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I don’t
usually review animated works originally released to theaters. However, considering that this is a milestone
year for the most iconic of all Disney characters, Mickey Mouse, I figured that
before it’s over, I should cover at least one work of his. Since it’s nearly Christmas, I have the
perfect contender for that which, interestingly enough, is pretty historically
significant. You see, Mickey’s image has
always been a cute and appealing mark of identity for the Walt Disney Company
ever since his debut 90 years ago in Steamboat
Willie. As a character, while he’s
very likable, his friendly and positive attitude doesn’t exactly leave much
room for interesting traits or comedy.
It’s for this reason that audiences, and much of the Disney crew for
that matter, showed more interest in characters like Donald Duck, Goofy, and
even Mickey’s own dog Pluto. In fact,
Mickey’s number of cartoons in the 1940s and 50s dropped significantly from
those of the 20s and 30s, ending in 1953 with The Simple Things. Mickey
still appeared on TV and in theme parks, but it wasn’t nearly the same prestige
as before with him being treated as an icon or host instead of a true cartoon
actor. Then in the 1980s, a team of
fresh young animators new to Disney decided to give Mickey a cartoon comeback
with a Yuletide flare. That’s the subject of this MC Toon Reviews Shorty.
Released in
1983 with a rerelease of The Rescuers,
this is:
Mickey’s Christmas Carol
(December
16, 1983)
Yes, I’m
looking at another adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. However,
that’s to be expected in a way since there are so many of them, and they each
have their own way of telling the story known the literature world over. Of all the adaptations I’ve seen, this one is
my favorite, and while there are many out there I have yet to see, I have a
feeling this will always be my favorite animated version.
The thing
about Disney adapting stories is how they use the existing material as a basis
for any visionary idea. Throughout history, the crews
have always had who may be the most passionate people of the arts ever.
Their talents tend to bring impressive and imaginative decisions in story and characters. Along with stunning visuals and memorable
music, these versions of favorite stories forever stand as creations all their
own sticking with the world for life. All
of these strengths apply to this featurette, combining the appealing story of
Dickens with Disney’s incomparable talent of bringing stories to life. In fact, these talents really stand out when
you realize they’re being used for a featurette and not a full-length feature
film. In a movie, it’s easy to expect
everything coming together nicely and leave a significant impact with a long
runtime for the audience to take everything in.
With a short film, it’s hard to make things truly impactful without
making parts of it feel too long or too short which is a common after effect of
little time to the story.
That’s
where the impressive appeal comes in with this featurette facing the challenge
of its short runtime, yet it makes everything work.
Each key event of the story plays for about the same amount of time
accomplishing everything that absolutely needs to be done. Character traits like Scrooge’s greed and the
quirks of each ghost are firmly established.
There’s a clear sense of focus on Scrooge’s journey through only
thinking about money to being open to generosity. However, it does skip events like Scrooge’s
schoolboy days, a look at nephew Fred’s Christmas dinner, and the lower class
stealing Scrooge’s goods after his possible death. However, leaving certain story beats out is
nothing new for Disney’s adaptations which usually exclude a few things
to allow more focus on the characters and main idea. In other words, these exclusions are fully
inconsequential to this retelling.
Most of
all, even at such a short length, this featurette brings a big emotional scope
to the story. That to me is the biggest
reason why many of Disney’s animated films resonate so well. Rather than being completely cute and happy
or solely depressing, there’s a variety of experiences to get from a Disney
version of a story. This is also true
here, working to its fullest potential. There’s plenty of positive
feels for sure with a few fun and humorous interactions mostly involving
Scrooge being greedy around his co-worker, family, and the commoners. It can also be found in a few fun scenes like
Scrooge’s past of a lively Christmas party at his old job, or wholesome family
scenes like Scrooge watching the Cratchet family.
However, it’s the heavier moments of remorse
and fright of the special that make these good moments meaningful. The thing is these emotions build upon each
other, starting small when they first appear, but really show later on in the
film. The little things at the start
include Scrooge’s encounter with the ghost of Jacob Marley and reliving the
heartbreak of falling out with his old lover upon getting consumed by
greed. However, they mean nothing
compared to what lies within Scrooge’s possible future. The somberness hits its high point just after
hearing about the chair of Tiny Tim being empty if the present remains
unchanged.
