Sir Michael Caine’s Ebenezer Scrooge in The Muppet Christmas Carol is exquisite, as fans know (Picture: Disney)
Sir Michael Caine is an undisputed titan of cinema, boasting a career spanning more than six decades and classic films like The Ipcress File, Alfie and Zulu, but at this festive time of year fans come together to celebrate his greatest role of all: that of Ebenezer Scrooge in The Muppet Christmas Carol.
The esteemed actor, 90, announced his retirement earlier this year after delivering a truly heartbreaking performance in his final film, The Great Escaper.
That two-time Oscar winner (and six-time nominee) Sir Michael is talented – and a national treasure – has never been in any doubt, especially when he’s enjoyed such a successful final stage of his career with roles in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy, Tenet and more.
However, truly the best – and at that time, the most surprising – career decision Sir Michael ever made was saying yes to playing Charles Dickens’ famous miser and anti-hero, surrounded by a bunch of puppets, in 1992’s The Muppet Christmas Carol.
Such a classic story has given us several excellent onscreen adaptations of A Christmas Carol, but none have matched the sheer excellence and ingenuity of what Sir Michael Caine achieved as Ebenezer Scrooge among the likes of the Great Gonzo as Dickens himself, Kermit as Bob Cratchit and Fozzie Bear as Fozziwig (and we can’t forget the singing vegetables, penguins or ‘meeces’).
It’s redefined the tale for an entire generation, and even knocks the likes of Educating Rita and The Cider House Rules off the top spot when it comes to Sir Michael’s best-ever performance.
A career that spans over six decades and films including Zulu, Alfie, The Man Who Would Be King and Tenet, is topped by his foray into family entertainment with the Muppets (Picture: Jim Henson Productions/Kobal/Rex/Shutterstock)
He famously told director Brian Henson that he would only accept the part on the condition that he could play it ‘like I’m working with the Royal Shakespeare Company’, and with no suggestion that his co-stars were, in fact, puppets.
For many fans, this is a major reason why the Get Carter star’s grumpy Scrooge found his way into their hearts.
‘His physical acting is phenomenal’
The Hollywood star is surrounded almost exclusively by Muppets in the other key roles, including Gonzo as Charles Dickens (Picture: Disney)
David Jenkins, Metro.co.uk Video Games Editor, acknowledges that the star ‘wasn’t lying’ when he said he would approach the film like it was an RSC project.
‘In a movie featuring singing lobsters and talking rabbits, the core appeal is the humanity in Caine’s performance. One of the most endearing aspects of the film has always been its love of language and its insistence on using actual dialogue from the original novella wherever possible.
‘Watching an adaptation of a 180-year-old classic with my autistic seven-year-old nephew – who has to be coaxed into speaking in complete sentences – and have him squeal in delight as the Ghost of Christmas Present implores Scrooge to “Come in! and know me better, man!” is genuinely magical.’
While David is a big fan of Gonzo’s turn as Dickens it’s Sir Michael’s acting for him that really sells the film, he tells me.
The secret of Sir Michael’s success is famously put down to his insistence that he would a), act like he was working with the RSC and b), not acknowledge his co-stars were puppets (Picture: Disney)
‘He not only performs the lines perfectly, but his physical acting is phenomenal. It was such a shame the song When Love is Gone was cut for so many years, not because of the tune itself but because Caine is at his best during the scenes set in the past, where you see his regret first begin to blossom.’
He’s not the only fan to bring up the long-lost ballad as digital marketer Emma Carney, 37, identified it as her favourite moment from the movie.
‘Where is it? I had it on my original VHS and I loved it. He was so good in that scene – and shout out to the actors playing young Scrooge and Belle too!’ she adds.
When Love is Gone was recently restored to The Muppet Christmas Carol after it was cut from the original version of the film as Disney felt it wouldn’t appeal to young viewers, causing it to be lost to most fans for nearly 30 years. The full version can now be watched on Disney Plus.
‘Michael Caine takes the Muppets as seriously as the viewers do’
Emily Shields, a 39-year-old writer, recently had her TikTok on Sir Michael’s Oscar-worthy performance in The Muppet Christmas Carol go viral with over 290,000 views and more than 1,200 comments as she extolled the virtues of Sir Michael’s acting in the film – and especially that scene – and why it should have won him an(other) Oscar.
Long-lost song When Love is Gone is a big favourite among fans for incredibly emotional reactions from Sir Michael (Picture: Disney)
‘The reason Michael Caine is so incredible in the role isn’t just that he takes the Muppets seriously, it’s that he takes the Muppets as seriously as we do, the viewers,’ she argues.
‘I understand how much work the Jim Henson Company puts into making sure the Muppets fit seamlessly into the real world, so I see Michael Caine treating the Muppets like true partners as a sign of respect to the hard work of those muppeteers by not breaking the fourth wall, which then allows us to get sucked into the world of the movie and pretend like the Muppets are real.’
Unsurprisingly, her favourite scene in the film is also When Love is Gone, when old Scrooge stands behind Belle (Meredith Braun) and joins in with singing the final part of the song, before he’s overcome with regret and sadness.
‘How he chokes up at the line “and yes, some dreams fall through” is incredible. Heartbreaking. I imagine anyone looking back on their life might break down at that line,’ Emily adds (and Scrooge certainly brings Gonzo and Rizzo the Rat to tears too).
