A Christmas Carol (1984) (TV)

Director:

Clive Donner

Writers:

Charles Dickens (novel)
Roger O. Hirson (screenplay)

Release Date:

17 December 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Family | Fantasy

Tagline:

Rediscover the Joy of Christmas Spirit!

Plot:

An old miser who makes excuses for his uncaring nature learns real compassion when 3 ghosts visit him on Christmas Eve.

Plot Keywords:

Christmas | Ghost | Miser | Christmas Eve | Compassion

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy.

Cast

George C. Scott	...	Ebenezer Scrooge
Frank Finlay	...	Jacob Marley
Angela Pleasence	...	Ghost of Christmas Past
Edward Woodward	...	Ghost of Christmas Present
Michael Carter	...	Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come
David Warner	...	Bob Cratchit
Susannah York	...	Mrs. Cratchit
Anthony Walters	...	Tiny Tim
Roger Rees	...	Fred Holywell / Narrator
Caroline Langrishe	...	Janet Holywell
Lucy Gutteridge	...	Belle
Nigel Davenport	...	Silas Scrooge
Mark Strickson	...	Young Scrooge
Joanne Whalley	...	Fan
Timothy Bateson	...	Mr. Fezziwig
Michael Gough	...	Mr. Poole
John Quarmby	...	Mr. Hacking
Peter Woodthorpe	...	Old Joe
Liz Smith	...	Mrs. Dilber
John Sharp	...	Tipton
Danny Davies	...	Forbush
Derek Francis	...	Pemberton
Brian Pettifer	...	Ben
Catherine Hall	...	Meg
Peter Settelen	...	Belle's Husband
Pat Rose	...	Mrs. Fezziwig
Joseph Blatchley	...	George
Gavin Asher	...	Alfred
Rebecca Burrill	...	Anne
Cathryn Harrison	...	Kate
Daniel Chatto	...	William
Tim Munro	...	Mr. Topper
Alan Bodenham	...	Poulterer
Spencer Banks	...	Dick Wilkins
Louise Gasser	...	Martha
Kieron Hughes	...	Peter Cratchit
Sasha Wells	...	Belinda Cratchit
Orlando Wells	...	Little Boy Cratchit
Nancy Dodds	...	Little Girl Cratchit
Ian Giles	...	Boy Who Gets Turkey

Directed by
Clive Donner

Writing credits
Charles Dickens		(novel)
Roger O. Hirson		(screenplay)

Produced by
Robert E. Fuisz	....	executive producer
Alfred R. Kelman	....	producer
William F. Storke	....	producer

Original Music by
Nick Bicât

Cinematography by
Tony Imi

Film Editing by
Peter Tanner

Casting by
Noel Davis

Production Design by
Roger Murray-Leach

Art Direction by
Peter Childs
Harry Cordwell

Costume Design by
Evangeline Harrison

Makeup Department
Christine Beveridge	....	hair designer
Christine Beveridge	....	makeup designer
Joan Hills	....	makeup artist
Mark Nelson	....	chief hairdresser
Neville Smallwood	....	chief makeup artist

Production Management
Norman Foster	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ian Hickinbotham	....	second assistant director
Roger Simons	....	assistant director
Gareth Tandy	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Bruce Bigg	....	property master
Diana Charnley	....	assistant art director
Roy Evans	....	construction manager
Brian Read	....	production buyer

Sound Department
David Crozier	....	sound recordist
Glenn Freemantle	....	assistant sound editor
Graham V. Hartstone	....	dubbing mixer
Nicolas Le Messurier	....	sound re-recording mixer
Andrew Morris	....	sound maintenance
Ian Munro	....	boom operator
Jim Shields	....	sound editor

Special Effects by
Martin Gutteridge	....	special effects
Graham Longhurst	....	special effects
Neil Corbould	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Alan Church	....	optical cameraman (uncredited)
Roy Field	....	optical effects supervisor (uncredited)
Charles Stoneham	....	matte artist (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Graham Hall	....	assistant camera
David James	....	still photographer
Alan Jones	....	focus operator
Steve Kitchen	....	best boy
Tony White	....	camera operator (as Anthony White)
Micky Wilson	....	supervising electrician

