“Scrooge, or, Marley’s Ghost” (1901)
Retro Review #2: A film that’s 123 years old. Is this the best they could do? Who knows?
“Scrooge, or, Marley’s Ghost” (1901) — A film that’s 123 years old. Is this the best they could do? Who knows?
+ Silent short film, bw, 1901-11-15m, 6m
Project #1: 2024 Christmas Tour
Project #4: 2025 Christmas Tour
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B ^
Family Suitability
+ ✅4️⃣ OK for younger kids. (Grades K+) | NR
Alignment with Judeo-Christian Values
+ ❎1️⃣ Fair/Slightly Favorable
+ Based on literature (novella) A Christmas Carol. (1843)❗🔜⭐ by Charles Dickens⭐
+ ?/? works in Christmas Carol multiverse⭐
“Scrooge, or, Marley’s Ghost” (1901)
Grade: B ^ (1.0) / HOF: 0
EQ 👍B | 📖C 👥B- 📽️B+ 🎼C
DW 😎8.1 | 🌚9 🌝8
POPCAP 💯n/a 🍿n/a 🧢n/a
L-R ☮️n/a ◀️n/a ▶️n/a 🛐n/a
Yes, this short film would rate an F by modern standards. But we’re talking state-of-the-art 1901 filmmaking here! Sure the pantomime is cheesy, but the special effects aren't bad considering. Considering, that is, that a 1901 movie actually HAS special effects!
Yes, it’s hard to re-tell a classic detailed story under the 1901 movie industry constraints, which apparently included a 6-minute time limit. But considering that, this might well have been the best they could possibly do. On the other hand, if that’s the best you can do, maybe you should give a wee bit of thought to telling a different story?
Someday I’ll visit a few other shorts made around the same time, and maybe a new grade will be warranted by comparison. But that’s for later.
Also, this short was originally six minutes and twenty seconds, but the last twenty seconds are lost to the decades, so we don’t get to see Scrooge’s redemption. Well, you know the story, so not much is lost.
Considering it’s only six minutes, this was still worth our look just to see what a 123-year old movie looks like!
Onwards!
We’d love to know what you think, but please do not include spoilers in the comments.
We go deeper in our community chat for this work, so don’t hold back, because spoilers are permitted there.
Watch on YouTube:
Note: This work is in the public domain.
+ last viewed (3) 2025-04-03, sd7, 1.33, 0
+ viewed 2024-12-02, sd7, 1.33, 0
+ ⏳👻🎈⛄🎄🎅💀🦄🧙😥
Family Suitability Detail
+ ✅4️⃣ OK for younger kids. (Grades K+) | NR
+ 😡+4 😵💫+4 🤬+4 🤭+4 🫣+4
Judeo-Christian Values Detail
+ ❎1️⃣ Fair/Slightly Favorable
+ ✝️ +1 ➕✝️😇
+ ✡️ +1 ➕✡️✡️
+ 🗽 +0
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