Musicals On TV - A Christmas Carol (1954)

CBS, 1954
Starring Fredric March, Ray Middleton, Basil Rathbone, and Sally Fraiser
Directed by Ralph Levy
Music by Bernard Herrmann; Lyrics by Maxwell Anderson

This was the very first musical Christmas Carol made for television. Originally part of an anthology series called Shower of Stars, it proved to be such a hit, it was repeated at Christmas for the next two years and had a popular soundtrack album. How does this piece of holiday TV history stack up to other versions of this beloved tale? Let's join Scrooge (March) in his counting house to find out...

The Story: Ebeneezer Scrooge is the miserly owner of a loan company who hates Christmas and everything it stands for. He refuses to go to Christmas dinner with his nephew Fred (Middleton) or let his clerk Bob Cratchit (Bob Sweeney) have even a little bit of coal for stove. That night, the ghost of his former partner Marley (Rathbone) appears, insisting that two more ghosts will come to change his ways. The Ghost of Christmas Past (Fraiser) and Present (Middleton) takes him into his youth and to current London to visit Bob and his family, including his sickly son Tim (Christopher Cook). It's not until he realizes that the sweet boy may not live to see another holiday that he considers changing his views on charity and the holidays.

The Song and Dance: The most interesting thing about this one is the sheer history on display. The copy I have comes complete with the original commercials for Chrysler cars and the intros by William Lundigan and Mary Costa. Considering how many programs from the early years of television are gone for good, just having this in any shape is probably a treat, especially if you remember the original broadcasts or have any interest in the history of the mid-20th century. March isn't bad as Scrooge; Sweeney and Queenie Leonard are even better as the Cratchit parents.

This is also the only version of this story I've seen go the unique route of having Nephew Fred do a double turn as the Ghost of Christmas Present - and Scrooge does comment that the ghost resembles him.

Favorite Number: The chorus song "The Spirit of Christmas" is performed several times, including in the opening sequence and before the commercials. Belle (Fraiser, dubbed by Marilyn Horne) and Young Scrooge (Craig Hill) get a decent duet at Fezziwig's ball, "What am I Giving My Love For Christmas?"

Trivia: That's a young Bonnie Franklin as Martha Cratchit in the present segment.

This was originally broadcast in color, but the kinetoscopes currently available are only in black and white. It proved to be so popular, it would be rebroadcast in 1955 and 1956.

Basil Rathbone would play Scrooge in another TV musical two years later, The Stingiest Man In Town.

What I Don't Like: The story has been compressed to fit in an hour slot. The segment with the Ghost of Christmas Future has been eliminated all together - a bird leads Scrooge not to his own gravestone, but Tiny Tim's. The past is just Fezziwig's party, and Belle rejects him almost directly after their duet - frankly contradicting most of the song. Ironically, considering Fred's importance to the opening segment, his party is missing from the Present sequence. Despite that hit soundtrack, the music is really very boring (and March sings none of it).

The Big Finale: Only of interest to fans of March, A Christmas Carol, or early broadcast history. There are frankly much better versions of this story - including musical versions - out there.

Home Media: As a public domain film, it's easy found on DVD (the 1955 broadcast is also available).

DVD