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In Charles Dickens's 1843 novella A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge saw no profit in Christmas. How quaint this notion has become. In the 21st Century, Scrooge would have a field day, taking advantage of the innumerable ways to make a quick buck off the festive season and sap sentimental suckers for every penny they have. If Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol a hundred and fifty years later, it might have resembled 1988's Scrooged, a greed-isn't-good modernisation of the classic story. Even though it's a late 1980s production that shows its age in terms of fashion and technology, the morals of this particular retelling are nonetheless relevant in the 21st Century. Adaptations of A Christmas Carol do not get more quirky, darkly humorous or memorable than Scrooged, which is perhaps a textbook example of how to update ancient source material effectively and successfully. It's a great Christmas film, a fantastic high-concept dark comedy, and an enjoyably nostalgic '80s movie.
A witty satire of television in the vein of Network, Scrooged introduces the selfish and cynical Frank Cross (Bill Murray), the youngest network president in the history of television. Frank is a total jerk, a contemporary Ebenezer Scrooge whose soullessness is apparent to all his employees, who are terrified of his capricious temper. Christmas is approaching, and Frank's holiday programming includes action movies like The Night the Reindeer Died, with Lee Majors defending Santa's village at the North Pole. (The best fake movie-within-a-movie concept in history.) But the pièce de résistance is a multi-million dollar adaptation of A Christmas Carol that will air live on Christmas Eve across the country. Frank is due to receive his comeuppance the Dickens way, however. Frank's long-dead former boss, Lew (John Forsythe), appears to him as a walking corpse to warn that three ghosts will visit him on Christmas Eve - the Ghost of Christmas Past (David Johansen), the Ghost of Christmas Present (Carol Kane), and the Ghost of Christmas Future. Suffice it to say, what ensues is a weird and wacky trip through Frank's life, including his bad choices that led him to lose the love of his life, Claire (Karen Allen).
A modernisation of the oft-adapted A Christmas Carol was inevitable, and screenwriters Mitch Glazer and Michael O'Donoghue (both of whom are Saturday Night Live scribes) get it right with the darkly humorous and fresh-feeling Scrooged. In this adaptation, the characters openly acknowledge the existence of the original story with the forthcoming live broadcast, which is a refreshing angle. With the story taking place in the 1980s, the script satirises corporate greed in the context of a major TV network, which looks noticeably different to Scrooge's more humble 19th-century business with its one other employee. It's a new direction for the well-worn source material, retaining the signature plot points of Dickens's dark ghost story and the core message of "Do unto others as you would expect them to do unto you" while forging a unique path. The most noticeable difference compared to the original story is that, since Frank is not an older man here, his love interest plays a role in the present-day parts of the story, allowing the opportunity for reconciliation. The romantic aspects of the story are endearing and heartfelt, providing a tender underbelly that is not overwhelmed by the dark humour. Granted, Scrooged does not reach its full comedic potential due to the PG-13 rating that neuters the language, but the laughs, charm and heart compensate for this.
Scrooged was helmed by action-comedy/blockbuster specialist Richard Donner (Superman: The Movie, Lethal Weapon), of all unlikely people. Even more fascinating is that this film sits on his filmography between Lethal Weapon and Lethal Weapon 2. Yet, the most improbable thing is that Scrooged works as a modern comedic revision of Dickens's story and as a Richard Donner movie. Impressive special effects sequences are scattered throughout the film that feel organic to this adaptation, and Donner maintains a brisk pace from beginning to end. Plus, the special effects stand up to contemporary scrutiny, as Donner executes the material with practical, old-school techniques. Thanks to Donner's deft directorial touch, Scrooged is a tremendously entertaining high-concept '80s comedy similar to Beetlejuice, Ghostbusters, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, and Big. In fact, the production design and shadowy cinematography look reminiscent of Tim Burton's movies, giving Scrooged the appearance of a supernatural fantasy, and Burton regular Danny Elfman provides the lively, atmospheric original score. The mawkish finale (that even features a cheery musical number) earned scorn and criticism from reviewers, but the sequence feels earned and genuine rather than forced and trite. I also disagree with the assessment that Scrooged is uneven - for my money, Donner ably navigates the tonal changes, and the film comes together effectively. Unfortunately, upon its release in 1988, the movie did not make enough money to break even by Hollywood accounting standards, and the critics were dismissive. In the years to follow, though, Scrooged amassed a loyal cult following, with devoted fans who watch it every Christmas.
The reliable, comedically talented Murray has a blast playing Frank Cross, with his trademark dry sarcasm a perfect fit for this material. Murray exudes a combination of smarm, demented charisma and impudence, making him an ideal 20th-century Scrooge, and he steals the show with his measured but maniacal performance. Everything he says sounds natural, and he fires off witty one-liners to terrific effect. Furthermore, Murray pulls off the various facets of the character with confidence; he's believable as a ruthless executive with a bad temper, a frightened and anxious man unprepared for supernatural confrontations, and a redeemed man who recognises the error of his ways. The rest of the cast is equally strong, including Karen Allen as Frank's former love, Robert Mitchum as an aging executive, Carol Kane and David Johansen as ghosts, and many others. Underrated character actor John Glover (In the Mouth of Madness) even appears as a consultant who often butts heads with Frank. The hilarious Bobcat Goldthwait (now an esteemed filmmaker) is a particular highlight as an employee who gradually loses his sanity after getting laid off and becomes determined to exact revenge on Frank with a shotgun. Scrooged is also littered with cameos, with legendary musicians Miles Davis and Paul Shaffer playing buskers on a street corner. Bill even secured roles for his actor brothers - Brian Doyle-Murray plays Frank's father, John Murray appears as Frank's brother and Joel Murray plays a party guest.
With Scrooged, Richard Donner creates his second enduring Christmas classic, following Lethal Weapon, released merely one year earlier. When it comes to Christmastime entertainment, everybody has their favourite films. There are the traditionalists who prefer It's a Wonderful Life and Miracle on 34th Street (the original), while others prefer modern-day classics like A Christmas Story, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, and Scrooged. Although not the best Christmas movie, Scrooged remains a perfectly entertaining Yuletide comedy - a fine relic of a bygone age when comedies could enjoy top-notch production values and conceptual richness, traits that are now reserved mainly for summer blockbusters. Additionally, it's a comedy that's unafraid to offend modern sensibilities. Scrooged is highly entertaining and full of effective humour, while the moral message at the centre of the story continues to grow more relevant with each passing year.
8.2/10
