Beyond a doubt it’s Scrooge, starring Alistair Sim, 1951, We watched it yesterday. We watch it every year, and my response to it grows stronger every year.
Both my wife and I stopped counting how many times this movie brought tears to our eyes. I suppose that makes me a big fat softy, but I just don’t care.
What is it that makes this version of A Christmas Carol so special? After all, there are a lot of movie versions of the story–I don’t even know how many.
Of course the acting is superb. That’s not what makes it unique. The music goes straight to my heart: traditional folk melodies, backed up by a full symphony orchestra. Among the most haunting and beautiful of these old tunes is My Love’s an Arbutus–find it on youtube. But there’s great music in the other versions, too.
This old Scrooge is one of a kind because it’s the most unabashedly Christian of them all. God the Father, by His sovereign power, has made Christ to be for us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption (I Corinthians 1:30). A Christmas Carol is all about redemption, a free gift of God–and whose heart is not moved by that?
Well, yes, there are poor souls out there who think the State is their redemption, and they’re always running off to some court or other to get an order protecting society from Jesus Christ.
But life is stronger than death, good is stronger than evil, beauty is better than ugliness, hope is better than despair, and Christ the Lord is Lord of all.
Merry Christmas–and, as Tiny Tim observed, God bless us, every one.
Sincere thanks for all your articles, and Blessings to you and yours for Christmas and the New Year.
That means a lot to me, Michael, and you’re very welcome.