IMDb > A Christmas Carol (1984) (TV)
A Christmas Carol
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A Christmas Carol (1984) (TV) More at IMDbPro »


Overview

User Rating:
7.7/10   2,982 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 18% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Roger O. Hirson (screenplay) and
Charles Dickens (short story)
Contact:
View company contact information for A Christmas Carol on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
17 December 1984 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
A new powerful presentation of the most loved ghost story of all time!
Plot:
An old miser who makes excuses for his uncaring nature learns real compassion when 3 ghosts visit him on Christmas Eve. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
Nominated for Primetime Emmy. more
NewsDesk:
(3 articles)
Edward Woodward obituary
 (From The Guardian - TV News. 16 November 2009, 11:02 AM, PST)

Edward Woodward obituary
 (From The Guardian - Film News. 16 November 2009, 11:02 AM, PST)

User Comments:
Hard to imagine a better version. more (103 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
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Additional Details

Runtime:
100 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.33 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Scrooge's grave can still be visited at St Chad's Church graveyard, Shrewsbury, where the churchyard sequence was shot - the production team left the gravestone in place once filming was completed. more
Goofs:
Revealing mistakes: Near the beginning of the movie, some children are sliding on some "ice" which ripples under their feet - it's actually some sort of plastic sheeting. more
Quotes:
Ebenezer Scrooge: [looking at the Cratchit's feast] It's such a small bird.
Ghost of Christmas Present: [leaning in Scrooge's face] It's all Bob Cratchit can afford.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Queer Duck: The Movie (2006) (V) more

FAQ

Is "A Christmas Carol" based on a book?
A Note Regarding Spoilers
How does this version differ from the original novel?
more
20 out of 20 people found the following comment useful.
Hard to imagine a better version., 17 December 2006
10/10
Author: TOMASBBloodhound from Lincoln, NE USA

So this made for TV film scores only a 7.6 on this site? Bah! Humbug! Without question this 1984 version of Dickens' classic tale is the best ever made. And yes, the Hound has seen the 1951 version which was also good, but not good enough. The lack of color is perhaps the biggest shortcoming of that version, although the acting was wonderful.

George C. Scott is simply incredible as Ebenezer Scrooge. We all know the story of this stingy businessman who is haunted by the ghost of his dead partner, then by three other spirits later on that evening. Scott is properly gruff as Scrooge. Too gruff in fact for some critics who claim he is unable to project the new-found glee that he awakens to on Christmas morning after the spirits teach him a valuable lesson. But hey, this is George C. Scott. He's never going to go dancing down the street in a fit of joy. He has too much dignity, and his Scrooge projects his emotion in a realistic manner.

The supporting performances are uniformly excellent, as are the costumes, music, and scenery. 19th Century London comes to life in Clive Donner's visionary style. The film even borders on frightening in several scenes involving the spirits. The important tale of morality shines through in every frame, though.

You won't often find this version aired on television anymore, and that is a disappointment. The 1984 version of A Christmas Carol should be a required part of every household's celebration of the holiday. When the decorations come out of the basement, this film should find its way into the DVD player at least once during the season.

10 of 10 stars.

The Hound.

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RIP Edward Woodward angmc43
jacob marley's head bandage-purpose? d_resendes
My beefs with this version. Valentino55
Socialist Propaganda alighthall2000
Patrick Stewart vs. George C. Scott t_rex_td
Question about The Ghost Of Christmas Future petekrug17
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