Welcome to another installment of Balladeer’s Blog’s annual orgy of versions of A Christmas Carol. This version was produced in Spain in 1947 (and was remade for Spanish television in 1966 ) and the Spanish language title is Leyenda de Navidad ( Legend of Christmas, of course).
The film was written and directed by Manuel Tamayo (who wrote the screenplay for the 1955 feature Tarde de Toros) This is a wonderful version for several reasons, not the least of which would be its well-done (for the time period) sets of 1843 London.
We’ll take the differences and similarities to other versions in order – 1. Scrooge has several people working for him for some reason, not just Bob Cratchit and NONE of them get Christmas Day off from this Scrooge …
2. Marley’s Ghost steps out of a life-sized portrait of the man that adorns the wall above a fireplace, and returns to that portrait after his standard warning about the 3 Ghosts …
3. Transportation through time with three very Spanish renditions of the Ghosts is accomplished NOT through cheesy special effects (that may well have broken the budget anyway) but in the very clever way of entering through doorways into other rooms or closets and as each Ghost pulls the door shut behind them, presto, the Ghost and Scrooge are at whatever locale the Spirit is showing him. For variety Scrooge and The Ghost Of Christmas Present arrive down Nephew Fred’s chimney …
4. The Ghost Of Christmas Yet To Come is depicted as a grim, unspeaking man in a black top hat and black cape …
5. Among the visions of the future that he shows Scrooge is his long-lost love – here called “Mary” for some reason – who is still pining after him …
6. Part of Scrooge’s Christmas Morning conversion is conveyed with the nicely symbolic gesture of having him shave off a beard this incarnation of the miser has been sporting …
7. Scrooge and his long-lost love are reunited …
8. Scrooge’s impractical gesture of sending Bob Cratchit a huge turkey that would take forever to cook is compounded by having this Scrooge send Bob a LIVE turkey. (Ah, the Christmas Day tradition of killing, gutting and plucking the turkey! Now that’s a scene only Currier and Ives could do justice to!) This version runs under an hour and a half and is certainly a nice twist on the familiar story.
FOR MORE VERSIONS OF A CHRISTMAS CAROL CLICK HERE: https://glitternight.com/category/a-christmas-carol-2/
Balladeer's Blog 
You have discussed this version, already. You know that, don’t you?
Hello! Yes, I do, but every Carol-A-Thon I sprinkle in old reviews that are new to the newer readers of my blog and because I like all these versions so much I cycle them back in after awhile.
This one for instance I first did in 2010, then 2012 and now this year.
Gotcha. I had a hunch you probably knew, being that it’s the same exact paragraph as before. Still hoping to see this one day.
No problem! Thanks for reading and for commenting!
Hey Balladeer, if you like a Christmas Carol, I just wrote up a report that’s free called 7 Ways A Christmas Carol Changed Christmas Forever about the major impact this little book has had on the holiday. A fascinating quick read. You can get the free report at http://achristmascarolreport.com
Great! I’ll be there to read it shortly.
Hi, I was just wondering where you tracked this version down from? I’ve been collecting these for about a year now, and this and the ‘The Trail to Christmas’ versions continue to elude me no matter where I look.
Great blog by the way, I’ve spent several days going through all your Christmas Carol reviews.
Hello! Thank you for the kind words! I will post some answers back here and at the Christmas Carol Obscurities post that you commented on.
They need to release this one in English subtitles!
I agree!
This sounds very Christmas like.
It is.