‘My other favourite scene is at the end when he looks at himself in the mirror and goes: “Oh! Ugh…” I don’t know why it cracks me up every time.’
‘There’s not a shred of cynicism’
Alistair McGeorge, Metro.co.uk’s WWE Reporter, is another major fan of the film and Sir Michael, who he says ‘shines’ by treating both the Muppets and the story ‘with the sincerity they deserve’.
‘There’s not a shred of cynicism, Scrooge notwithstanding, and he gives everyone the same respect and love [Muppets creator] Jim Henson did. In his greatest role, Sir Michael manages to also become the greatest Scrooge, perfectly capturing the misery, sorrow and eventual joy while not trying to match or overshadow Kermit and the gang,’ he praises.
The actor also brings real feelings of despair and dread to the film as Scrooge grapples with his dark possible future (Picture: Jim Henson Productions/Kobal/Rex/Shutterstock)
His favourite part is the last section of the film, from the song Thankful Heart (which Sir Michael sings) to the finale.
‘Just seeing him finally let out the joy of it all and share in that with the Muppets!’
‘One scene always gives me a bit of a lump in my throat’
For Charlotte Greaves, a 34-year-old TV worker, Sir Michael is particularly special as an actor, having bonded with her dad over his films, including The Italian Job and his final movie in The Great Escaper, which they watched together in the cinema.
He announced his retirement from acting earlier this year, with The Great Escaper being his final role (pictured with late co-star Glenda Jackson) (Picture: Rob Youngson)
Sir Michael Caine’s other best performances
The Ipcress File (1965) – Sir Michael’s first outing as the iconic British spy Harry Palmer, which was praised for its realism.
Alfie (1966) – ‘What’s it all about, Alfie?’ croons Cilla Black. Sir Michael earned his first Oscar nomination playing the titular self-centred womaniser in this comedy-drama.
Educating Rita (1983) – The actor starred as an alcoholic professor hired by a working-class girl (Dame Julie Walters) intent on higher education in this onscreen adaptation of the Willy Russell play.
The Cider House Rules (1999) – A rare American accent from Sir Michael, he won his second best supporting actor Oscar for taking on the role of an avuncular doctor running an orphanage in World War II-era Maine.
Harry Brown (2009) – Dispensing his own brand of justice as a mild-mannered veteran avenging his friend’s murder, Harry Brown saw Sir Michael back in gun-toting thriller territory.
‘We laughed, cried, and spoke of how brilliant this actor is and how he brings these characters to life so beautifully. It was so great to be able to see this film with my Dad, it will always be a treasured memory.’
But again, Sir Michael in The Muppet Christmas Carol is a standout for her.
‘There is a rawness that he brings to the role, especially in the scene where he asks the Ghost of Christmas Future to not let him end his life like this, with him being so alone and bitter, and vows to do better,’ she explains. ‘That scene always gives me a bit of a lump in my throat, and you feel that deep despair. Despite this being a children’s Christmas film, Michael Caine delivers on this performance.’
Charlotte also admires how the film ‘jumps from these warm musical numbers and hilarious dialogue from the narrators to these gut-wrenching moments of hopelessness’.
‘It captures the story of A Christmas Carol in such a unique way that only a movie with such an actor as Michael Caine, and the Muppets of course, can do.’
‘This scene always gives me a bit of a lump in my throat’ (Picture: Blanshard/Jim Henson Prods/Kobal/Rex/Shutterstock)
Sir Michael joining in with his Muppet co-stars including Miss Piggy, Robin, Kermit the Frog, Beaker, Bean Bunny and Dr Bunsen Honeydew (Picture: Disney)
‘It’s a part no one would ever have imagined for Micheal ‘Gangster’ Caine’
Fan Emma also can’t get over how unexpected Sir Michael’s involvement was in the context of his career. She’s another who agrees his ‘profound’ performance comes from not acknowledging that he’s surrounded by singing puppets.
‘He treats it as if it is completely normal as he is in fact the odd one out in the story and in the Muppets’ Christmas Carol world. Add to that the fact that he does have a little dance and sing at the end as he begins to get into the Christmas spirit is something that – for the time – no one would ever have imagined for Micheal ‘Gangster’ Caine.’
‘That is also why the casting was, and is, so brilliant,’ she continues. ‘I’d never imagine from Caine’s previous work that he’d be cast as Scrooge but honestly, he is the Scrooge to me and nails the nuances of the performance.’
‘It’s a great example of giving an actor an unexpected part and watching them completely deliver,’ she enthuses.
An esteemed actor and known for more tough and adult fare, it was a surprise to see Sir Michael Caine in The Muppet Christmas Carol at the time (Picture: Jim Henson Productions/Kobal/Rex/Shutterstock)
Emma also loves the more serious moments in The Muppet Christmas Carol, calling the scene with Scrooge’s gravestone ‘haunting’.
‘He’s also very good showing the switch from cold Scrooge to the warmer Scrooge and just showing from his facial expressions alone his softness toward Tiny Tim. I could write an entire thesis on this film!’
While the final chapter of Sir Michael’s iconic acting career might have come to a close, fans are blessed with a treasure trove of tremendous performances to look back on and admire – and chief among those is Ebenezer Scrooge. If it’s not your favourite performance of Sir Michael’s every day of the year, it certainly should be at Christmas.
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