Scrooge's Final Christmas?
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Big_AL-96 — 9 years ago(December 16, 2016 02:59 AM)
To me it's very clear that Christmas Yet to Come
is showing Scrooge what happens next Christmas
,
I don't believe that it is the following Christmas, though I do believe it is probably prior to following Christmas.
Bob Cratchit:
"Yes, my dear," returned Bob. "I wish you could have gone. It would have done you good to see how green a place it is. But you'll see it often. I promised him that I would walk there on a Sunday. My little, little child!" cried Bob. "My little child!"
The fact that is green would suggest that it is not yet winter and therefore not yet Christmas.
I agree that his actions became his salvation, but not just towards Tiny Tim, but to his fellow man, who became his business!!
And Marley states that
A chance and hope of my procuring, Ebenezer."
So it is clear that Marley has beseeched for the second chance for Scrooge, and therefore ultimately his faith was rewarded.
Let's pray the human race never escapes Earth to spread its iniquity elsewhere. C.S Lewis -
jsk32870 — 9 years ago(January 06, 2017 09:51 PM)
only, the spirit here is the
Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come
, is it not? All three spirits are showing events from various Christmases: past, present and future. So although Bob makes a comment about the place being green, the scene is meant to be understood that it is a future Christmas.
Also, just a few sentences after the comment about the green place, the story relates that Bob left the family and went upstairs to the room where Tiny Tim's body was. "He left the room, and went upstairs into the room above, which was lighted cheerfully, and hung with Christmas. There was a chair set close beside the child" etc. etc.
It was definitely Christmas time, and most likely the following Christmas, as the Ghost of Christmas Present saw 'a crutch without an owner.' -
Big_AL-96 — 9 years ago(January 09, 2017 01:41 AM)
Fair point, I had forgotten about the room being hung for Christmas.
and it would certainly be the following Christmas.
It does not necessarily follow though, that all the visions were at Christmas, based on the fact that the spirit was Christmas Yet to Come.
though at a different time, he thought: indeed, there seemed no order in these latter visions, save that they were in the Future
Let's pray the human race never escapes Earth to spread its iniquity elsewhere. C.S Lewis -
Fledrmaus — 9 years ago(January 09, 2017 08:05 AM)
The Ghost of Christmas Past shows Scrooge the most scenes, and they're not all taking place at various Christmases, are they? The school scene, and the party where he proposes to Alice are indeed at Christmas, but what about Scrooge's first day at Mr. Jorkins's company, where he meets Marley? The takeover of Fezziwig's company? The board meeting? Those couldn't have been happening on Christmas day, though I had the impression they were happening in the winter, so maybe that's close enough. The last vision is of Marley's death, and we know that DID occur at Christmas, as Scrooge mentions it when the 2 men collecting for charity ask about his partner.
Flat, drab passion meanders across the screen! -
Big_AL-96 — 9 years ago(January 09, 2017 08:08 AM)
but what about Scrooge's first day at Mr. Jorkins's company, where he meets Marley? The takeover of Fezziwig's company? The board meeting? Those couldn't have been happening on Christmas day,
I highly doubt they are happening at Christmas, but beware all these scenes have been added, they are not in the book. But in regards to the film, I would agree with you.
Let's pray the human race never escapes Earth to spread its iniquity elsewhere. C.S Lewis -
jsk32870 — 9 years ago(January 10, 2017 01:30 PM)
Yes. Unfortunately, more and more I have come to realize how much this film strays from the original story. I used to like it very much, and still like Sim's portrayal the best of them all, but the overall film now leaves me somewhat disappointed. The Jorkin character is the biggest travesty but it's not the only one.
As for the Christmas Yet to Come.I am not sure how these scenes cannot be connected to a future Christmas. Why call it the "Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come" then? Why not just call it "Ghost of Time yet to Come?" Not every scene specifically indicates that all of these visions are taking place in future Christmases, but there are a few. The scene of Scrooge witnessing two businessmen in the street discussing his death, one specifically says to the other "cold, isn't it?'' And the other replies "Seasonable for Christmas-time." Also the scene in the beetling shop, although it's not mentioned if it's Christmas, it does mention that Joe is sitting by a charcoal stove to screen himself "from the cold air without." And of course the lack of Tiny Tim the next year is a Christmas scene. I don't think there can be any doubt all of these scenes are meant to be "future Christmas," just like the other two were Christmas past and Christmas present.
This line -
though at a different time, he thought: indeed, there seemed no order in these latter visions, save that they were in the Future- I took to mean, they were not in
chronological
order. Unlike the scenes shown by the Ghost of Christmas Past, which begin with Scrooge as a boy at the boarding school, then a young apprentice, then losing Belle, then seeing Belle with her family. Those were shown in chronological order. The statement above led me to believe the future scenes were
not
shown in chronological order, but they are still 'future Christmas' scenes.
- I took to mean, they were not in
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Big_AL-96 — 9 years ago(January 10, 2017 01:41 PM)
I still think this is the best version despite the additions and also important scenes that are missing. There isn't a single film that doesn't add or delete a scene, so by comparison this is the best. I would love to have seen a film totally true to the book.
That said, the scene on Christmas morning with Mrs Dilber is one of the most moving and poignant scenes, albeit it wasn't in the book.
Let's pray the human race never escapes Earth to spread its iniquity elsewhere. C.S Lewis -
Fledrmaus — 9 years ago(December 24, 2016 07:25 PM)
I always thought that Scrooge realized that he'd had a VERY narrow escape. One year - that's all he had left. It concentrates the mind, to paraphrase Dr. Johnson. He couldn't tell himself he'd think it over and maybe start gradually to reform. He threw himself head first into philanthropy because there was no time to lose! He couldn't even really know that his life would be extended, only that if he had to die, it wouldn't be in the squalid way the Ghost had showed him. He wanted to escape Jacob Marley's fate, not necessarily live another 30 years.
Flat, drab passion meanders across the screen! -
MsELLERYqueen2 — 9 years ago(December 25, 2016 12:21 AM)
I think that the Ghost of Christmas Future was trying to show Scrooge that he would die soon (of a stroke or heart attack) if he kept working himself to death & treating everyone so poorly. When Scrooge changed his ways, he added years to his life, and also to the life of Tiny Tim.
Jim Hutton (1934-79) & Ellery Queen = -
orrdaniel398 — 9 years ago(December 28, 2016 11:29 AM)
I never thought of that before but it makes sense. Keeping his house and office freezing cold because he didn't want to waste money on coal must have been bad for his health. Combined with the stress from working constantly, not eating well or getting enough sleep was probably driving him into an early grave.
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xstitchmum — 9 years ago(December 26, 2016 04:09 PM)
The book clearly says he had a cold in his head and that is why the pot of gruel was prepared and waiting for him when he got home. I have always believed it may have turned quickly into pneumonia and he would have died that night had he not changed his ways.