Mickey's Christmas Carol - Part Two

Continuing from where we left off, Scrooge is fast asleep when he is approached by the Ghost of Christmas Past, Jiminy Cricket, badge and all.  Perhaps he was promoted after doing a good job with Pinocchio.

In the original record set, Jiminy's role was actually played by Merlin the Wizard from The Sword and the Stone.  I believe in another version, it was played by the Blue Fairy.  I think they chose the better character in this case.  Below I've posted a picture of them with Human!Fezziwig.

Speaking of Fezziwig (played by Mr Toad), that's exactly where they're headed!  Jiminy takes a reluctant Scrooge sailing out the door and over London (while the orchestra plays an all-too short piece of fun flying music) down to Fezziwig's building.  Inside, all of Scrooge's "very dearest friends."  Take note that one of the guests is Grandma Duck in what I believe is her only animated appearance.

I love this scene.  The music playing is fantastic (if you listen closely, you can hear that it's actually an upbeat version of Scrooge's leitmotif) and there are so many fun cameos!  Personally, I think it would have been nice if Brer Rabbit and Pluto made an appearance as well, but what are you gonna do, right?

It's a bit odd seeing Scrooge being romantically intertwined with Daisy (playing Isabelle), but Donald was Fred, so...

However, Scrooge's love for Isabelle is short-lived, as he grows to love his money more than her.  While most versions of the story have Isabelle dumping Scrooge, here he is actually the one to spurn her when he forecloses on their honeymoon cottage.  The douche doesn't even notice when she leaves until she slams the door, causing his gold to fall!

Of course, Scrooge regrets this now, but it's too late.  In a flash, he is back in his own bed.

I like how they handled this version of Christmas Past.  While it is rather rushed, I always found the past sequence to be kinda boring.  I understand that it is crucial in explaining Scrooge's character, but some versions I've seen are slow as molasses (I'm looking at you, 1970's Scrooge...TWO ballads in a row? Really?!).  Here, although it might be a little too fast, things really keep moving along.

Scrooge is stunned to find Christmas Present/Willie the Giant (wonderfully voiced by Will Ryan) towering over him.  He is soon calmed, though, by the food of generosity, which has flooded his bedroom.  Watch for a disturbing moment where Scrooge eagerly rips the leg off of a turkey.  You're practically related to him!

Willie clomps down the street and shows Scrooge the incredibly humble-but-cozy home of the Cratchits.  It is here that we meet Minnie/Mrs Cratchit who doesn't get a single line.  Russi Taylor (wife of the late Wayne Allwine, who first voiced Mickey Mouse in this short) didn't do Minnie until 1987.  Minnie does, however, have lines in the original record version.

We also meet Tiny Tim, who I read somewhere was played by Mickey's nephew, Morty.  I guess Ferdie played the other kid.  No idea on who the girl is.  Minnie had nieces in the comics, so maybe she's one of them.

Here's where the pacing has some issues.  Although Tim is adorable, we barely get a chance to get to know him before the scene switches.  Luckily, Mickey's grieving is so powerful (more on that in a bit) that we are still moved when we see what the future may hold.

In a nice scene transition, just as Scrooge realizes that Tim may not be alright, the lights in the Cratchit's house go out and he is engulfed in a fog that turns out to be cigar smoke.

Yep, it's Peg-Leg Pete as Christmas Future.  This is a big step up from the original record when the role was played by the Snow White Witch.

In what is possibly the best scene in whole film, Pete shows Scrooge the grave of Tiny Tim, where Mickey stands, tears in his eyes.  No words need to be said.  A beautiful flute piece plays on the soundtrack.  Best Tim death scene EVER, and a great example of "less is more."

We then get a cameo from a pair of weasels as the gravediggers as Scrooge sees his own grave in a chilling scene:

"Spirit, who's lonely grave is this?"

"Why, yours, Ebeneezer...THE RICHEST MAN IN THE CEMETERY!"  Like Goofy, I believe this is Pete's finest hour, despite him only having one line.

Scrooge is then shoved into the grave, falling into a coffin filled with fire and smoke in a scene lifted from 1970's Scrooge.  I don't recall being afraid of this scene, but I wouldn't be surprised if it frightened any kids.

Scrooge, of course, is very much alive and vows to change for the better.  The short then goes through the motions as he rights his various wrongs, ending with a tender scene at the Cratchits' house.

In the book, Scrooge surprises Cratchit at work the next day, but I prefer this, actually.  I think that rushed as Mickey's Christmas Carol is, the pacing really works in this case.