This is immediately followed
by the meaning of this statement with the Cratchet family mourning his
loss. The very image of Mickey Mouse
shedding a tear of sorrow as he lays the crutch of Tiny Tim on his grave is a
moving way of showing emotion through the art of animation.
If that’s not enough, this is followed by the
biggest fright factor of the featurette of Scrooge getting thrown into his own
grave highlighted by the fiery underworld.
It doesn’t last long, but it really goes all out with the design of the
flames bursting from a casket down below and a frantic orchestral score. It’s all that’s needed to make the scene of
Scrooge proving his change the following morning, Christmas morning a grand
finale. Maybe it’s just the magic of
Disney storytelling, but it says a lot that such a short version of A Christmas Carol is this emotionally
satisfying and grand in scope.
Now working
in effective emotion and drama in a short simplified telling of A Christmas Carol is really impressive
on its own. However, only this version
of the story can tell it with this distinct cast of characters. When it comes to casting this story with
established characters from a company or series, it’s best to make sure the
characters make sense for the role.
Since Disney characters are so easily defined by simple yet completely
clear personalities, they’re great fits for their assigned roles. In certain cases, they fit the roles in
ways most wouldn’t expect.
Starting with
the role of Ebenezer Scrooge, that role no doubt goes to the one Disney
character named after him, Scrooge McDuck.
In a way, this featurette is just as iconic to him as it is to
Mickey. Prior, he was mostly restricted
to comics, the first being Christmas-themed entitled Christmas on Bear Mountain just so you know, and very few film appearances. With this film, Scrooge McDuck would slowly
become more recognized through appearing in many animated works
including DuckTales and other Disney
Christmas films.
I can easily say that
he absolutely owns the role of old Ebenezer.
He delivers a lot of energy and character in every phase of the
established character arc. It makes for
solid enjoyment whenever he’s delighting in past cheap money-making decisions
and the vast fortune he has now. Even
his aggression towards Bob Cratchet and Fred is somewhat fun through the
flowing animation of his temper and a perfect vocal performance from the late
Alan Young. The appeal also works
through minor characters collecting for the poor as he gently thinks of reasons
not to donate before snapping at them.
The thing keeping Scrooge likable in this part of the story is how he’s
not outright mean. It’s very clear that
all his love is consumed by wealth which is the true reason he turns out so
bitter around other people and won’t let anything, especially not Christmas, get
in the way. It’s this direction that
leaves Scrooge open to the other phases of the arc that changes his entire
outlook on life. His fear of the ghosts,
fondness of the days before richness, sorrow that his greed could kill a child,
and bigger fear at his possible fiery future feel completely genuine. Such a wide range of emotions present this
version of Scrooge as a very well-rounded character, and it’s really sold
through how he presents his change to Cratchet.
His entire role here can kind of be seen as a precursor to his great
portrayal in many Disney works to follow; he’s greedy with money, but has an
undeniable soft spot for family. So Scrooge McDuck isn’t just a great Ebenezer
Scrooge, but proves himself as a great character on his own.
As for the
other roles, they’re strong fits as well even if they don’t seem that way at
first. Even if his name is in the title,
Mickey Mouse is given the role of a secondary character, Bob Cratchet. However, it’s really for the best since that’s
a role much better suited for Mickey.
His friendly and upbeat persona fits a character trying to be on good
terms with his boss, and it shows here.
Mickey has a clear idea of Christmas that goes against what Scrooge
believes, but through his good nature, isn’t too vocal with them as he’s quick
to back off and get on with his work. He
does need to keep his job after all in spite of low pay.
On another note, a character far more vocal
with his opinion is Donald Duck who plays Scrooge’s nephew Fred. It may seem hard to believe he’d fit this
role since he’s in a friendly disposition always saying “Merry Christmas” as
opposed to his usual tempers. Through
watching closely, Donald works better than you’d think. In his short interaction with Scrooge at the
start, he never backs down from showing his spirit the way Mickey does, even
when he’s kicked out of the counting house.
