This Hollywood version of the Dickens Christmas classic is overshadowed by a later British version featuring Alastair Sim. The British film is more realistic, and captures in its incidentals more of Dickens' radical spirit than this more stately American film, which as directed by the able Edward Martin, is done on a more modest scale. I find the American film cozier and warmer.

Reginald Owen is a less flamboyant Scrooge than Sim, which tends to make one concentrate more on the story. The movie was made on a medium budget, and it shows. However, this is not a bad thing, for while the later version gives has a dank, drafty Victorian mood,--one can almost feel the winter wind,--this one benefits enormously from its hearth-like intimacy. It's a very fine movie in its own right, with a mood all its own.

Not the best version of A Christmas Carol(one of Charles Dickens' most famous, best and most accessible stories)- the Alastair Sim and George C. Scott versions, the 1994 Jetlag and 2001 animated films are the only versions below average- and is not perfect. The Ghost of Christmas Past section is too brief and should have been much more- more time, more detail-, the reason why Scrooge seems to have repented too soon in this version, and Terry Kilburn's Tiny Tim is too healthy and overwrought, the character should have a lot of pathos but Kilburn seems to be trying too hard. There is still a lot to like though. The Ghost of Christmas Present section is very heart-warming, definitely of the Three Ghosts sections the one with the most heart, and the one of Christmas-Yet-to-Come will have youngsters diving under the covers, the people in the section observing and commenting on the situation are quite realistically drawn. While not lavish or big in budget, the film still has splendid period detail and shot in lovely black and white. The special effects are not too shabby, though not award-worthy. The whimsical music score, mean-meaning script, heartfelt message that gets its point across and the ceaselessly entertaining and poignant storytelling are other selling points. And the acting is fine on the most part. Reginald Owen does make a great account of himself as Scrooge(if not quite embodying the character like Sim did),while Leo G. Caroll is very spooky if soft-spoken Jacob Marley and Barry MacKay is possibly the best and most likable Fred on screen. Lionel Brahurn's Ghost of Christmas Present is wonderfully jovial, Ann Rutherford is utterly beguiling though deserving of more screen time and Gene Lockhart appeals in how humble he is. Overall, warm, charming and entertaining though not definitive. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Lionel Barrymore's loss was the gain of Reginald Owen in this adaption of A Christmas Carol. In that age of radio Lionel Barrymore's radio version of the Dickens classic was a holiday staple and I dare say that there are many places on the globe now which are hearing it. But when it came to doing a film version Barrymore became unavailable so another of MGM's contract players substituted.

Much as I would like to have seen Lionel as Scrooge, Reginald Owen makes one fine Christmas miser. And MGM gave Owen a fine supporting cast with Gene Lockhart and his wife Kathleen Lockhart as Bob Cratchit and his good wife and a very precious Terry Kilburn as Tiny Tim.

One interesting person in the cast was Barry MacKay who I can't believe came over from the United Kingdom just to play Scrooge's nephew Fred. Across the pond MacKay was a popular light leading man who did several well received films with among others Jessie Matthews. Yet this supporting role seems to be the reason MGM brought him over here. I can't believe they didn't have more in mind.

Anyway this version of A Christmas Carol is one great adaption of Charles Dickens's Christmas classic. Even without Lionel Barrymore.