A bitter old miser who rationalizes his uncaring nature learns real compassion when three spirits visit him on Christmas Eve.A bitter old miser who rationalizes his uncaring nature learns real compassion when three spirits visit him on Christmas Eve.A bitter old miser who rationalizes his uncaring nature learns real compassion when three spirits visit him on Christmas Eve.
- Director
- Writers
- Stars
- Nominated for 1 Primetime Emmy
- 1 nomination total
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
The original story is of course wonderful. An old miser gets haunted by his old partner, who in turn warns that he's about to be visited by three ghosts in the course of the night in order to teach him about the perils of his miserly nature. The ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet-to-Come are once again brilliantly represented, managing to drive the point of giving and sharing in, but the real star of the show has to be George C. Scott as Scrooge. The sheer talent and charisma of this man is by itself enough to carry a movie. The scene where he meets his remaining family after he has repented is easily one of the most poignant in the entire film and made possible solely through the talent of Scott.
Not to say that the rest of the film is in any way inferior. Quite the opposite. Despite being made directly for television, it impresses with its technical aspects and with the talents of its actors. Just goes to show that the spirit of Christmas brings out the best in all of us.
Quite worth seeing.
- Vartiainen
- Mar 5, 2017
- Permalink
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe scenes set in the Cratchit family house were filmed in a wine merchants which is still there. The particular building was next door to a car garage. The scene in which Scrooge visits and learns of Tiny Tim's death had to be reshot, owing to an extractor fan drowning out the actors' speech from the body shop on the other side of the wall.
- GoofsThe string holding up the Spirit of Christmas Past's snuffer is briefly visible when she removes her hand from above it in the first scene with Scrooge. The snuffer shakes and wobbles perceptibly (as the string is slightly moved) throughout the scene.
- Quotes
Ebenezer Scrooge: [on Tiny Tim] Tell me, Spirit... Will he live?
Ghost of Christmas Present: I see a vacant place at this table. I see a crutch without an owner, carefully preserved. If these shadows remain unaltered by the future, the child will die.
Ebenezer Scrooge: No. Say he'll be spared.
Ghost of Christmas Present: If these shadows remain unaltered by the future, none other of my species will find him here. But if he is to die, then let him die and decrease the surplus population.
Ebenezer Scrooge: You use my own words against me?
Ghost of Christmas Present: Yes. So perhaps, in the future, you will hold your tongue until you have discovered what the surplus population is and where it is. It may well be that, in the sight of Heaven, you are more worthless and less fit to live than MILLIONS like this poor man's child.
- Alternate versionsSome VHS and DVD releases (but not all) edited out Marley's voice calling Scrooge in the apparitional hearse, and then again just before appearing in the knocker.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The 37th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (1985)
Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Official site
- Languages
- Also known as
- Charles Dickens Weihnachtsgeschichte
- Filming locations
- Fish Street, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England, UK(scenes featuring Bob Cratchit's house)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 40 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
Contribute to this page
