An American Christmas Carol (1979)

In an American town, an old bitter miser is given a ghostly chance at redemption on Christmas Eve.

Director:

Eric Till

Writers:

Charles Dickens (story "A Christmas Carol"), Jerome Coopersmith (screenplay)

Stars:

Henry Winkler, David Wayne, Chris Wiggins

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Henry Winkler	...	Benedict Slade
David Wayne	...	Merrivale
Chris Wiggins	...	Mr. Nathaniel Brewster
R.H. Thomson	...	Thatcher
Ken Pogue	...	Jack Latham (as Kenneth Pogue)
Gerard Parkes	...	Jessup
Susan Hogan	...	Helen Brewster
Will Bermender	...	Orphan (as Will Bermender)
Dorian Harewood	...	Matt Reeves
Tammy Bourne	...	Sarah Thatcher
Brett Matthew Davidson	...	Orphan
Christopher Crabb	...	Tim
Chris Cragg	...	Jonathan Thatcher
James B. Douglas	...	Sam Perkins
Arlene Duncan	...	Jennie Reeves

Storyline

In Depression-era New England, a miserly businessman named Benedict Slade receives a long-overdue attitude adjustment one Christmas eve when he is visited by three ghostly figures who resemble three of the people whose possessions Slade had seized to collect on unpaid loans. Assuming the roles of the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future from Charles Dickens' classic story, the three apparitions force Slade to face the consequences of his skinflint ways, and he becomes a caring, generous, amiable man.

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Plot Keywords:

christmas | new england | ghost | redemption | great depression | 

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Taglines:

Henry Winkler is Scrooge

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Genres:

Drama | Fantasy

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

The clinic that Benedict Slade sends Jonathan to in order to treat his polio, that was run by Sister Elisabeth Kenny, was found in 1932 and was in Townsville, Queensland, which is over 2000km away from Sydney, which is where the last ticket went to that Slade gave Jonathan as a Christmas gift.

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Goofs

In one repossession scene they collect a grandfather clock. But in the previous scene when Slade arrives at the bookstore to repossess items the grandfather clock is already on the truck.

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Quotes

Benedict Slade: I know this place. I've never been here before. Why does it look so familiar?
Ghost of Christmas Present: A picture, maybe?
Benedict Slade: On my office wall. My... employee... over his desk...
Ghost of Christmas Present: Your former employee. Remember?
Benedict Slade: He deserved to be fired. Disagrees with everything I do. Conspires with others to pull money out of me. Who needs someone like that around?
Ghost of Christmas Present: There are three in here who do.

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Connections

Version of An American Carol (2008)

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Soundtracks

Deck the Halls
(uncredited)
Traditional tune, lyrics by Thomas Oliphant

User Reviews

NOT A BAD VERSION

I haven't seen it in about 15 years, but I really did like this version of A Christmas Carol. Yeah, it deviated a bit from the original story, but... so what? I could relate to it more.

Seems like ABC would have this one to broadcast annually, but I guess they tossed it when the Fonzie furor was over. Actually, I'm not sure if he was best cast as the American Scrooge, but that didn't take away from the story.

Call me delusional, but I consider it an unappreciated holiday classic.

Details

Country:

Canada USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 December 1979 (USA)

Also Known As:

An American Christmas Carol

Filming Locations:

West Mill Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$2,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Smith-Hemion Productions, Stanley Chase Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1