There doesn't seem to be a coherent vision uniting all the performances.
Dickens' story is NOT some nuanced, psychological portrayal of Scrooge; it's closer to a fairy tale. Dickens initially paints Scrooge as totally hateful and feared by all. This is a dramatic necessity; without it, the disclosing of his past and the accomplishing of his redemption do not have anywhere near the same force. Scott interprets Scrooge TOO realistically, too early. Still worse, rather than cringing when speaking to Scrooge, Cratchit doesn't seem to be very afraid of him. The same goes for Tiny Tim when he meets Scrooge early in the film (and the novel does not explicitly describe any meeting between them).
On the other hand, Scott NEVER really seems afraid, even when he tells the last spirit he fears him more than the others. He seems perhaps dazed instead.
Roger Rees gives an annoyingly wooden performance. Tiny Tim looks not like he's weak and ill, but more like he had died and was resurrected as a zombie. The Ghost of Christmas Present berates Scrooge too early and far too much. The sound effect for the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come is over the top. And so forth.
I've only seen the entire film once, when it was originally broadcast. But I went back and checked some clips on YouTube.
One thing I came across was the dialog with Cratchit as Scrooge leaves the office. Warner's portrayal is not very good, but Scott's interpretation is subtle and well done. It would've been excellent in the context of a Scrooge previously consistently shown as much angrier if it were just a little bit harsher. It's an ultimately frustrating glimpse of what his overall performance and this film could have been.
The Sim version is my choice. It's a standard, classic interpretation.
Dickens' story is NOT some nuanced, psychological portrayal of Scrooge; it's closer to a fairy tale. Dickens initially paints Scrooge as totally hateful and feared by all. This is a dramatic necessity; without it, the disclosing of his past and the accomplishing of his redemption do not have anywhere near the same force. Scott interprets Scrooge TOO realistically, too early. Still worse, rather than cringing when speaking to Scrooge, Cratchit doesn't seem to be very afraid of him. The same goes for Tiny Tim when he meets Scrooge early in the film (and the novel does not explicitly describe any meeting between them).
On the other hand, Scott NEVER really seems afraid, even when he tells the last spirit he fears him more than the others. He seems perhaps dazed instead.
Roger Rees gives an annoyingly wooden performance. Tiny Tim looks not like he's weak and ill, but more like he had died and was resurrected as a zombie. The Ghost of Christmas Present berates Scrooge too early and far too much. The sound effect for the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come is over the top. And so forth.
I've only seen the entire film once, when it was originally broadcast. But I went back and checked some clips on YouTube.
One thing I came across was the dialog with Cratchit as Scrooge leaves the office. Warner's portrayal is not very good, but Scott's interpretation is subtle and well done. It would've been excellent in the context of a Scrooge previously consistently shown as much angrier if it were just a little bit harsher. It's an ultimately frustrating glimpse of what his overall performance and this film could have been.
The Sim version is my choice. It's a standard, classic interpretation.