“Come In! And Know Me Better, Man!" | Alastair Sim (1951)

Alastair Sim's classic version begins this scene where the previous one ended, with Scrooge in bed moaning "no no no" in his sleep about the miserable visions of the past. He's quite beat down by his experience and doesn't want to repeat it with another ghost, as we'll see.

There are chiming bells coming from outside, but they're not yet tolling a specific hour. When they finally do though, it's 1:00, finally revealing which schedule this version's ghosts are on. Marley only announced that the first ghost would come at 1:00 and didn't say when the others would arrive, but it seems now that they're on the multiple night plan.

The tolling bell wakes Scrooge and he's immediately nervous about what will come next. He pulls back the bed curtains and sees his empty bedroom, but doesn't have to wait long before a light comes under the door from the next room and he hears a deep chuckle. 

Sims' performance is always funny even when he's scared and it's hilarious that he tries to lie down again and pull the covers over himself, hoping that he'll be allowed to go back to sleep. That's not happening though and the Ghost in the other room invites him to "come in." Scrooge closes his eyes in resignation, then nods and gets up. "Yes, I'm coming..."

As he walks toward the door, it opens on its own and the music swells, revealing the Ghost sitting atop a throne of bread and fruit and meat. Heavy strands of garland are hung from the wall behind him and the fireplace is blazing merrily. The ghost continues to laugh and it's here that I notice the echo effect laid on him by the sound design. It's otherworldly and doesn't ruin anything, but I don't love it. It's not really needed and feels like overkill.

The Ghost has a good look, showing even more chest than the Reginald Owen one. The robe is right and his hair and beard are both long, though not as full or jolly as the Owen ghost. He's a large, imposing presence, too. Later, when he's standing next to Scrooge, he looks like he's about a foot taller. 

He has the holly crown and though it has no icicles, so few versions have had them that I'm wondering if I even want them at this point. The one time they were there (in the Seymour Hicks movie), they didn't look that great. I know they're in at least one other production we haven't talked about yet, so I'll hold off judging at least until then.

I can't see the Ghost's feet in this version, so I don't know if he's wearing shoes or not. He does have something hanging from his belt that looks like it could be a sheathed dagger, but I can't tell for sure. It's too small to be a sword scabbard though and I don't know what else it would be. A dagger would be weird since it sends the exact opposite message that the empty scabbard does. The worst thing about this Ghost though is that he's missing his torch. That's a crucial part of the costume for me.  

Scrooge doesn't say the line about learning his lesson, but it's all there in the performance and in what he does say. Like I said earlier, he's beat down and exhausted by the ghosts so far. But there are still obstacles to his changing. His first reaction, for example, is to shake his head and try to go back into his bedroom. But the Ghost invites him once more to come in and know me better, man.

"You've never seen the like of me before, have you?"

"Never," Scrooge says, wearily. "And I wish the pleasure had been indefinitely postponed."

The Ghost asks if Scrooge is still unmoved by his experiences and Scrooge complains that he's too old and beyond all hope of changing. It sounds like he sees the need to change, but despairs that he'll be unable. He says something about being left alone to observe Christmas in his own way, which as we know is not to observe it at all.

The Ghost isn't having it though. "Mortal, we spirits of Christmas do not live only one day of our year. We live the whole three-hundred-and-sixty-five. So is it true of the child born in Bethlehem. He does not live in men's hearts only one day of the year, but in all the days of the year. You have chosen not to seek him in your heart. Therefore you shall come with me and seek him in the hearts of men of good will." It's a good speech. I like it.

He holds out his arm and invites Scrooge to "Come. Touch my robe." Scrooge shuffles over resignedly and obeys. As the Ghost chuckles some more, the scene dissolves...

“Come In! And Know Me Better, Man!" | Reginald Owen (1938)

The 1938 Christmas Carol had Scrooge fall exhaustedly to sleep at the end of the last scene after trying to smother the Ghost of Christmas Past and having her turn into this own bedsheets. This scene opens on the clock, which is just about to strike Two. This film's Marley predicted that the ghosts would do everything in one night between the hours of One and Three, so we're on schedule.

