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 William 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:

Charles Dicken's Victorian London becomes America's great Depression in this exciting new film

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Genres:

Drama | Fantasy

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

Canada USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 December 1979 (USA)

Also Known As:

Canto di Natale

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

Did You Know?

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: [seeing an overgrown gravesite] Wait, wait. There is something about this place. Something draws me right to it. The monument looks fairly new, and yet, neglected.
Ghost of Christmas Future: No one visits that grave.
Benedict Slade: Not ever?
Ghost of Christmas Future: Not ever.
Benedict Slade: To lie in a grave, un-loved and un-remembered, is as if the life was never lived.
Ghost of Christmas Future: That is the only... real death.

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Connections

Version of John Grin's Christmas (1986)

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Soundtracks

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

User Reviews

this is the version that puts a jump in my step

It takes a great movie "for me" to voice my opinion, but this is such a great version I had to speak out. Although there are other versions "and there are many" this is the one that puts a jump in my step, this is the one that I go out of my way to watch. I actually plan my TV viewing time around it every year, the President could be declaring war, and I'll change the channel on him. One year it was not playing on any of the station so I went out and bought a copy. Now I have it on file forever, and can watch it any time I choose "but seriously" it literary kills me to have to wait until Christmas time to watch it. One year "I couldn't wait" so I whipped out my disk "slid it in the player" and watched it in July. Be cool John, R.I.