The Right to Be Happy is an American silent film from 1916 that draws inspiration from Charles Dickens' 1843 Novella, A Christmas Carol. This film was Universal's first attempt at making a feature film based on Dickens' novella. It was the first and only feature film adaptation of A Christmas Carol by an American or foreign film company during the silent era. The movie was directed by Rupert Julian and supported by a cast of Universal Bluebird players, including Rupert Julian, Claire McDowell, and Harry Carter.
A Christmas Carol narrates the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, an elderly miser who receives a visit from the ghost of his former business partner, Jacob Marley, and the spirits representing Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come. These supernatural visitations prompt a profound transformation within Scrooge, turning him into a more compassionate and benevolent person.
Like many film adaptations, it takes certain artistic liberties with the source material. This film carried Universal"s "Bluebird Photoplay" brand, designating a more mainstream feature and a bigger budget than a Red Feather production. Bluebirds were also known for distinctive artwork, as displayed in this page's Burton Rice movie poster. The movie was produced and distributed by Universal Studios. The film was released on December 25, 1916.
Contents
Plot
The story unfolds on Christmas Eve, where we meet Ebenezer Scrooge, an elderly miser and curmudgeon. He lives in a London mansion that once belonged to his former business partner, Jacob Marley. Seven years earlier, Marley passed away on this very night, and Scrooge inherited the house. However, since the day of Marley's burial, Scrooge has not devoted a single moment to thinking about him. Instead, he has commemorated the occasion by continuing his regular business pursuits, showing no regard for his late partner.
Bob Cratchit, his faithful clerk, could go home early this Christmas Eve, but Scrooge declared he must come to work early the next day. Scrooge's nephew, Fred, extended his traditional Christmas Eve call to invite Scrooge for dinner, and Scrooge rejected the offer as usual. Kind-hearted collectors of charities requested donations, and Scrooge turned them away with a contemptuous sneer.
Ending the day, Scrooge retired to his home. He dines alone and then readies himself to spend the night in a dismal and cold room that would make anyone but Scrooge shiver. Scrooge was so penny-pinching that he refused to burn coal or use candles to eliminate the gloom. Although the cold outside was becoming more intense, he could still hear the merry voices of young and old spreading Christmas cheer. Scrooge was annoyed by the cheerful sounds.
Scrooge is startled by the sound of footsteps and clanking chains. Suddenly, he sees the spirit of his former business partner, Jacob Marley. Marley scolds Scrooge for his uncompassionate behavior, then informs him that three Christmas spirits (Past, Present, and Yet to Come) will visit him over the following three nights.
Scrooge's first visit is by the Ghost of Christmas Past. The spirit reveals to Scrooge visions of his boyhood and early adulthood days. His employer, Mr. Fezziwig, and his wife are hosting a Christmas party, which he observes. He also reflects on the end of his relationship with his sweetheart. His relentless quest for wealth has steered him toward greed and delusion.
Next to appear is the Ghost of Christmas Present. The spirit reveals the events of Christmas Day. The miser's nephew, Fred, hosts a party where his uncle is the subject of mockery and disdain. Next, the spirit shows Scrooge how the Cratchit household has been faring. Bob Cratchit lives in a humble home with his wife and their son Tiny Tim. Scrooge learns that unless the future changes, the Cratchit's disabled son, Tiny Tim, will die.
Production
Pre-production
Before the debut of this picture, several short films showcasing A Christmas Carol had already made their way to the silver screen. These films were launched when the technology for feature films was not as advanced. However, these films integrated "Scrooge" or "Christmas Carol" into their titles, rendering them more suitable and tailored explicitly for seasonal viewing. Universal aimed to create a film that captured the essence of Christmas and had a title suitable for year-round viewing.
There are five known screen adaptations preceding the release of A Right to be Happy:
The first known screen adaptation of Dickens's story was the British Short film – "Scrooge, or, Marley's Ghost" directed by Walter R. Booth. The film was 6 minutes and 20 seconds in length and was released in November 1901. The photoplay was produced by Paul's Animatograph Works and became the first worldwide production of A Christmas Carol. The YouTube website also stated "It employed cutting-edge technology for 1901 and was considered lengthy as well, at just over 6 minutes!" It should also be noted this film was one of the first movies to use Intertitles. Only 4 minutes and 55 seconds survive of the original film, and the remnant can be viewed on YouTube "Scrooge, or Marley's Ghost" (1901).
A second adaptation of the story was the American Short film – A Christmas Carol. This film was 15 minutes in length and was released on December 9, 1908. The photoplay was filmed in Chicago and produced by Essanay Studios. The film is presumed lost.