Scrooge is fast asleep, but wakes himself up with his own snoring. He remembers what's been happening and checks his watch. Seeing what time it is, he looks around nervously a bit, but the chime of the clock comes quickly and there's not much suspense about the next spirit.

Almost as soon as the clock chimes, light begins pouring in around Scrooge's bed curtains, so he peeks through and sees our new Ghost. In this version, Scrooge's apartment is only the one room except for a little closet. The room is done up right though with a lovely fire, a wreath on the hearth, greenery all around, and the Ghost sitting on a chair surrounded by food. 

He looks great right away. I love his curly long hair and his bushy beard. His robe appears to be the right colors (as much as it can in black-and-white). He's waving around a horn-shaped torch, too. There's no visible flame from it, but it's giving off a strong light and a bit of smoke, so it works even though I prefer a strong, visible flame. His robe is open enough to see some of his bare chest and of course he has the holly crown (though without icicles).

He's not wearing a sheath and he's not giant-sized either even if he is quite tall. His robe is long enough to cover his feet in this scene, but later when he and Scrooge are walking around we can see that he's not barefoot. Even with those discrepancies though I like him a lot. He has a great, regal voice and he talks to Scrooge in a friendly way, but as if Scrooge is a child who has to have everything explained to him very simply. He's got a twinkly eyed Santa quality to him that's utterly charming.

In spite of Scrooge's rebellious regression at the end of Past's visit, he's back to being contrite and interested with Christmas Present. He doesn't say the line about having learned a lesson, but he's eager to see whatever this Ghost wants to show him. When the Ghost stands up, Scrooge asks with genial curiosity, "What are we going to do?"

"Walk into the world this Christmas night," the Ghost explains. "So that you can hear and see and feel Christmas."

Scrooge's response if funny. "Did you say walk or fly?"

The Ghost is amused and offers his robe for Scrooge to touch. And without knowing whether he's actually going to walk or is in for another scary flight, Scrooge does it. The room goes dark and there's some fog and then we're outside.

“Come In! And Know Me Better, Man!" | Seymour Hicks (1935)

In Henry Edwards' Scrooge, Seymour Hicks' Ebenezer wakes up in his bed before the strike of One and even predicts the tolling of the bell before it comes. I haven't been impressed with this version so far, but it does this part of the scene nicely, having Scrooge look around the room as if he expects something and then pulling the bedsheets over his head when nothing happens right away. 

He peeks out again just in time to see the lighting change and flicker wildly. So he gets up and goes to the other room where he sees the new ghost.

I'm not as excited about the actual Ghost in this version, but that's not a surprise considering the invisible Marley and the blurry Ghost of Christmas Past. At least this one is corporeal, but Edwards has taken big liberties with its appearance.

The room is impressive though with a blazing fire in the fireplace, stockings hung on the hearth, and greenery and food everywhere. The Ghost is sitting on a raised surface above the feast and appears quite large in more ways that one. At least he does until Scrooge walks over and stands next to him to provide some perspective. Scrooge is as tall standing up as the Ghost is sitting down. He's fat, but he's no giant.

He doesn't have room for a torch of any shape because he's got two fistfuls of food that he gnaws on throughout the scene, pausing to smack between lines of dialogue, then tossing his meat on the floor to pick up a goblet. He's probably shirtless under his robe (white-furred and presumably green, but it's a black-and-white film and that's impossible to tell). The robe is pulled tight around his neck though, so no broad, bare chest here. And his hair is all wrong from his short haircut to his beardless face.

I don't think we ever get a good enough look at the Ghost when he's standing to tell if he's barefoot or carries a sheath, but this version finally puts icicles on the holly crown. They're big ones that poke out in all directions like spikes.

