By Geno McGahee
There is no better holiday story than A CHRISTMAS CAROL and I’ll watch every version I can. I don’t get sick of it and I like to see other takes on it. I used to dislike musicals, but I’ve come to appreciate them in my old age. I stumbled upon the 2004 musical version of this story starring Kelsey Grammer of FRAZIER fame. I wasn’t sure about him for this role, but it turned out to be a great role for him.
Immediately, this film is amazing to look at. They did a great job on the set design and costumes. The issue I had initially was seeing Grammer as Ebenezer Scrooge. I saw him and thought “that’s Frazier. Bah humbug!” Thankfully, this film doesn’t take long to kick into gear and prove itself as one of the best adaptations that I’ve seen.
As most are familiar with the story, Scrooge hates the poor and loves his money. He notes that the poor will be OK because there are prisons or they could just die. Yeah, he’s sort of a dick, but I kind of understand. I get irritated from unemployed people with their hand out, especially if they are holding signs and knocking on my car window. Bah humbug!
Scrooge gets a visit from his old business partner, Jacob Marley (Jason Alexander), and he is carrying chains and is there to warn Scrooge of his wicked ways. It was a little distracting that Alexander was playing the role, but that went away as the scene played out. I thought Kelsey Grammer looked like Ozzy Osbourne a little with his long hair in this. So, yeah, I had a bunch of thoughts as this scene kicked in, but the movie got so good that it quickly evaporated.
Marley has a bunch of ghost friends, including a dancing skeleton, that kick the scene into another gear and it sets the tone for this film. This movie adds so much more to this story than most of the other ones that I have scene. There’s some very creative cinematography in the Marley scene that is impactful and, once again, the costumes are great.
The three ghosts are arriving, starting with the Ghost of Christmas Past, played by Jane Krakowski, and she is very good in the role. I couldn’t place where I knew her from and then it hit me. She was in LAW & ORDER SVU, as most actors have been, but she was also in NATIONAL LAMPOONS VACTION. Here, she is definitely the most attractive ghost that I’ve seen in any of these Christmas Carol movies. I don’t know why Scrooge was panicking. You’d think he’d be like “send me more of these ghosts!”
Scrooge goes back and we see his origins and his dad’s advice about holding onto his money and that sends him on the wrong path. The Ghost of Christmas Past takes him to his childhood trauma and the good times he had as a young man, working for Mr. Fezziwig (Brian Bedford). He also is ready to marry Emily (Jennifer Love Hewitt). Scrooge is going to have a great life. He’s going to have a hot wife and Fezziwig seems like a badass cool boss to have. I have nothing but asshole bosses and this guy gets Jennifer Love Hewitt and a boss that dances, sings and drinks? Bah Fucking Humbug!
The Ghost of Christmas Present is played by another LAW & ORDER star, Jesse L. Martin, and he played this role the best I’ve ever seen. He is very charismatic and goes all in, being funny and playful, but then he turns on the drama and it was at this point where I realized that I’m now looking at Scrooge and no longer looking at Ozzy Osbourne or Frazier. Grammer was Scrooge and he was really amazing in this. This cast is about as good as it gets.
Finally, we get The Ghost of Christmas Future (Geraldine Chaplin) and it was different from the typical Grim Reaper that I was accustomed to, but just as impactful. Grammer really brings it and shows how versatile as he is as an actor and singer. As much as I used to say I don’t watch musicals, and I don’t gravitate to them, this one is really good. There is no “it” song like Let it Go in FROZEN, but each song pushes the story forward and is performed with heart.
Scrooge gets another chance to realize the magic of Christmas and the love of mankind and it’s really done well. This film is one of the best, if not the best, version of A CHRISTMAS CAROL. It started a little slow but when it kicked in, it was just great stuff and flew by and unlike most adaptations of this film, the Tiny Tim actor, played by Jacob Collier, wasn’t annoying. He was actually likable.
I highly recommend A CHRISTMAS CAROL: THE MUSICAL. It is a quality take on the story that will be appreciated. Even if you hate musicals, you will probably like it. If you don’t, go humbug yourself.
