Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6370 in DVD
• Released on: 2001-10-23
• Rating: G (General Audience)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Animated, Color, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 53 minutes

Amazon.com
This 1962 special marked the last hurrah of Mr. Magoo, who starred in 43 cartoon shorts, including two Oscar® winners, from the UPA Studio between 1949 and 1959. Magoo appears as Scrooge in a Broadway production of "A Christmas Carol" in this minimally animated hour. The play-within-the-show features forgettable songs by Jules Styne and Bob Merrill: Tiny Tim ("played" by the animated character Gerald McBoing-Boing) sings, oddly, of "razzle berry dressing" and "woofle jelly cake." This retelling of Dickens's holiday standard is much tamer than Richard Williams's Oscar-winning adaptation: the ghosts aren't scary, nor does Magoo confront the specters of Ignorance and Want. Small children who might be frightened by more dramatic versions of the story will enjoy this mild program. And the self-satisfied chuckles and bromides Jim Backus gives Magoo in his lighter moments remain as delightful as ever. This film is suitable for ages 6 and older. --Charles Solomon

From the Back Cover
A family favorite for almost forty years, this animated special marks a merry marriage between one of the screen's greatest cartoon characters, Mr. Magoo, and the heart-warming holiday tale. A Christmas Carol. Jim Backus (Gilligan's Island) lends his unmistakable voice to the lovably near-sighted Magoo, who stars in a Broadway version of the Charles Dickens tale, impeccably cast as the crotchety old Ebenezer Scrooge. With music by Jules Styne and Bob Merrill, Oscar nominees for the song Funny Girl, it features the vocal talents of Jack Cassidy, Morey Amsterdam, and June Foray (the voice of Rocket J. "Rocky" Squirrel).

Customer Reviews

This made-for-TV "Carol" has endured
I thoroughly enjoyed "Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol" when it first was broadcast on television back in 1962. Not only did it feature the then well-known lovable bumbler Magoo, as played by the great Jim Backus, but the musical score was absolutely wonderful. All of the songs in this "Broadway"-style rendition are catchy, and some of them are truly touching and memorable.

Since this brief animated production was created nearly forty years ago, there have been countless new "Christmas Carol" productions featuring everyone from George C. Scott to the Muppets to Fred Flintstone (really!) And yet the VHS release of the Magoo version, still apparently as appealing now as it was decades ago, is my own children's favorite version of Dickens' classic yuletide tale. In fact, my younger son at age three used to beg me to play this video again and again at Christmastime, calling it "Back, Back, Back," based upon the opening song in which Magoo sings about how it's "great to be back, back, back on Broadway."

This cartoon is reasonably true to the details of the original story, and yet adds its own bits of humor and whimsy. There also is a generous dose of Magoo "nearsightedness" humor associated with the premise that Magoo is playing the role of Scrooge in a Broadway production.

As other reviewers have indicated, the casting overall is first-rate and the production is superb throughout. This is truly a gem of a Christmas video and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

A cherished memory from Christmas past available on DVD
"Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol" has always been my favorite musical version of Dicken's classic tale for the simple reason that the songs have been better than all those other versions, including the most recent attempt with Kelsey Grammar. Since the music and lyrics are by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill, the same team that did "Funny Girl," this is not surprising. I have just finished watching the show again and I finally noticed that there are only four songs. They just happen to be four really good songs and even when there is not singing three of them are used to great effect as background music. No wonder that as soon as you hear the opening theme on the DVD the feelings and memories coming rushing back.

Once you get past the framing device of Magoo showing up for the performance and taking a curtain call as he brings down the house at the start and the end of the show there are only a few moments where you are dealing with Mr. Magoo's nearsightedness. For the most part Barbara Chain's script does "A Christmas Carol" straight up and it works, mainly because when Mr. Magoo scowls and does his whole "Bah, humbug" bit you buy it. As we all know Jim Backus does the voice of Mr. Magoo/Scrooge, while Jack Cassidy does Bob Cratchit, Royal Dano is Marley's Ghost, Les Tremayne voices the Ghost of Christmas Present, the great June Foray (a.k.a. Rocky the Flying Squirrel) does the Ghost of Christmas Past, Joan Garnder is Tiny Tim (who is "played" by another cartoon character from the 1950s, Gerald McBoing-Boing), and Paul Frees' recognizable voice does several characters. Frees and Foray sing together on "The Bandit Song" and Jane Kean sings "Winter Was Warm" as Belle, the woman beloved by the young Scrooge.

All things considered, "Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol" is my favorite animated holiday show and it is not Christmas unless I see it, "A Charlie Brown Christmas," and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." I love the finale when they all sing "The Cratchit Family Dinner Song" (a.k.a. "We'll Have the Lord's Bright Blessing"). It does not matter that the animation is bare-boned (the audience never moves) or that there are some completely comic supporting characters, because the songs are so wonderful and the emotion of the story comes through. Watching your favorite holiday specials brings back memories of Christmas as a child, and there is not much in this world sweeter than that. I do not know if this show can win over a new generation of fans, but if you have ever seen this one you know you have to see it again.

Perfect For Kids
Like so many other reviewers here, I grew up with this annual treat, and the DVD renews fond memories. But this particular TV special did something much more important for me in the long run--it got me interested in reading. I read the Dickens story as a result of watching it, and that led to a lifelong love of the written word. I'm a novelist now, and I owe it all to Mr. Magoo!

PARENTS, TAKE NOTE: The story is terrific, the songs are delightful, and every kid loves Mr. Magoo. And it manages to get the positive love-thy-neighbor message across in 52 animated minutes, with every famous moment and famous line intact--a lot easier on smaller children than the many 2-hour movie versions with live actors. Try parking your kids in front of this. Maybe they will do what I did and reach for the book. And watch it with them--it really is beautiful, and you'll enjoy it, too.