It’s Christmastime and Frank Cross is the malevolent President of IBC Television. IBC is staging a ridiculous live performance of “A Christmas Carol”, complete with somersaulting Mary Lou Retton as “Tiny Tim”, the Solid Gold Dancers shaking their asses, and live feeds of different scenes from across the globe. Under pressure to deliver a successful program, Frank is particularly rude and callous with his employees, going so far as to fire executive Eliot Loudermilk on Christmas Eve for merely disagreeing with him. It’s at that point that the ghost of his old boss and mentor (straight from the grave) arrives and warns him that he will be visited by three ghosts. From here on, the plot mirrors “A Christmas Carol”, with the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future arriving to remind Frank of what he desires, is missing, and fears.
While “A Christmas Carol” is an over-adapted story (and I personally am tired of it…lol), Scrooged was a particularly interesting and fun take on the tale. I think the genius of it lies in how Frank Cross’s character arc intersects with the silly live-adaptation being rehearsed for television (a wonderful commentary on the state of TV). Bill Murray is particular biting, aggressive, and funny as Frank Cross and I found myself laughing at his mean quips. But at times, it felt as though he was playing a caricature of Scrooge and I didn’t buy a few of his more dramatic moments. My favorite character was probably Carol Kane’s Ghost of Christmas Present—sort of a “Glinda the Good kicks your ass” bipolar fairy. Speaking of bipolar, I agree with a few contemporary reviews that call out a weird, inconsistent tone in the film—both mean spirited and yet trying to be profound and sincere. But still, I gave into the films silliness in Murray and Bobcat Goldthwait, the sincerity in Alfre Woodward and Karen Allen’s performances, and the freshness of an otherwise overplayed tale.