This Scrooge has been a passive, defeated character almost from the beginning of the ghosts' visits. He's been one of the quickest to change and it's natural that he gets to say the line about having learned a lesson which is still working on him. In fact, he says this with hands together as if he's praying, so he's quite penitent.

The Ghost then invites Scrooge to touch the Ghost's robe and explains that he's about to show Scrooge how his poor clerk keeps Christmas. Scrooge already looks ashamed and hesitant about this, so the Ghost commands again, "Touch my robe." 

Scrooge lifts his hand dramatically and lays it on the Ghost's sleeve. Smash cut to the next scene.

Seriously Felicity | Todd Mulcahy, Part 2

Kristi and I flub an interview, rediscover our love for art, and meet super young Juliet from Psych. Also, some talk about Psych as well as Scott Foley's new show, The Big Leap. 

Download or listen to the episode here.

“Come In! And Know Me Better, Man!" | Mark McDermott (1910)

Thomas Edison's short, silent film has the same Spirit of Christmas showing Scrooge scenes from his past, present, and future, so there's no new ghost to meet this year. We do get a little interlude between visions though, first with a title card that tells us we're transitioning to "Visions of the Present" and specifically, "what the miser's wealth could do." But we also see Scrooge alone for a few seconds and apparently happy to be that way. He looks around the room and sees no ghost and I think I detect a smile. He pumps his fist as if in triumph and starts to get undressed and ready for bed. But before he even gets his robe off, the Spirit is back.

The Spirit brings no decorations or food and since he's the same ghost for all three time periods, he contains elements of at least the first two. He has the long white hair and clean shaven face of the first Spirit, but the holly crown and big torch (not horn-shaped) of the second. He's not giant, but his seat is elevated like he's sitting on a piece of furniture, so he does loom over Scrooge that way. 

It's a black-and-white production so there's no way to tell what color his robes are, but they're just vaguely regal and medieval and not like what Dickens described at all. He's wearing a fancy tunic and we don't get a good look at his feet (at least, not in my fuzzy print). I can't pick out a sword either, but it could be under the Spirit's royal cape.

Scrooge looks disappointed and impatient that this isn't over yet, so that's consistent with how he's been all along. He's shown emotion at the scenes from the past, but there's no hint yet that he's learning anything from them. He doesn't say anything to the Spirit, nor does the Spirit invite Scrooge to touch his robe. The Spirit is just going to show Scrooge some scenes in his room, whether Scrooge likes it or not.

“Come In! And Know Me Better, Man!" | Jim Carrey (2009)

After his apocryphal fall from orbit at the end of Christmas Past's visit, Robert Zemeckis' Scrooge is still flat on the floor when the clock tolls One and he hears a distant chuckling that grows louder as the dark bedroom grows brighter. Scrooge looks to where the light is coming from and sees it twinkling and spilling around the edges of the parlor door. 

Once Scrooge has gotten to his feet, the door flies open on its own to reveal a golden lit room bountifully decorated with candles and garland. In addition to being more festive, the room is also much bigger and taller than it was when we last saw it. A variety of chiming clocks fill the air with sweet sounds as the Ghost's laugh gets still louder and more boisterous. And as the camera pans across, it finally reveals a mountain of food with the Ghost perched on top of it. 

The Ghost is so high above Scrooge that it's tough to get a sense of scale, but he certainly gives the impression of being enormous, both physically and spiritually. His horn-shaped torch is decorative, but doesn't have the usual, ridged texture of a cornucopia. It works though and the light from it is extremely bright. He's bare chested and has long, brown hair, though once again his holly crown has no icicles.

His green robe is also ornately decorated with embroidery, but the fur trim is light brown instead of white. And it's so long that we never see his feet and whether or not he's wearing any shoes. I peeked ahead and we don't even see his feet when he pulls back the robe to reveal Ignorance and Want. He has another robe underneath. Modest about his toes, this Ghost.

