Trivia / Scrooge (1970)

• Acting for Two: In the stage adaptation, the actors who play Harry (Fred in the book) and his wife Helen also play young adult Scrooge and Isabel.
• Breakaway Pop Hit: "Thank You very Much" became a big hit on the airwaves.
• Creator Backlash: Alec Guinness did not enjoy doing this movie. It required much more time than he expected, with the need of wires and a harness for his floating character. He suffered a double-hernia that required surgery to repair.
• Cut Song: Marley's big musical number was cut from the film, although the lead-in remains intact. It was called "Make the Most of This World" and was restored when the film was adapted into a stage musical with Jon Pertwee as Marley and Anthony Newley as Scrooge.
• Dawson Casting: Scrooge's nephew Harry was played by 46-year-old Michael Medwin.
• Edited for Syndication: Scrooge's descent into Hell was cut from some TV versions.
• Recycled Set: The film was shot at Shepperton Studios, where Oliver! had been made 2 years earlier and reused many of the sets from that film which were still held in storage. Both films were photographed by acclaimed cinematographer Oswald Morris.
• Scully Box: In the book, the Ghost of Christmas Present is described as a giant. Kenneth More, who was only 5'7", wore 12 inch high stilts to make him appear much taller than Scrooge.
• Uncredited Role: Kenneth Waller as a party guest.
• Underage Casting: Albert Finney was only 34 when he played Scrooge, the upshot being that he was able to play the young adult version of the character as well, a rarity among major film adaptations.
• What Could Have Been: Richard Harris had to bow out of the role of Scrooge, after he was forced to take over the direction of The Hero in Israel. Rex Harrison agreed to play the part, but had to back out due to a commitment to a difficult play.

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