This is actually in line with Donald’s usual hard-pressed attitude to
get things to go his way when the world’s against him.
Many other characters like Minnie, Daisy, and
Mickey’s nephews from the comics, play smaller roles like Cratchet’s wife,
Scrooge’s ex-girlfriend, and Cratchet’s children respectively. There’s already not much to their characters
apart from their species and relation to other characters, so that makes them
easy fits for their assigned roles.
Then
you have the comically miscast role of Goofy as Jacob Marley. Of all the Disney characters, it’s near
impossible to think a lovable klutz like Goofy could be seen as a ghost
punished for committing crimes on the poor in life. However, through expert characterization,
this setup works in showing the best of Dickens and Disney. You can easily see the Marley ghost as a
splitting image of Goofy through mannerisms and getting thrown off from
haunting mostly through falling over things.
Still, he gives it his all, and the moments of warning Scrooge of the
coming spirits actually work well on a frightening level. The direction through the music and
visuals really helps too. Think of it as
a commentary on a believable scenario of unlikely actors trying their best with
a role against their nature and succeeding, i.e. versatile actors.
One thing’s for sure, if characters can shine in their roles even when their
personalities don’t mesh, you know the characterization is doing something
right.
Finally is
another huge highlight to the characters, and they are the ghosts who haunt
Scrooge into changing his ways. For
these roles, the film looks deep into the Disney film library, and the final
results are interesting choices that work really well.
Representing the Ghost of Christmas Past is a
relatively small character, Jiminy Cricket from Pinocchio. Like in that
film, he’s a delight to watch showing good nature and virtue to who he’s trying
to guide and isn’t afraid to show some edge when necessary. Despite his miniscule stature, he firmly
berates Scrooge for insulting his size, and when it’s time to visit the past,
he doesn’t take Scrooge’s nonsense. He
knows where they need to go and swiftly flies through the rooftops no matter
how nervous his client is. Then, Scrooge is put into depression after watching his love life fail through foreclosing a cottage his girlfriend had been saving for years. In response Jiminy
just states the hard honest facts that this was Scrooge’s own undoing. That there is a firm example of an all-around
good guy who really packs a punch against all animosity.
The Ghost of Christmas present goes in a
more obscure route. He’s played by
Willie the Giant from Mickey and the
Beanstalk and also does what he needs to do while also being true to
himself. He teaches Scrooge the benefits
of generosity and shows how the Cratchet family live their lives in accordance
with the income they get, which isn't much. However, he also delights
in callbacks to his earlier role through being unsure if he really senses his
victim and failing to pronounce “chocolate pot roast with pistachio.” He also brings a couple of laughs as he walks
around the streets and peeks in on random houses before reaching the Cratchets’
home.
The last ghost, the Ghost of Christmas
Future, greatly sets the mood of his scene.
His identity is hidden in the shadows, making for an ominous feel
already apparent with Scrooge all alone in a cemetery and Tiny Tim being
mourned. His big reveal as Pete comes as
Scrooge is thrown into his own grave of fire, and he adds the striking fright
of that scene through menacingly laughing at Scrooge’s possible fate. Needless to say, the ghosts in this version
are a driving factor of this short film’s success. The characters playing them are very
entertaining, establish their feel, and pay great respect to the legacy of
Disney’s many works over the years.
I believe
that Disney and Christmas go hand in hand.
They’re both seen as magical forces that bring warmth and goodwill to
anyone watching. Anything connected with
them feature effort and cheer that you just can’t go through life without. Mickey’s Christmas Carol is among the best results of both. It makes good use of its
short length with equal time devoted to the most important story beats making
for an effectively emotional experience.
Not only that, but the cast is phenomenal, the music is sweeping, and
the animation makes you feel a part of Victorian England. Basically, this is Disney magic at its
finest, and working in Christmas as well as a noble intention to bring Mickey
Mouse back into movies makes it stand even stronger. Be sure to enjoy this Christmas Carol adaptation as part of your traditions to come, and
God Bless Us Everyone.
Highly Recommended
That’s
it for this ‘Toon Reviews Shorty. Until next time:
Stay Animated Folks,
And Merry CHRISTMAS!