All in all, it's a wonderful little special, and although it's not the best Christmas Carol, it's easily my favorite.

The Muppets come pretty darn close, though...

Thanks to Digitalius for the screencaps!

Mickey's Christmas Carol - Part One

For my first review, I would like to recap a little piece of film that is very near and dear to my heart: Mickey's Christmas Carol.

A Christmas Carol has always been one of my favorite stories for almost as long as I can remember, and Mickey is the reason for it. The story has so many wonderful themes, scenes, and characters.  Frankly, I just adore it.

My first exposure to the story was in 1993 when my parents taped an airing of Mickey's Christmas Carol. I was only three at the time, but I absolutely fell in love with the short.  Once the doorknocker had turned into Goofy/Marley's face, I was hooked.  While this might not be the best version of the story, it's still my personal favorite.

The short begins with some of the best opening titles I've ever seen---written on crumpled old paper that looks like classical sheet music, accompanied by my favorite Christmas song, "Oh, What a Merry Christmas Day" that does a wonderful job of setting the mood for the show.

After the lovely opening, we pan down into the smokey streets of London where we get the first of many Disney cameos--the Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf caroling together.  Even they've formed a holiday truce!  Otto the dog from Robin Hood, meanwhile, stands with a few companions, warming his hands (paws?) on a meager fire.  It is then that we are introduced to Ebeneezer Scrooge, playing fittingly enough by Scrooge McDuck.

Scrooge refuses Otto even a penny and continues on to work where he gives us the usual "Marley was dead to begin with" exposition.  Apparently, Marley left Scrooge enough money for his tombstone...and Scrooge had him buried at sea!

Scrooge dusts the snow off of the office's sign and enters, introducing us to our leading mouse--Mickey!  Yes, the classic "ears look the same no matter which way his head turns" Mickey.  Despite this being "his" Christmas Carol, the real star is Scrooge himself.  Poor Mickey really doesn't get that much screentime, when you think about it.

Mickey/Cratchit is caught with his hand in the coal bin, trying to thaw out his ink.  We get some nice interaction between Scrooge and Cratchit in this scene.  We learn that although Scrooge pays his sole employee almost nothing, he appears to treat Cratchit with the slightest bit of decency, when it comes to his attitude.  We also get a closer look at Scrooge's personality.  As the excellent blog "Old Sinner" puts it, Scrooge really enjoys being stingy.

In bursts Donald/Fred (Clarence Nash in his final performance) in a much more cheerful mood than the lovable Duck is usually in, accompanied by a tender instrumental version of "Oh What a Merry Christmas Day."  Despite Donald being absolutely adorable ("boy, oh boy!"), Scrooge, is quick to kick him out and then does the same to a pair of collectors for the poor (Mole and Ratty from The Wind in the Willows).  Interestingly enough, in the original version of Mickey's Christmas Carol (the short subject was originally a record), the collectors were played by Foulfellow and Gideon.  If you ask me, that's even more out of character than Goofy was!

We then enter my favorite portion of the film:  The Marley scene.  It left a huge impression on me as a child, and it still does.  There was just something about the pacing and atmosphere it created that was hauntingly beautiful about it.  Mickey/Cratchit leaves for the night, leaving Scrooge all alone in his work.  The sense of isolation builds as Scrooge finally leaves about two hours later.  The streets are deserted.  All of the lights in the houses are out.  The only illumination comes from a few streetlamps.  Everyone has gone to bed, leaving only Scrooge out in the cold.  Alone.

The snow swirls around Scrooge and we are suddenly at his house.  The soundtrack plays a low version of his leitmotif.  Scrooge begins to unlock his door when suddenly his unique lionhead doorknocker seamlessly morphs into the face of Goofy/Marley!  Scrooge gives it a honk on the nose, pissing the guy off (understandably).

Scrooge dashes inside and after a bit of shtick on the staircase with Marley's shadow, Scrooge is in his bedroom, cowering in a chair, as Marley makes his big entrance...tripping on a cane.

Yep, it's the same lovable old Goofy in one of his finest performances.  It's a very odd casting choice, seeing as one could never imagine Goofy as a nasty, old swindler.  However, since we're seeing Goofy after he's dead and remorseful for his previous actions, it somehow works.  He gives the classic Marley warning and leaves in a classic Goofy fashion--falling down the stairs, hollering all the way.

In a short scene I really like, Scrooge checks his room for ghosts while a short, lullaby-like theme plays.  Finding nothing, he settles into bed.  However, his night is only beginning...