Do you want to see ‘Scrooged’?

Scrooged (1988)

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All Critics
Top Critics

Average Rating: 5.8/10
Reviews Counted: 39
Fresh: 25 | Rotten: 14

No consensus yet.

Average Rating: 3.8/10
Critic Reviews: 6
Fresh: 1 | Rotten: 5

No consensus yet.

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Average Rating: 3.3/5
User Ratings: 72,681

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Movie Info

A darkly comic and surreal contemporization of Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol, this effects-heavy Bill Murray holiday vehicle from 1988 sees the former SNL funnyman assuming the role of television executive Frank Cross, the meanest and most depraved man on earth. Cross will stoop to unheard of levels to increase his network's ratings -- even if it means mounting outrageous programs to retain an audience, such as "Robert Goulet's Cajun Christmas" and Lee Majors in "The Night the Reindeer

PG-13, 1 hr. 41 min.

Science Fiction & Fantasy, Comedy

Directed By: Richard Donner

In Theaters: Nov 23, 1988 Wide

On DVD: Nov 9, 1999

Paramount Pictures

Scrooged Trailer & Photos

Cast

Bill Murray
Frank Cross
Karen Allen
Claire Phillips
John Forsythe
Lew Hayward
John Glover
Brice Cummings
Bobcat Goldthwait
Eliot Loudermilk
Carol Kane
Ghost of Christmas Pres...
David Johansen
Ghost of Christmas Past
Robert Mitchum
Preston Rhinelander
Nicholas Phillips
Calvin Cooley
Michael J. Pollard
Herman
Alfre Woodard
Grace Cooley
Mabel King
Gramma
John Murray
James Cross
Jamie Farr
Jacob Marley
Buddy Hackett
Scrooge
John Houseman
Himself
Brian Doyle-Murray
Earl Cross
Mary Lou Retton
Herself
Selma Archerd
Mrs. Claus at Party
Susan Barnes
Harpy
Roy Brocksmith
Mike the Mailman
Peter Bromilow
Archbishop
Henry Brown
Technician
Ralph Bruneau
Nephew
Jay Byron
Man #1 at Party
Larry Carlton
Street Musician
Harvey Fisher
Party Guest
Delores Hall
Hazel
Stella Hall
Lew Haywards Secretary
Alvin Hammer
Foreman
Amy Hill
Technician
Damon Hines
Steven Cooley
Jean Speegle Howard
Mrs. Claus
Bruce Jarchow
Wayne
Sanford Jensen
Executive
Stephen Kahan
Technician
Regina King
Lanell Cooley
Kathy Kinney
IBC Nurse
Wendie Malick
Wendie Cross
Bill Marcus
IBC Guard
Pat McCormick
Ghost of Christmas Past...
Dick McGarvin
Announcer
Jack McGee
Carpenter
Kate McGregor-Stewart
Lady Censor
Lisa Mende
Doris Cross
Joel Murray
Guest
Peter Onorati
Sachi Parker
Belle
Anne Ramsey
Woman in Shelter
Logan Ramsey
Man in Shelter
Maria Riva
Mrs. Rhinelander
Tony Steedman
Headwaiter
Ryan Todd
Frank as Child
Mary Ellen Trainor
Ted
Paul Tuerp�
Stage Manager
Miles Davis
Street Musician
Mitch Glazer
Guest
Bill Hart
Carpenter
Susan Isaacs
Guest
Michael O'Donoghue
Priest
David Sanborn
Street Musician
Paul Shaffer
Street Musician
Lester Wilson
Choreographer
Dick Blasucci
Executive
Rebeca Arthur
Tina
June Chandler
June Cleaver
Cal Gibson
IBC Guard
Raphael Harris
Older Calvin
Jeffrey Joseph
Executive
Gilles Savard
Waiter
Norm Wilson
Technician
Jeanine Jackson
Technician
Jennie Lew Tugend
Foo-Ling

Critic Reviews for Scrooged

All Critics (39) | Top Critics (6) | Fresh (28) | Rotten (15) | DVD (14)

Tacky in the extreme, this self-congratulatory 1988 film is an exercise in hypocrisy, indulging every form of Christmas exploitation that it pretends to attack, and many of the laughs are forced.