He's wearing the empty sheath and Scrooge even comments on it. Like the rest of this Ghost's clothing and accessories, there's a lot of detail on it and it looks quite old, but it's not rusted. When Scrooge points out that it's empty, the Ghost looks at it and seems surprised and shrugs. "Peace on Earth! Good will toward men!" I like that the movie pauses to explain that detail. It's not necessary to understanding what's going on, but if you're going to include the scabbard, as most versions do, you might as well acknowledge its symbolism.

I also like that when he talks about having 1800 older brothers, he adds, "Eighteen hundred and forty-two, to be exact." It's like we're getting helpful little annotations.

That said, though, I don't love this version of Christmas Present. Like the other Christmas Ghosts in the movie, it's also played by Jim Carrey, which is a gimmick. There's no reason for it in the story and he's not the best choice for the role. He looks like Jim Carrey in a wig and fake beard, his laugh is manic, and his half-hearted Scot accent isn't contributing anything.

Carrey's Scrooge continues to be strong though. He continues to be humble and respectful, even though he doesn't explicitly say anything about the lesson he learned from the previous ghost. "Spirit," he simply says, "Conduct me where you will."

So the Spirit laughs again and lowers the belt of his robe to the floor so that Scrooge can grab it. When Scrooge does, the belt lights up, the mountain of food begins to disappear, and the room changes in a way that's unique to this version. We'll save that to talk about next year though.

AfterLunch | Bond Novels – Diamonds Are Forever

I cover Ian Fleming's fourth James Bond novel, Diamonds Are Forever, in another solo episode. Bond returns to the United States to bust up a mob-run diamond smuggling operation, but how do these hoods measure up as a threat to a spy used to taking on mad industrialists and agents of the Soviets' assassination bureau? And what about Tiffany Case?

Download or listen to the episode here.

“Come In! And Know Me Better, Man!" | Scrooge McDuck (1983)

Mickey's Christmas Carol opens this scene with Scrooge in bed, still distraught over reliving his break-up with Isabelle. I suspect that's as close as we'll get to his acknowledgment to the Ghost of Christmas Present that he's still learning from the previous Spirit, but it's enough for now.

This version is one of those that had Marley announce that all three Spirits would visit in one evening, so Scrooge's little bedside clock chimes Two and not One before the next Ghost arrives. Scrooge isn't nervously anticipating the new Ghost; he's still beating himself up about Isabelle when a light comes on through his bedcurtains and he hears, "Fee! Fi! Fo! Fum!"

He peeks through the curtains and sees as lavishly decorated a room as we've had so far. This version has Scrooge living in pretty much just one room, so Scrooge doesn't even have to get out of bed to see what the Ghost has done.

Since we're dealing with a giant ghost, Disney has cast Willie the Giant from the "Mickey and the Beanstalk" segment of Fun and Fancy Free (1947). Willie's kind of a dumb character, which is funny, but that does mean we're not going to get the joyful, ultra compassionate character I love so much from other versions. But because Willie was created as an antagonist for "Mickey and the Beanstalk," he's going to be a bit threatening to Scrooge and that may not be entirely inappropriate as we go through these next scenes. 

Physically, Willie doesn't have either a beard or long hair, but he's dressed correctly in the green robe with white trim and the holly crown (still no icicles, though). His chest isn't particularly exposed, but then maybe that's best when this version isn't defined by his heart the way that others are. He's not wearing a shirt under the robe though, so that's something.

He also doesn't have bare feet (and won't really need them since we won't get Ignorance and Want in this version). Instead, he's wearing medieval hose like he did in "Beanstalk." He has no sheath or scabbard of any kind and doesn't even have the iconic cornucopia-shaped torch. He'll find another light source when they get outside, which will be funny, but I still miss that torch. Like I said, though, the room is packed with food and the Spirit is sitting on a literal throne that's covered in and surrounded by it. 

Scrooge is initially terrified of the Ghost, but after Willie declares that Scrooge is too distasteful and miserly to be appetizing to even a man-eating giant, Scrooge becomes more like his old self. Willie refers to the much more appealing food around them and Scrooge is greedily interested (unlike his earlier reaction to Donald's description of Christmas dinner). 

