Ethan Warren:

Stave One
An Argument with a Straw Man

You mean it’s your favorite adaptation, right?

No, I mean it’s the best adaptation.

Sure. So you mean it’s the most fun, right?

No, I mean it’s the best.

OK, fine. You really think The Muppet Christmas Carol is the best movie based on A Christmas Carol?

Now that’s a little less cut and dry. It’s hard to begrudge those who give that title to the 1951 adaptation directed by Brian Desmond Hurst, which has a delightful performance from Alastair Sim that has justifiably become the standard against which all Scrooges are judged, gothic atmosphere you could drown in, and spine-chilling effects by 1951 standards. That is an unquestionably great movie based on A Christmas Carol.