Scrooged: The Best Christmas Film Ever

Without a shadow of a doubt my favourite Christmas film of all time is "Scrooged", a 1988 American comedy starring none other than Bill Murray (hmm, there seems to be a theme developing on my film bloggage). A modernisation of the classic Dickens (and only Dickens I have ever been able to stomach) "A Christmas Carol" this is a brilliant, brilliant film, and here is why...

First of all, this Christmas film stars BILL MURRAY. Oh what can I say about Bill that hasn't been said before. He is a comedic genius, a brilliant actor and a discerning one, which,in a world where remakes and other crap are hurled at our cinema screens on a weekly basis, makes me love him even more. In "Scrooged", filmed four years after the success of "Ghostbusters" he plays Frank Cross, a television mogul and our modern-day Ebeneezer Scrooge. Frank is at the top of his profession, he is rich, he is respected and he is a total bastard. From firing his staff on Christmas Eve for daring to question him, to asking a man to staple antlers to a dormouse's head, there is nothing that this man will not do to further himself and his career. And the pinnacle of this career will be the live-action broadcast of Dicken's immortal classic "Scrooge" (damn you Americans, it's "A Christmas Carol"!) on Christmas Eve.

Oh Frank, let's not fight...

Also, this film includes a zombie. How much more could you ask for in a festive treat? John Forsythe (or Blake Carrington as I remember him) is the first "ghost", Frank's mentor Lew who returns to his office as a corpse  straight from the golf course, who fountains out scotch like a sprinkler through his decaying body. The other three ghosts are no less impressive. David Johansen is the Ghost of Christmas Past, a chain-smoking taxi driver with a New York drawl ("Face it, garden slugs got more outta life than you.") Carol Kane is my favourite as the Ghost of Christmas Present, a delicate pixie with a voice that could grate cheese and a penchant for violence ("Sometimes you have to slap them in the face just to get their attention!") And,  finally, a hideous Jim-Hensen-in-Hell-style contraption is led in for the ghost that all men fear, the Ghost of Christmas Future.

Niagara Falls, Frankie baby

Alfre Woodward as Grace, Frank's long suffering assistant, fills the shoes of Bob Cratchett with her mute son Calvin stepping in as an utterly adorable Tiny Tim (a role often given over to sickeningly punchable little urchins). We also have Eliot Loudermilk played by Police Academy's Bobcat Goldthwait as the poor unfortunate tossed out of the building and his job by Frank on Christmas Eve. He appears throughout the film in varying states of desperation as he drowns his sorrows before appearing for the finale to give that wonderful trademark voice of his a good showing. Finally we have the beautiful Karen Allen, as Frank's long lost love and charitable angel of good deeds, Claire. And my god, if you don't shed a tear when she appears for her final scene you are made of stone.

Do it for Eva!

The lessons of the story remain the same but the details are pure eighties and it always fascinates me how relevant these still are today. The eighties was the era of Wall Street of course and the motto of "greed is good". Of course Frank is not a trader but he is a hard-hearted and stinkingly rich guy who has trod over many people to get where he is; the corner office of a mirrored Manhattan skyscraper. Now we stand two decades away from this film with protests around the world against corporate injustice and "big money" at the expense of the little people and a general sense that the mess that we're in is from decades of selfishness and avarice. 

Living in London for the last decade I am also profoundly aware of how many shivering figures I walk past on the street on my way home to my warm house. For a comedy film, the scenes depicting New York's homeless are both touching and thought provoking. There are people who need help and to float past with your eyes averted is to close yourself off from life. For what is the Christmas spirit if we don't carry it with us all through the year?

I can't help also but think about the hold the media has over the holidays and indeed over the rest of our lives. Frank's desire for people to be afraid to miss the Christmas Eve show mirrors all those must-see shows we are now bombarded with. The need to see, to watch overrides the need to experience and live. But what are we missing whilst we are glued to the latest episode of X-Factor? (Clue - it's not on the other channel!) All I can say is that Ghost of Christmas future's face is a television screen.

Murray's portrayal of Frank from a dark miserly soul to enlightened Christmas fan is beautiful to watch. He really appears to relish the chance to play the bad guy. But it is the final scene that gets me right in the chest. Finally seeing the light, Frank interrupts the live show and Murray gets a chance to speak directly to the film audience through the camera lens. His wild-haired, wide-eyed and impassioned monologue on the joys of Christmas, life, love, generosity and being merry is one of the most brilliant things I have seen on film. Riding his comedy high, this is a sermon worthy of the best preachers. Culminating with a whole cast rendition of Al Green and Annie Lennox's "Put a Little Love in Your Heart" this is way more uplifting than Dickens. Over to you Frank...

"It's Christmas Eve. It's the one night when we all act a little nicer. We smile a little easier. We share a little more. For a couple of hours we are the people we always hoped we would be... It can happen every day! It can happen to you! I believe in it now."

Have a Merry Christmas. Everybody.

vía: http://mrsgoldsdaysarehere.blogspot.com.ar/2011/12/scrooged-best-christmas-film-ever_16.html