"A Christmas Carol" - The London Film Company (1914) - Part 3

A few more thoughts on the 1914 silent film adaptation of "A Christmas Carol" from the London Film Company with Charles Rock as Scrooge.

I think it holds up quite well and shows that British cinema was doing just fine in 1914.
I think the special effects are very good and seem to be there to serve the story, rather than just trying to wow the audience.

It's mostly double-exposure, but I think it works really well, especially when each ghost appears in Scrooge's bedroom, then has Scrooge's spirt rise up from his sleeping body do they can go off on their adventure.

It's also not s set-bound as some films from the 1910s are. You see some things happening outside and have some different perspectives, as when the carolers are looking in the window and see Scrooge and Bob Cratchit.

I think the acting is pretty good as well. I don't know anything about any of the actors, except for the tidbits I can find online, and there aren't many of those!

Charles Rock as Scrooge is very expressive without being hammy. He's convincing at the beginning when he's mean and just as convincing at the end when he's nice. He has a good Scrooge look too!

George Bellamy as Bob Cratchit gives a broader performance, but it works.

I think the three ghosts all look like they should. You could quibble with the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come's face being visible, but I don't mind.

I don't know of anyone would have any idea who played those roles if we didn't have the extremely helpful inter-titles!

The actor who portrays Marley's Ghost is strangely uncredited, but the IMDB says it's Edward O'Neill and I'm not prepared to argue!

I will also say that Tiny Tim is actually tiny here, although he doesn't seem too sickly. He looks like a kid on a Victorian postcard, though, so good job there!

I guess you would need to be familiar with the source material to really follow the story, as there are not many inter-titles (which I think is good). But the story was ingrained into the public's consciousness by 1914 and who would watch this today that doesn't know it?

All in all, I like this one a lot and am very glad we're able to see such a clear and complete print.

Those can't be the original titles, though. Will those ever show up?