The third screen reproduction was an American Short film – A Christmas Carol directed by J. Searle Dawley. The film had a running time of 13 minutes and was released on December 23, 1910. The photoplay was filmed in New York and produced by Edison Manufacturing Company. It is the second oldest surviving screen adaptation of the famous literary work. The short film A Christmas Carol is available for free viewing and download at the Internet Archive..
A fourth film was another British Short film – Scrooge directed by Leedham Bantock. The 3-reel film was released in September 1913. The Zenith Film Company produced the photoplay. Several Black and white film scenes were color toned. The film was released in the United States as Old Scrooge in 1926 and can be viewed at Old Scrooge on YouTube.
Filming
On March 15, 1915, Carl Laemmle officially opened the world's largest motion picture production facility, Universal City Studios, on a 230-acre converted farm.
This picture was filmed entirely at the Universal Studios studio complex located at 100 Universal City Plaza in Universal City, California as reported in The Los Angeles Evening Citizen – "Rupert Julian is directing and playing 'Scrooge" in Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" which is being produced in five reels at Universal City." Universal produced and distributed this film.
During the production phase, films need a reference name to identify the project, often called an Alternate or Working title. Often, the working title becomes the official release title of the film.
According to the British Film Institute website, Universal considered titling the movie, Scrooge the Skinflint. In his book, "The Universal Silents: A Filmography of the Universal Motion Picture Manufacturing Company, 1912-1929," Richard Braff supplements his entry for A Right to be Happy with the additional notation - also known as "Marley Ghost."
The most significant alteration involved switching the movie title from the novella's original name, A Christmas Carol to The Right To Be Happy. In the December 2, 1916, issue of Motion Picture News, the article refers to the film as a version of – "A Christmas Carol." In the December 9, 1916 issue of The Moving Picture World, the item cites the film's final release title as – "The Right to Be Happy"
Post production
The theatrical release of this film totaled five reels or 5,000 feet of film. As is often the case, the listed time for this feature-length movie varies. The average time per 1,000-foot 35mm reel varied between ten and fifteen minutes per reel at the time. Thus, the total time for this movie is computed between fifty and seventy-five minutes.
One noteworthy aspect of Bluebird Films was their practice of crafting unique musical scores specifically for each of their productions and then submitting these scores to the Library of Congress. As a result, numerous film scores from Bluebird productions can be found in the LOC collections.
One example of this convention was the musical score submitted to the Library of Congress for the 1916 Bluebird production of The Crippled Hand. The LOC is titled - Musical setting to the Bluebird photoplay no. 15 : Robert Leonard and Ella Hall in "The crippled hand". The item also shows original scores by – Winkler, Max, 1888-1965, composer and Rehsen, F. (Frank), 1877-1948, composer. Regrettably, there are no surviving musical scores from this film in the LOC archives.
In the "Accessory News Section" of the Motion Picture News dated January 6, 1917, the introduction to the "Music and the Picture" component reads:"Suitable and effective musical accompaniments are of prime necessity and to every moving picture production. In view of this important necessity, Motion Picture News has now completed special arrangements to provide all subscribers with complete musical cue sheets free of charge. . . The music page published in the News is a great aid to orchestra leaders, and all the theatre manager has to do is hand it to his musicians."
The following shows some of the early lines of the Motion Picture News musical Cue Sheet for The Right to Be Happy:
Release and reception
When this film was released, there were no extravagant premieres in New York or Los Angeles, no theater searchlights, and no star-studded cast members in attendance. Instead, it had a modest release on a Monday, similar to other branded Universal films.
Official release
On December 15, 1916, The Right to be Happy was copyrighted to Universal with a registration number of LP9742.
In the December 2, 1916 issue of the Motion Picture News, the article stated:BLUEBIRD has done its Christmas shopping, and its token to the exhibitor will be a screen version of the famous Dickens classic, " A Christmas Carol," which E. J. Clawson has adapted to the screen and Rupert Julian has directed. The release will be made December 18 with Mr. Julian, Francelia Billington and Agnes Vernon featured.
In the December 9, 1916 issue of the Moving Picture World, we see first time the new title is applied:"The Right to Be Happy" Is the title that has been dellnltely applied to the Dec. 18 Bluebird, based on Charles Dickens* Immortal classic, "A Christmas Carol." This release will be particularly timely, as opposition to Christmas shopping and be right in the subject as well.
The December 16, 1916 issue of the Moving Picture World, states:The Right to Be Happy was delayed by a week (from December 18), and in its place was run the Bluebird production of The Honor of Mary Blake.