Casting Department
Jeremy Zimmermann	....	assistant casting director

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Judy Baxter	....	wardrobe assistant
John Birkinshaw	....	wardrobe assistant
Min Booth	....	wardrobe assistant
Marguerite Smith	....	assistant costume designer
Patrick Wheatley	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Keith Mason	....	second assistant editor
Kant Pan	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Tony Britten	....	conductor
Michael Connell	....	music editor

Other crew
Eleanor Fazan	....	choreographer
Nigel Goldsack	....	location manager
Carolyn Hall	....	production accountant
Al Hix	....	unit publicist
Kelly Howard-Garde	....	production assistant
Nyla Lyon	....	assistant to producers: U.S.
Nancy McGeorge	....	assistant to producers: U.S.
Ian Munro	....	beam operator
Olga Pogostin	....	assistant to producers: U.K.
Lissa Ruben	....	continuity
Michele Tandy	....	assistant production accountant

Production Companies

• Entertainment Partners Ltd.

Distributors

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1984) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Enterprised (1984) (UK) (theatrical)
• Fox Video (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (VHS)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Effects Associates (uncredited)

Other Companies

• The Travel Company  travel arrangements
• Hoffman Travel  travel arrangements
• Samuelson Lighting  electrical equipment
• Optical Film Effects  opticals
• General Screen Enterprises  titles
• Pinewood Studios  re-recorded at
• Olympic Studios  music recorded at (as Olympic Sound Studios)
• Travenol Laboratories  copyright holder

Also Known As:

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English | Portuguese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

UK:U | Australia:G | USA:PG (1995 DVD rating) | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England, UK

Company:

Entertainment Partners Ltd.

Trivia:

The word "humbug" is misunderstood by many people, which is a pity since the word provides a key insight into Scrooge's hatred of Christmas. The word "humbug" describes deceitful efforts to fool people by pretending to a fake loftiness or false sincerity. So when Scrooge calls Christmas a humbug, he is claiming that people only pretend to charity and kindness in an scoundrel effort to delude him, each other, and themselves. In Scrooge's eyes, he is the one man honest enough to admit that no one really cares about anyone else, so for him, every wish for a Merry Christmas is one more deceitful effort to fool him and take advantage of him. This is a man who has turned to profit because he honestly believes everyone else will someday betray him or abandon him the moment he trusts them.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The spinet piano during Christmas Present was not available until the 1930's.

Quotes:

Young Scrooge:[Fan enters the boarding school where young Ebenezer sleeps on a desk] Fan?
[they hug]
Fan:Dear, dear brother! I've come to take you home, brother. Home for good and all! Father is so much kinder now than he used to be. One night, he spoke with me so gently that I worked up the courage to ask him if you might come home! And he said yes, you should. We came in a coach to pick you up; it's right outside!
Young Scrooge:You've grown into quite a young woman, Fan.
Fan:And you've grown into quite a young man, never to need see this lonely place again. Come on, let's not keep Father waiting.
[they dash outside to meet their father. Young Ebenezer starts to hug Silas, but the elder man holds out his walking-stick, preventing the boy from doing so]
Silas Scrooge:There, there, boy. Let's have a look at you. Well, they haven't been overfeeding you. That's evident.
Young Scrooge:I've grown, Fan tells me.
Silas Scrooge:Yes, most boys do. I imagine she's also told you that you're not moving back here. So it's time you made your way in the world. I've arrange an apprenticeship for you. You'll move into Mr. Fezziwig's establishment in three days' time.
Fan:Three days, Father? It's been YEARS since we've had my brother at home! I was hoping we'd have him for longer.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Queer Duck: The Movie (2006) (V)

A Christmas Classic

This is simply one of the finest renditions of Dicken's classic tale. The script very accurately follows the story originally penned by Dickens, and captures a perfect balance between a film atmosphere and a play atmosphere. Viewers fond of either format will find enough of the story rooted in their presentation style of choice.

George C. Scott brings a delightfully realistic approach to the character of Scrooge, and is very convincing in the character development instigated by the visits of the ghosts. I found that he was able to win me over to the point where I sympathized with the old miser, something rarely done in other versions. The superb job done by the supporting actors add greatly to this production, which is simply the most enjoyable of all the Christmas Carol versions I have seen.