I have seen almost all of the film versions of this beloved Christmas classic by Charles Dickens, but this one is my favorite by far. It is a work of warmth, genuine emotion, humor, sadness and hope. At about this time every year when I was a boy (after sunset on Christmas Eve), our family would watch this movie. Even in the warmth of winter in Southern California, there was always a atmosphere of winter as the days grew shorter, and we would turn on this familiar tale. Our family would huddle up and watch it together...and dad loved it. As dad has now been dead for 6 months (he died June 25, removed 6 months to the day from Christmas), it is fitting for me to remember how much he loved this movie, but also how much I love it, and why I love it.
For anyone who has never seen or heard this story, it
follows the archetypal miser Ebenezer Scrooge. Scrooge's business
partner Jacob Marley has been dead 7 years. Scrooge has been very
successful in his business, but he shares his wealth with no one. He
scorns charitable giving, exploits his hard working employee Bob
Cratchit, mocks his nephew as he invites him to Christmas dinner, and
makes clear how much he detests this annual racket he calls Christmas. On Christmas
Eve, he is visited by the ghost of his late partner Jacob Marley.
Marley is living a life of misery in his post death existence. He is
forced to carry heavy chains through eternity as a punishment for his
life of greed. He comes to warn Ebenezer and to tell him that he will
be visited by three spirits over the next three nights. These spirits
(the ghosts of Christmases Past, Present and Future) give a warning to
Ebenezer to reform his ways lest he have a fate similar to Jacob Marley.
As the film unfolds, in all of its poignant truth and creepiness (it is a ghost story after all), it always feels like a well crafted symphony. The shadows of Christmas past begin the transformation in Scrooge as it brings out warm feelings of nostalgia in Scrooge. They also remind him of the one decision he deeply regrets-spurning the love of his life to pursue his business interests. Then, the visions of the present show him things as they are. The mocking of him at the hands of his nephew and niece at their Christmas dinner (an event to which he annually turns down an invitation) show his feelings being hurt, while the anger shown toward him by Mrs. Bob Cratchit gives him a glimpse into the pain he is causing in others through his lack of charity. Finally, the dark vision of his future is shown to him. And as he sees his name on the gravestone, the film reaches an emotional climax. Scrooge finally totally gets it, and he is overcome with feelings both of guilt and repentance. He begs for another chance, and he gets it. My father was always moved by George C. Scott's work in this scene, and I think I always thought George C. Scott to be a brilliant actor because of how much his work in this scene impressed my dad. He actually quoted George C. Scott in this film when he found out I had proposed to my then girlfriend Stephanie ("I'm as giddy as a schoolboy!")
Christmas is indeed a time of charity. It is a time when we focus on giving to others. This movie focuses on that, and it does a wonderful job of showing what we all miss when we ignore charity. The scenes involving Bob Cratchit's son Tiny Tim are particularly moving. As we see a child who is depicted as sweet and pious, we are reminded of Jesus' command to his disciples to "Allow the little children to come to me...for to such as these belong the kingdom of God." Tiny Tim's fate seems to be one of the great tipping points for Scrooge, because he sees that his life of isolation doesn't work. He has tried to be left alone, but he realizes that by pursuing such a solitary existence, he has hurt others. These truths are wonderful, biblical truths, but they still don't get to the heart of the Christmas story. They are wonderful by products of the Christmas story, but they are peripheral to the central truth of Christmas. Jesus Christ was and is God incarnate, and he became a human in order to die a horrible death and redeem anyone who has faith in him. The central truth of the Christian faith is that Jesus has proclaimed good news to the poor-both in money and in spirit. He has come to redeem, not simply to spread wealth. Scrooge realizes that the truth of Christmas demands that he be charitable. I also am convicted by that truth-that God expects me to give everything I have to him. But let us not miss the main point. We have all, I repeat, ALL, sinned and need to be right with God. Christmas gives us the story of when God broke into human history to save humanity, not just from poverty, but mainly from our own sin. I have been listening a lot to the book of John recently, and the truths of chapter 8 are especially applicable. In this chapter Jesus proclaims that we are all slaves to sin, and Jesus (who was given the same Hebrew name as Joshua, who led the people of Israel into the promised land) delivers those who repent. Scrooge repents of his life of greed, but the truth of the gospel goes deeper than that.
And so, I can enjoy this movie for what it is. It is a wonderful reflection on the need for humans to share their wealth with one another. It is especially important for those of us with means to think of others who have so little. That is a Christian idea put forth in scripture. But Dickens sees Jesus more in the role of moral example than in the role of redeemer and the one who atones for sin. As I reflect on life this first Christmas after dad's death, I am comforted by how much these truths meant to him, and how much they mean to me. The truth of Dickens' work speaks volumes, but it is not the whole story. For the whole story, search the scriptures :).....Merry Christmas!
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