The December 23, 1916 issue of the Moving Picture World, states:Rupert Julian's screen version of the Dickens classic, "A Christmas Carol," was originally set for Dec. 18, but it will now be shown Dec. 25, as a feature of exact timeliness. "The Right to be Happy" will be used as the title for "A Christmas Carol" and . . .
Advertising
Advertising is essential for the success of a movie because it helps attract paying customers to the theater, resulting in higher box office revenues. A successful marketing campaign increases the hype by informing potential stakeholders about plotlines, actors, release dates, and other important information. Armed with this knowledge, a theater owner was better prepared to make a booking decision in a competitive market.
Universal's trade journal, The Moving Picture Weekly usually published marketing tips for films in a section named "Putting It Over." However, in the Christmas issue of December 16, 1916, the magazine published advertising insights for this picture as part of its comprehensive coverage of this film. Among the included recommendations were:
"Marley's ghost plays a most important part in this film. Hire a man to play the part of the ghost. Dress him up in a white sheet. Have him paint his face a dead white and shade it to give it a skull-like effect at a little distance. Chains should be twisted about his body, and a short length should trail along the ground from each foot. Have him carry a pole sign on which the following copy is painted" – see quote box 1
"Since this production urges us to give our fellowmen the benefit of love and charity, make every effort to get in touch with the charitable organizations in your community."
"Get in touch with the heads of the local schools. Dickens is one of the favorite authors in our educational institutions, and from an educational standpoint, "The Right To Be Happy" will be regarded as a perfect picture by school teachers".
"Have the following copy printed on an invitation card in the regulation invitation form. Enclose it in an envelope and send it to the people on your mailing list" – see quote box 2.
An article published in Wid's Films and Film Folk dated December 21, 1916, suggested: " the name of Dickens should help to bring in the patronage, particularly if you will handle this as a special proposition, making a direct appeal to the schools, the literary societies and the women's clubs"
Reviews
Movie reviews played a vital role for both theater owners and fans, offering crucial perspectives. The opinions shared in reviews, which were published in different trade magazines, were indispensable in the process of deciding whether to book a movie for screening or to watch it as a viewer. When critics expressed conflicting viewpoints about a film, making a choice became more challenging. Divergent reviews did not always imply that the movie was inherently bad. In the end, the choice relied on personal preferences and the weight one gave to the movie review and its author.
In the December 25, 1916 issue of the "Chicago Tribune," the movie was reviewed by Mae Tinee. She observed:A Christmas, Carol Dickens, the immortal story of the world's greatest Grouch, has been beautifully picturized, and if you have a chance this Christmas week and would like to really get into the good old fashion spirit of Yuletide, try and locate and see the right to be happy. (I think it's a pity though they changed the name.)This feature has been carefully and intelligently produced. The quaint characters and settings have been copied, almost in detail from the descriptions in the book. Rupert Julian's Ebeneezer Scrooge is a classic. John Cook, as Bob Cratchit, is as real as can be, and how you're going to love Tiny Tim.
In the December 30, 1916 issue of the "Moving Picture World," the reviewer Margaret MacDonald stated:"The five-part screen version of that delightful Dickens' classic. "A Christmas Carol" is destined to give pleasure to many Christmas audiences. The production has a genuine spirit of Dickens, and the characters are well portrayed. Sometimes in ensemble scenes, we are conscious, for instance, of the spirit of the boisterous American girl, rather than the subdued and dignified feminine of the England of Dickens' day,' but dealing with generalities, we are pleased. While this production may not compare altogether favorably with some Dickens' productions we have seen that have been made on English soil, still, there is little fault to be found with. Still will minored with it and children will be delighted with this adaptation of the story of the regeneration of an old grouch."
In the December 30, 1916 issue of the Motion Picture News, movie critic Steve Talbot points out:"A Pretentious adaptation of Charles Dickens's classic of the holiday spirit, known everywhere as "A Christmas Carol." The only criticism that could be leveled at the production is that the players seemed too cold by far. They fairly reveled in mufflers and topcoats, while the California sunshine bathed everything in its rays. Much fine photography and an air of Christmas homeliness pervade the whole production. Some years ago the Edison Company cleaned up on their version of this story, in one reel, as a Christmas special release. It is highly probable that Bluebird will do the same this year with this five-reeler."
Preservation status
Many silent-era films did not survive for various reasons, as explained on this Wikipedia page.
According to the Library of Congress website, this film has a status of - No holdings located in archives; thus, it is presumed all copies of this film are lost.