A great musical with tremendous use of panavision, excellent choreography and catchy songs. Finney takes a while to get used to as he is super over the top, but it fits the style and you get used to it after a while. A fun movie that even left the kids singing along.

I wish I'd managed to watch this overlooked British film musical before Christmas but even with the trees and decorations down for days, it was still a very pleasurable watch. Beats me why it's never mentioned in the top list of classic festive films as it has a lot going for it.The story is so well known and there have been so many film versions of it that familiarity could breed some discontent if not quite contempt, but the twist is here is that it's played as a musical with a lively score by the celebrated Leslie Bricusse. Here, he has to contend with two of his main actors probably challenging Lee Marvin for the award for worst singer in a major production, being Albert Finney and Alec Guinness, but despite this palpable drawback, the movie works well.The evocation of mid-19th Century London is splendidly achieved (in sets apparently left over from the recently completed "Oliver!") with no stinting on cast numbers per scene either. The songs are happy singalong and yet suffused with the personality of the singer, thus Scrooge's "I Hate People" and later the crowd, led by Anton Rogers, singing "Thank You Very Much" to Scrooge for dying.The special effects aren't that great, especially when you see a white-painted Guinness as Marley's ghost float up and away on wires but they're tolerable for the time.Finney is very good even buried away under more pancaked makeup than Shrove Tuesday, Guinness a lot less so in a part in which he's obviously ill at ease. Director Neame directs with some flair and stays reasonably close to the source story.Some Christmas presents I find are best appreciated even if delayed until after the day itself. Watching this film was like that for me, a little post-Yuletide delight all the more welcome

This rendition of Scrooge, played by Albert Finney is the best ever! He does a masterful job of capturing this old curmudgeon turned effervescent philanthropist. I love it. I'm not a huge fan of musicals but this is so well done. It's not overdone to where they break out in song every 5 or 10 minutes. There are probably 5-7 songs throughout, and they are well timed and fitting. "Thank you very much" is an often quoted classic in our household. I really love the way Finney transforms the Scrooge character at the end of the movie. I find that watching it provokes much reflection on how I'm living my life. That's one of the great messages of the movie. What are you doing with the time that's been giving you? Are you living life like you wish you would have once you find yourself at the end of the road? Well Scrooge was certainly near the end, and it was not too late to make life worth living. I try to watch this every year around Christmas time.

Nominated for four Oscars for set design, music and costumes, it garnered a Golden Globe for Albert Finney for Best Actor.I was leery of Scrooge as a musical, but it is a story that I love, and it had great special effects.Dame Edith Evans is the Ghost of Christmas Past, and she really brings something to the role. In fact, all three ghosts bring something to the role that is lacking in earlier productions.Every thing is great about this film, from Albert Finney to the huge turkey.Maybe they could have left out the songs.