Around this time of year, there are several figures of legend that tend to be given a great deal of attention, but one among them is far more human than others and tends to pave the way for a large group of people that have been likened to him for one reason or another. Ebenezer Scrooge, one of the most well-liked cautionary tales in the world, is the kind of character that can be played by just about anyone so long as they have a sarcastic streak in them and can summon to mind the image of a tight, penny-pinching miser that would rather see people freeze to death than waste money on anything that might be seen as too expensive. Scrooge is a character that’s been played by many people over the years, and everyone has put their own spin on the role in one way or another, even if the name has changed a couple of times in the history of the tale that gave life to him. That being said though, a lot of people have created a classic take on the character in a way that’s been impressive and even comical at times.
Here are a few of the people that played the part of Scrooge the best.
5. Jim Carrey – A Christmas Carol
It was kind of surprising to learn that a number of people didn’t care for Jim’s take on this classic character, but then he’s never been everyone’s cup of tea, and the whole idea of CGI has become another reason for people to nitpick everything to death. But from his expressions and acting, it’s easy to think that this was one of the best representations simply because Carrey is great at creating characters, even if people don’t like him all that much at times. He’s at the bottom of the list largely because the movie was expected to be something that it wasn’t, but it was still impressive enough to be mentioned.
4. Michael Caine – The Muppet Christmas Carol
It’s Michael Caine, that’s really all you have to say about this since he’s such a great actor. Any role he’s in is usually well-received, even if the movie isn’t all that great. A Christmas Carol has been told in so many different ways that one has to wonder just how it remains such a Christmas classic and why people continue to watch it in so many different versions each year. But the answer is pretty simple, even if it’s different for each person. Scrooge is one of the immortal characters of cinematic and literary legend for a reason since he’s the epitome of what each person can be and doesn’t want to become.
3. Tom Hanks – The Polar Express
Tom Hanks took a lot on his shoulders with this movie since he managed to play a few different parts and kept them all together in a way that was fun to watch and has been a joy for a lot of kids over the years. Admittedly, the part of Scrooge was reduced to a puppet that was being manipulated by the stranger on the train, but it carried a very insistent message since the kid that was the main character of the story was a bit of a Scrooge. His inability to believe in the beginning and most of the way through the movie was a big part of the main point since belief isn’t always about seeing, it’s simply about believing.
2. Patrick Stewart – A Christmas Carol
Kind of like Michael Caine, just about any part that Patrick Stewart takes on becomes more dignified simply because he’s there. He’s been silly and kind of out there sometimes, but it’s usually been done in such a way that it fits perfectly into the story since he knows how to have fun with something when possible. Stewart is the kind of guy that’s there to make certain that the job gets done and that it’s completed in a way that is bound to turn whatever project he’s on into a masterpiece, or at least something fun and engaging that people can enjoy. That’s why seeing him Scrooge was kind of perfect since he can be cruel, but he can also be joyous.
1. Bill Murray – Scrooged
So yes, this isn’t a character named Ebenezer Scrooge, but Frank Cross still carries the spirit of the character so well that trying to argue against this movie’s place on the list is kind of pointless. Bill Murray turns in a great performance as a man that once had a brush with the spirit of Christmas, but let it drift away years before as the cynicism took over. Once he’s visited by three ghosts though he comes to find that joy that he’d been missing in life and realizes there’s more to life than being miserable and rich.
A Christmas Carol is one of those stories that can be done in a number of different ways so long as it keeps the main point alive.
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