The 12 Days of Christmas- Day 9: 'Scrooged'

Charles Dickens was probably unaware that when he wrote A Christmas Carol he was writing the most prolific Christmas tale in history. A story that has spawned a thousand incarnations including, but not limited to, both a Muppet and Disney version of Ebenezer Scrooge’s tale of redemption. Needless to say it takes a lot to stand out in a pool that deep. We shouldn’t be surprised though, if anyone can stand out in a crowd its Bill F%#king Murray.

Scrooged takes on the classic A Christmas Carol format with the story of Frank Cross, an ultimate 80s business man/capitalist type who’s forsaken all of the good things in life like love, family and friends, for his career as the head of television network. Framing the story is the production of IBC’s (the network) live production of, you guessed it, A Christmas Carol. So right there you know a little about Frank, he’s making the entire production work all night Christmas Eve to put on a live show. The film starts with Frank firing an executive, Elliot Laudermilk (played perfectly by Bobcat Goldthwait), giving his brother the shaft both in the gift he’s sending and by not attending his yearly Christmas party, and screwing over his long suffering assistant Grace. Summary: Frank’s a dick. In comes the ghost of his mentor warning Frank of a visit from three ghosts and we’re on our way.

Bill Murray, it’s Bill Murray. There are a ton of reasons that this movie is a top 3 choice for me around Christmas but none of it works without Murray. We know he’s great at playing the jerk so that’s no surprise, but it’s what makes him likeable that really cements it. There’s a fine line between that funny sarcastic guy in your social group and the jerk-off that no one wants to hang out with, Murray has always expertly towed that line and it’s no more on display than it is during Scrooged. There’s also the little things that he always brings to his performances that are so endearing, things that I can’t really put a finger on. Things like a certain inflection he puts on words and the way his voice gets really high when he’s excited, it all wraps together to create the perfect Ebenezer Scrooge-esque character.

Murray alone does not a classic make, the ensemble really launches this flick into the atmosphere. I already mentioned Bobcat Goldthwait, who I’ve always had a soft spot for. Then there’s Karen Allen as Cross’s long lost love Claire, who’s impossibly cute doe-eyed look makes you believe she could melt the ice around Frank’s heart. Alfre Woodard’s Grace in the Bob Cratchit role. It’s her section of the story that really brings the Christmas spirit. The scene where Frank sees her family in their small apartment, a grandma, Grace, and four kids without a Christmas tree because they couldn’t afford it, this is where the change begins to happen. It’s really a life lesson for everyone around Christmas, here’s this family with little to nothing and still they are the happiest bunch in the whole film. I challenge anyone to not get misty eyed when Grace’s son (the tiny Tim of our story) says “God Bless us every one” in the closing minutes.

It’s got everything you need to get the story of A Christmas Carol with added laughs and an updated (well, not really anymore but more recent than Victorian England) atmosphere. 

Merry Christmas to All, and to All a Good Night!