The 1943 edition of Lionel Barrymore's annual portrayal of Scrooge from his regular radio series "The Mayor of the Town" is another adaptation that gets twenty-odd minutes to work with.
I'm always interested in how the creators decide to represent the story. What do they include, what do they leave out and do they include anything new?
The show starts with some narration that's pretty faithful to the book. Frank Martin, the narrator, says that it was 100 years ago, which further indicates this show was from 1843.
As with most adaptations, we get the same goings-on in Scrooge's office, as he yells at Bob Cratchit for using coal, argues with his nephew and blows off the charity collectors. Scrooge is pretty pleased with himself through all of this.
In the back-and-forth with Bob Cratchit, Bob namedrops Tiny Tim, Belinda and Martha.
Scrooge goes home and sees Marley's face in his knocker, then Marley's Ghost appears inside Scrooge's room. Marley's Ghost warns him that three ghosts will visit him, but he doesn't say when.
The Ghost of Christmas Past actually appears right away to show Scrooge a couple of scenes from his past.
They see young Ebenezer at school, where the spirit says he was chided for his tears by the schoolmaster. Then we actually hear the schoolmaster doing the chiding! He says that Christmas isn't at all important, a sentiment rejected by old Scrooge.
I think that's a fun little nugget!
Next, Scrooge and the spirit visit the Christmas party with Fezziwig. Dick Wilkins even gets a line or two!
Then we get an intriguing take of the Belle situation (although she's unnamed here). We hear a couple chatting as they wrap gifts, Scrooge acknowledges that he knows the woman, then the spirit recaps the breakup. The husband then mentions how he saw Scrooge in his office, as per usual.
After this the ghost tells Scrooge that he'll meet the Spirit of Christmas Present, who promptly appears.
They fly over Camden Town, which Scrooge does not recognize, but he does know that Bob Cratchit lives there.
Inside the Cratchit house, Mrs. Cratchit is getting ready for Christmas dinner. She has Belinda and Martha do some prep work, then also has "Joseph and Thomas" help out. Where's Peter, though? And the other Cratchit daughter?
Anyway, Bob comes in carrying Tiny Tim, who's shouting "Giddyap, Dobbins," which is pretty fun.
Scrooge actually seems upset that Bob never told him that Tiny Tim was sick.
They have dinner, toast Scrooge, then Bob prompts Tiny Tim to say his famous line and the family laughs.
The ghost warns that Tiny Tim will die before he hands Scrooge off to the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, who awaits him.
Scrooge meets this spirit and says how he's a dark phantom with a hidden face with more expository dialogue saying how they're in a neglected graveyard. Scrooge asks the spirit why he's pointing to a grave and whose name is on it. Then, startlingly, the spirit says, "You are that man, Ebenezer Scrooge!" I wonder why they had him talk. It makes you jump, though!
Scrooge pleads for a second chance, then finds himself back in his bedroom on Christmas morning.
He calls out the window to the requisite loitering boy and has him buy the turkey to send to Bob Cratchit.
The narrator comes back to tell us how Scrooge enjoyed being out and about on Christmas morning and that he went to nephew's house and his nephew's wife kissed him! I don't think we ever hear the nephew referred to as "Fred" in this show.
Scrooge meets Bob at the office next morning and does a very good job of pretending to be mad before raising Bob's salary.
The narrator provides a faithful wrap-up before Scrooge breaks the fourth wall to quote Tiny Tim.
And we're at the end of an entertaining version of the story with Lionel Barrymore in top form!
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