In lieu of Willie's actually being an exemplar of love and generosity himself, Disney has Scrooge ask where all the food came from, which prompts Willie to explain that it's "from the heart" and to give a speech about the generosity that Scrooge has "long denied your fellow man." That's what I mean about Willie's antagonistic background being a benefit. When he confronts Scrooge about his failings, it carries weight that little Jiminy Cricket - as fussy as he can be - could never bring.

Scrooge is still resistant though. He asks when anyone has ever been generous to him, clearly forgetting about the vision of Fezziwig he just experienced. But then again, the Fezziwig scene was really all about Isabelle for Scrooge.

Willie's first response to Scrooge's accusation is that "you've never given them reason" to be generous. That always makes me a little nervous, because I always forget what he says next. I don't like the implication that generosity is something that should be earned. Clearly people have been generous to Scrooge. Just look at Donald's consistent, annual invitation to Christmas dinner. That's a much stronger argument and happily it's where Willie is going next.

He tells Scrooge that there are people who care about him, but Scrooge is incredulous. By this time, Willie has already stuffed Scrooge in his giant pocket, so he lifts the roof off of Scrooge's house so that they can both leave and see what Willie's talking about.

This Scrooge is a tough nut to crack, so it works symbolically that the Spirit doesn't even ask him to take the minor action of touching the Spirit's robe. Instead, Scrooge is forcibly brought along with no choice in the matter.

“Come In! And Know Me Better, Man!" | Walter Matthau (1978)

Rankin-Bass' version of The Stingiest Man in Town ended the previous scene with Scrooge falling asleep in bed as usual. But instead of immediately having him wake up again, the story cuts outside to Scrooge's window where our old friend BAH Humbug is peering in and wondering how Scrooge got back. He stayed behind when Scrooge left with the Ghost of Christmas Past, so he's not as caught up on events as we viewers are. 

Just as Humbug is trying to figure this out, the big, nearby church clock strikes One and worries the little bug. Inside, though, Scrooge is still fast asleep and not thinking at all about the impending arrival of the next ghost. In fact, he's awakened by the Spirit's boisterous, jolly laughter coming from the next room. Scrooge wonders what the sound is, but Humbug knows. "Looks like the Number Two Ghost is right on time!" I think that's a random train schedule joke and if it is, I like it.

Scrooge still isn't getting out of bed, so the door to his room opens on its own and a bright, yellow light pours in just as the TV special cuts to commercial. When we come back, Humbug is now inside and looking toward the open door and the bright light alongside Scrooge. 

Scrooge finally gets out of bed and goes to check things out, where we see his redecorated parlor. It's not covered in food, but there's a festive tree next to a table that has a candelabra, a couple of empty wine glasses, and a couple of dishes heaped with meat and fruit. The camera pans across the room to reveal the Ghost standing over a cake, a big cooked bird of some kind, and scattered grapes and potatoes. There's a barrel, presumably filled with wine, and the Ghost has a big, bare foot propped on something round that could be another food container or maybe just a piece of furniture. 

The Ghost is so big that we don't see his face at first, but he's barefoot, has the empty scabbard (not particularly rusted), and his robe is the right colors. He introduces himself as the camera pans up to reveal his broad, bare chest, his standard cornucopia torch, and his holly crown. There are no icicles on the crown, but the biggest alteration from Dickens' version is that this ghost has long, white hair and beard instead of brown. Like with the Marvel Comics version, I assume this is to suggest Santa Claus to North American kids in the audience. As he invites Scrooge to come and know him better, the camera pulls back to reveal his full form.

Since this is a musical version, we get a song here to explain what this Ghost is about. It's not sung by the Ghost himself though, but by toys and ornaments on the Christmas tree that come to life and dance around. It's a fun, earworm of a song with a chorus that goes:

"Listen to the song of the Christmas Spirit,

Can't you hear it? Can't you hear it?

Listen to the song of the Christmas Spirit,

Ringing in the air."

