MovieChat Forums > The Avengers (1966) Discussion > too many christmas trees

too many christmas trees

posted 10 years ago by paulaB52
4 replies | jump to latest

One of my favorite episodes. And it is also filled with great moments. Mervyn Johns who plays Brian Storey, the owner of the mansion, was Bob Crachit in the 1951 movie, 'A CHRISTMAS CAROL" ( I considered this to be the best version of the story- Scrooge was Alistair Sims). And also in the movie was Patrick Macnee as the young Jacob Marley. So, I am not surprised that the Dickens theme was chosen based on the history of these two men. It would be great to find out how this episode came about- did Mr. Johns, an actor who was no longer in the limelight, contact the staff of THE AVENGERS- by now a hugely popular show and request to be a part of it. Or did the Dickens theme come first and then he was contacted. All I know, it certainly was a OMG moment when the two of them met each other in the story. It was just a shame that such a sweet man would be the dreadful Father Christmas!!

[–] panson1 10 years ago

I agree. One of my top 2 favorite Avengers episodes of all time; the top episode being the Joker. Until you mentioned it, I didn't put two and two together with Macnee and Mervyn Johns being in "A CHRISTMAS CAROL" together. Of course, Mervyn Jones finest hour was in the movie "DEAD OF NIGHT"; a classic horror/Ghost story. I too would like to know which came first: The story line and the teaming of Jones and Macnee, or Jones contacting the Producers. I rather think Macnee had something to do with it, in that it was probably the Christmas season and writers were trying to come up with a Christmas theme.

[–] pgharett-676-553123 10 years ago

While I was watching the previous episode "Two's a Crowd", I was thinking about watching my favorite Christmas movie Scrooge (1951) (aka A Christmas Carol). Then when I was watching this episode, I remembered that Macnee not only was in it as young Marley, but introduced it on the DVD I have. He says he and his family always watch it at Christmas time, but he doesn't mention that he was in it. Anyway, I spotted Mervyn Johns and went to IMDB to confirm it was him. That's too many tie-ins for me. I have to watch Scrooge when this episode is over.

[–] tiller088 10 years ago

Definitely my favorite episode, with a very clever concept of telepaths and the Dickensian holiday theme, using "Green Grow the Rushes O" to block their thoughts, and arguably the series' single best moment: the ending 'tag' scene in the horse drawn carriage where Steed produces the mistletoe, and the two of them simply smile.... I watch it every year with the rest of the holiday classics!

[–] Maddyclassicfilms 10 years ago

I love that episode too.

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