'SCROOGE'.......THANK YOU VERY MUCH.......

Scrooge (1970)   Everybody has their favorite 'Christmas Carol', with most classic movie buffs partial to the great Alistair Sim version.......

             Call us crazy, but we've always had a soft spot for this little seen musical, a robust attempt to  re-do the story as...... well, our favorite way to describe it was "Oliver!"-Lite.

             The cozy street sets were actually resurrected from construction left over from 'Oliver' and the still young Albert Finney, properly Scrooged up by the makeup artists, gives the role his full commitment.......he only appears bored and uncomfortable in the flashback scenes when he plays close to his real age....

             Leslie Bricusse fell into that strange category of songwriters who could cobble catchy tunes without the ability to read or write music. His 'Scrooge' score doesn't stand among his more memorable earworms (like "Talk To The Animals" from 'Doctor Dolittle') but he came up with at least one rousing can't-get-it-out-of-your-head ditty, "Thank You Very Much".....

              What we found funny about this rollicking number: its placement in the film......the joyful upbeat tune, performed by a whole crowd of singers and dancers, is ironically revealed as a celebration of Scrooge's death, as presented to Scrooge by that ultra creepy Ghost Of Christmas Future.....

               Since Bricusse wrote the script as well, we applaud his nerve for positioning his big showstopping number as an "F*** You' to his title character. Well done, Les. We can picture millions of people around the world singing it when Trump finally shuffles off to his well deserved room in Hell........

               Lots of other bright ornaments hanging from this cinematic Christmas tree include Alec Guiness floating around as Marley's ghost and Kenneth More, decked out like Henry VIII as the Ghost of Christmas Present.....(unfortunately More's stuck with a Bricusse song that sounds recycled from "Sesame Street")

             We know you can choose from a vast menu of holiday movies these days.....but if you're in the mood for something overwhelmingly Christmas-y and heartwarming.....and offers singing and dancing too......we'd give this one a try on December the 25th......(which is, we kid you not, the title of one the film's songs you'll want to hum along to....)  3 & 1/2 stars (***1/2)