I won't reprint the entire lyrics, but a typical verse goes:

"Tinkling laughs of girls and boys

Mingle with the jingle of tinkling toys.

Words of hope and happy times

Sung to the music that chimes."

The point of the song is in the line: "Can't you hear it?" They're asking Scrooge why he can't hear the joy and spirit of Christmastime. Another line goes, "Boys and Girls can sing it too. They sing this song. Why can't you?"

Scrooge is distraught at first and asks the Spirit to stop the singing toys, but instead the Spirit hits Scrooge with a fireball from his torch (which is also what he used to bring the toys to life). Scrooge shrinks to toy (and Humbug) size and the toys quickly come over and pull both Scrooge and Humbug into the dance. Scrooge resists at first, which leads to some slapstick, but Humbug listens to the sound and joins in quickly. And before long, Scrooge has become caught up too and is enjoying himself with Humbug and the rest.

This version leaves out Dickens' line about Scrooge's wanting to continue learning what the previous Ghost taught him, but we see the same basic effect. Scrooge was frightened and saddened by his glimpses at the past, but having been torn down from that experience, he's already being built back up here before this Spirit shows him a single thing. 

At the height of these shenanigans, the Spirit scoops up Scrooge and the Humbug and tosses them out the window where they fly over the city. Scrooge returns to his normal size and is concerned that he's going to fall, but the Spirit (who has followed them out the window) commands Scrooge to "touch the hem of my coat and be lifted."

The "hem" reference is interesting, because it's not from Dickens. It's from a couple of instances in the Gospel of Matthew that refer to people being healed by touching the hem of Jesus' garment. I noticed in the Marley scene that this version is more overtly Christian in its language than other versions, so I imagine that it's making an intentional connection between the Spirit of Christmas Present and the spirit of Christ's teaching. Properly manifested, both have the power to heal.

AfterLunch | A Marvelous Holiday Special

Back on Episode 15 of the old Fourth Chair Army Invasion show, we imagined a live-action TV version of a DC Super Hero Holiday Special comic. Now it's Marvel's turn as Rob and I welcome Michael DiGiovanni, Mike Westfall, and Ben Graham to assign each other super heroes and holiday elements to turn into segments on a Marvelous Holiday Special.

Download or listen to the episode here.

“Come In! And Know Me Better, Man!" | Alastair Sim (1971)

Richard Williams' cartoon has Scrooge awakened by the clock tolling One, but Scrooge's bedcurtains are already pulled aside and the light is already pouring through his door. He climbs out of bed and shields his face from the brightness as the unseen (by the audience, anyway) Spirit bellows, "Enter, Ebenezer Scrooge!"

Scrooge goes into the other room where the giant-sized ghost does sit on a throne of food. Garland decorates the walls and the only sound other than the Spirit's voice is the crackling fire in his cornucopia-shaped torch.

 

The Spirit's appearance is pretty much like Dickens describes. His robe and trim are the correct colors and the robe is open in the front to reveal the Ghost's broad, bare chest. His chest is oddly colored with a band of brown that I think is supposed to indicate hair. It's the same color brown as the Spirit's long hair and beard, it's just not like any patch of chest hair that I've ever seen.

He has the bare feet though and the swordless sheath, but the sheath isn't particularly rusted, nor are there icicles in the holly crown. The animation has always been very good in this version and there's a lot of detail in this scene around the food, but it skimps in other areas like these parts of the Spirit's costume.

This Scrooge has been humble and compliant since the end of Marley's visit and that continues in this scene. He doesn't talk about the previous night's lesson still working on him, but we've seen that it has and he tells this Ghost that he's willing to profit by whatever the Ghost has to teach him. All the other dialogue is cut out though, including the stuff about the Spirit's older brothers. That's a shame, but this is only a half-hour cartoon, so trims are necessary.

The Spirit of course invites Scrooge to touch his robe and I like the way that Scrooge's hand is engulfed in the fabric as he grabs hold.