November 27, 2007 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader

| Comment

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

Top Critic

An appallingly unfunny comedy, and a vivid illustration of the fact that money can't buy you laughs.

November 27, 2007 Full Review Source: Variety

| Comment

Variety Staff

Variety

Top Critic

In spite of the jokes at the expense of television-network censors, there's very little in the film, aside from naughty words, that wouldn't be perfectly acceptable on prime-time television.

May 20, 2003 Full Review Source: New York Times

| Comment

Vincent Canby

New York Times

Top Critic

This is not a 'good movie' -- in fact, it's a sprawling mess -- but I like it.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Washington Post

| Comment

Joe Brown

Washington Post

Top Critic

It was obviously intended as a comedy, but there is little comic about it, and indeed the movie's overriding emotions seem to be pain and anger.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times

| Comment

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Top Critic

If Donner and his team had any interest in the story's message, they've picked a puzzling way to show it.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Washington Post

| Comment

Hal Hinson

Washington Post

Top Critic

Bill Murray in a satiric send-up of Charles Dickens's 'A Christmas Carol' is too good to pass up. (Blu-ray edition)

November 4, 2011 Full Review Source: Movie Metropolis

| Comment

John J. Puccio

Movie Metropolis

It's got Bill Murray, and that's always a good thing.

November 4, 2011 Full Review Source: Movie Metropolis

| Comment

John J. Puccio

Movie Metropolis

Dated comedy is part Ghostbusters, part Dickens.

December 15, 2009 Full Review Source: Common Sense Media

| Comment

Charles Cassady

Common Sense Media

A meaningful Christmas Carol this is not, but a perfectly entertaining yuletide comedy this certainly is.

December 13, 2009 Full Review Source: Antagony & Ecstasy

| Comment

Tim Brayton

Antagony & Ecstasy

Bill Murray is the one of the greatest screen Scrooges in this 1980s updating.

August 20, 2009 Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid

| Comment

Jeffrey M. Anderson

Combustible Celluloid

A number of talented actors appear, but only a few are able to make much of a mark given their limited screentime.

November 27, 2007 Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide

| Comment

TV Guide's Movie Guide

Frequently funny take on Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" with Murray learning a lesson.

August 12, 2006 Comment

Steve Crum

Dispatch-Tribune Newspapers

Rowdy stuff for the light in head.

June 24, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out

| Comment

Time Out

I found much of this irreverent modernization of A Christmas Carol to be hilarious, and I commend Murray and director Donner for giving their film a sardonic edge.

February 20, 2006 Comment

Chuck O'Leary

FulvueDrive-in.com

A roaring good time.

January 3, 2006 Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com

| Comment

Christopher Null

Filmcritic.com

I saw this during a brief visit to Germany and it really helped things suck less. Possibly even funnier dubbed in incomprehensible German.

October 20, 2004 Comment

Gregory Weinkauf

New Times

More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Scrooged

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Charles Dicken's classic has gotten more than a few treatments over the years. I'm willing to be that there's a statistic out there that in some way shape or form, "A Christmas Carol" is the most adapted to television and film novel of all time. There are an ungodly number of these films. So, why would an obscure Bill

December 13, 2011

Jacob Ethington

Super Reviewer

Lew Hayward: I don't mind you shooting at me, Frank, but take it easy on the Bacardi."The spirits will move you in odd and hysterical ways."Scrooged is at times funny, but not as funny as it needs to be, or as funny as I expected it to be. Still I managed to get a certain satisfaction out of watching Bill Murray play

December 7, 2011

Melvin White

Super Reviewer

Scrooged Quotes

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1. Claire Phillips: Taxi, can you get me to IBC in three minutes?
2. Ghost of Christmas Past: Which floor?
– Submitted by Daniel R (42 days ago)
1. Frank Cross: The Bitch hit me with a Toaster.
– Submitted by Daniel R (42 days ago)

Submit a Quote from 'Scrooged'

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