one year. Susan Lucci played "Ebbie" Scrooge, a female version of Ebenezer. She was actually quite good and the movie was decent. Not great but not bad, either.
“From thirty feet away she looked like a lot of class. From ten feet away she looked like something made up to be seen from thirty feet away.” – Philip Marlowe
At 8 pm tonight is The Bishop's Wife. I put off seeing this movie for a really long time. It just never sounded that interesting to me. For some reason I decided to watch it one year. It really is a terrific movie. If anyone hasn't seen it, do yourself a favor and watch it. Loretta Young and David Niven are great in it but Cary Grant puts in arguably his finest performance.
Tomorrow night - for Christmas - are two very un-Christmas-y movies: Bridge on the River Kwai and Witness for the Prosecution. WTF, TCM?
“From thirty feet away she looked like a lot of class. From ten feet away she looked like something made up to be seen from thirty feet away.” – Philip Marlowe
I’ve got an extra copy if anyone wants to stop by and borrow one!
Since it tis the season , as far as Best BW movie , maybe not best but a huge favorite of mine , Its a Wonderful Life. Beautifully crafted movie , with a great ending payoff. This movie symbolizes the term Hollywood Majic to me. I love it and it never gets old. Another BW favorite I never tire of is Miricle On 34th Street. The 3rd act payoff never fails for me. Not as layered as IAWL but still a legit classic.
And whats with TCMs obsession with the Christmas movie , It Happened On 5th Avenue? Its an ok flick but with so many superior holiday classics available the heavy rotation of 5th Ave is dissapointing. I do like Mitchum's Holiday Affair. A small movie with moxie. Sim's Christmas Carol is by far the best. Scrooged is good but to long.
Since it tis the season , as far as Best BW movie , maybe not best but a huge favorite of mine , Its a Wonderful Life. Beautifully crafted movie , with a great ending payoff. This movie symbolizes the term Hollywood Majic to me. I love it and it never gets old. Another BW favorite I never tire of is Miricle On 34th Street. The 3rd act payoff never fails for me. Not as layered as IAWL but still a legit classic.
And whats with TCMs obsession with the Christmas movie , It Happened On 5th Avenue? Its an ok flick but with so many superior holiday classics available the heavy rotation of 5th Ave is dissapointing. I do like Mitchum's Holiday Affair. A small movie with moxie. Sim's Christmas Carol is by far the best. Scrooged is good but to long.
I'm not stuttering , I have no idea why it double posted.
Best Ghost of Christmas Past - 1938 version
Best Ghost of Christmas Present - 1984 version
Best Ghost of Christmas Future - Bill Murray's ghost, hands down
I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down.'- Bob Newhart
I so want to make fun of you for posting that but I can't think of a witty quip. (I haven't finished my second cup of joe, yet)
That is the '71 Williams version.
Scrooge is the original title of the Sims version. In fact, I'd wager that if you watch the opening credits, you'll see that the title is not A Christmas Carol. Indeed, I bought a copy for my mom years ago and it said A Christmas Carol on the cover but the movie's actual title card said Scrooge. I hate when they change titles for no good reason.
Anyway, that is my favorite version. In fact, I might go so far as to say that the final scene in that movie between Scrooge and Cratchit is my favorite of any movie ever made and that Sims' line, "I haven't taken leave of my senses, Bob, I've come to them," is in contention for my favorite line from any movie.
Incidentally, Jesse White reading the definition of "pooka" in Harvey is another fave... as is Jimmy Stewart's line "in this world... you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant. Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant."
FWIW, Progeezer's all time favorite movie was Scrooge. And he was Jewish.
How much do you want for that standard DVD version (the one on the left)? I never got around to getting one.
And was it as good as you remembered?
Agree with everything you say. I haven't seen it for quite a while because of overexposure (my ex and I watched it every Xmas). But, yeah, Scrooge and It's a Wonderful Life are both just outside my list of top 10 movies; probably tied at #11.
BTW, that movie contains another fave line of mine: "George Bailey lassos stork!" Everyone is so good in that movie but Donna Reed is absolutely perfect in it.
One of my favorite bits of movie trivia is that the guy annoying Mary at the school dance is Carl Switzer, aka "Alfalfa" from The Little Rascals.
Also, one of the customers during the run on the bank is Ellen Corby, best known as "Grandma" on The Waltons.
Here's something you might find interesting: the FBI included that movie in a report on communist infiltration of the movie industry. The Weird Story of the FBI and ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ (Smithsonian).
“From thirty feet away she looked like a lot of class. From ten feet away she looked like something made up to be seen from thirty feet away.” – Philip Marlowe
"The White Zone is for loading and unloading only. If you got to load or unload go to the White Zone!"
Bookmarks