Merry Christmas, Mr Scrooge, in keeping with the situation..

..as we sail into Christmas day, The War Planner and Mrs War Planner will be plying the routes of commerce tomorrow in order to shore up some loose ends, lumps-of-coal-in-the-stocking-wise. So we may very well be in our cups by the time Santa negotiates the DEW line to consume all of the cookies and milk (or, liverwurst sammiches and cold bottle of Spaten Pils set out by the more thoughtful households). Consequently, I wanted to wish all you out there a very merry Christmas and/or politically correct happily joyous RamaHanaKwanzaaMas observance to the supreme deity of your choice.

In the spirit of Christmas, therefore, I present for your enjoyment my absolute favorite scene from one of the best old time Christmas movies: Scrooge, made in 1951 and starring Alastair Sim in the title role.

..to see further adventures of Scrooge's heartwarming rehabilitation, herewith is the conclusion of that wonderful movie.

You can have your Bing Crosby and Jimmy Stewart Yuletide flicks, these scenes -- guaranteed -- bring a tear to my eye and what vestige of Christmas spirit that can be wrung out of this over-commercialized season even in the bleakest of years.

Of course, my modern day favorite would have to be Dennis Leary's The Ref, a cynical sure-fire cure for those treacly, saccharine-induced diabetic comas that this time of year serves up.

NEXT FILM REVIEW: The War Planner reviews famous Boxing Day movies for the only holiday less well known and less well observed than Ground Hog Day. So I am thinking, what, The Champ, Rocky I, II, III, IV, V, VI, MCMLXII,  whatever:

In the mean time, chug-a-lug that egg nog and roast them chestnuts!

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