met anybody like you before.” Ghost of Christmas Present: “Really? Over 1800 of my brothers have come before me!” Scrooge: “1800? Imagine the grocery bills!”
and wit. By the time he is under the spell of the Ghost of Christmas Present, he is even prepared to have a laugh and absorb himself ever so slightly in the magic of Christmas. But crucially, this is not immediate. An early exchange with the jolly ghost sees Scrooge crack a joke that, while short, speaks volumes about where his character is at: Scrooge: “I don’t think I’ve ever
sometimes violent man beyond saving. In the only significant divergence from the sincerity Caine promised to practice throughout, he is singing and dancing with the Muppets by the film’s climax, and treats his loyal worker Bob Cratchit to the Christmas he deserves. Again, Caine is near faultless. Say what you will about his vocals; ‘Thankful Heart’ is loaded with the happiness and optimism that it needs to be worthy of a heartfelt singalong. Caine’s disarming persona and cheeriness suddenly come flying out, and his genuine glee at wishing everyone a Merry Christmas is utterly endearing.
Caine’s disarming persona and cheeriness suddenly come flying out, and his genuine glee at wishing everyone a Merry Christmas is utterly endearing.
His heart is now open to touches of humour, play and joy. But crucially his soul is not yet saved. Everything about him is still obsessed with the lure of money and the premise of economic gain, the very reason why Dickens cast Scrooge as such an unrepentant villain in the first place. Even his sense of humour is poisoned with the false promise of wealth. In this short, throwaway moment, Caine excels. It is not quite fair to call his grin a crocodile smile, but nonetheless you cannot help but feel there is a coldness still lurking underneath Scrooge’s warming exterior. Caine is central in cementing this impression, and goes on to solidify this feeling throughout the rest of the film. Eventually, after being forced to confront his fate if he remains unchanged, Scrooge repents. He is now full of Christmas cheer and good will to all (or at least scared of the consequences if he acts otherwise). It is unbelievable that this is the same man who started the film as a cruel and
There have been many takes on Scrooge of course. Alastair Sim, Albert Finney and more recently Colin Baker are among many actors to have a stab at bringing Ebenezer Scrooge to life. A different take can be seen courtesy of Jim Carrey in Robert Zemeckis’ animated retelling, while most recently Scrooge has been brought to life by Simon Russell Beale in David and Jacqui Morris’ adaptation. Yet Caine remains unparalleled, unique, and a joy from start to finish. The way he manages, embodies and sustains Scrooge’s change from a coldhearted villain to a man full of Christmas cheer is masterful, and a central part of why The Muppet Christmas Carol remains such a stalwart festive favourite.
CHRISTMAS 2020 FILMHOUNDS 09