Blackadder's Christmas Carol (1988)

After a genial spirit shows the benevolent Ebenezer Blackadder visions of his unscrupulous ancestors, he resolves to mend his generous ways.

Director:

Richard Boden

Writers:

Richard Curtis (by), Ben Elton (by)

Stars:

Rowan Atkinson, Tony Robinson, Miranda Richardson

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Rowan Atkinson	...	Blackadders
Tony Robinson	...	Baldricks
Miranda Richardson	...	Queen Elizabeth I / Asphyxia XIX
Stephen Fry	...	Lords Melchett / Frondo
Hugh Laurie	...	Princes Regent / Pigmot
Robbie Coltrane	...	Spirit of Christmas
Miriam Margolyes	...	Queen Victoria
Jim Broadbent	...	Prince Albert
Patsy Byrne	...	Nursie / Bernard
Denis Lill	...	Beadle
Pauline Melville	...	Mrs Scratchit
Philip Pope	...	Lord Nelson
Nicola Bryant	...	Millicent
Ramsay Gilderdale	...	Ralph
David Barber	...	Enormous Orphan

Storyline

Edmund Blackadder and Baldrick his dogsbody are transplanted this time to Dickensian England in this one-off episode. He is kind, gentle and caring, but visits from an assortment of ghosts soon have him back to his old ways.

---

Plot Keywords:

christmas | ghost | generous man | year 1850 | 1850s | 

---

Taglines:

Blackadder's Christmas Carol by Ben and Dick.

---

Genres:

Short | Comedy | History

---

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 December 1988 (UK)

Also Known As:

Blackadder's Christmas Carol

Filming Locations:

BBC Television Centre, Wood Lane, Shepherd's Bush, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

43 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film and Blackadder Back & Forth (1999) are the only two to actively reprise characters from previous Blackadder incarnations (namely new segments for Black-Adder II (1986) and Black Adder the Third (1987)).

---

Goofs

Queen Victoria is depicted wearing her stereotypical black clothing; however, Victoria did not actually begin to dress all in black until after her husband, Prince Albert, died in 1861.

---

Quotes

Ebenezer Blackadder: I'm afraid the only way you are likely to get a wet kiss at Christmas, or indeed at any other time, is to make a pass at a water closet.

---

Crazy Credits

After the list of the cast and crew at the end of the movie, we see the words "A Merry Messy Kweznuz" scribbled, "Kweznuz" replacing "Kwelfnuve" which is stricken out. As Blackadder correctly had noted this is spelling Christmas without getting a single letter right.

---

Connections

References Black Adder the Third (1987)

User Reviews

Very amusing.

This is one of two individual "film episodes" of Blackadder, separate to the series, although each of the two films has references to the series.

Out of Blackadder Back and Forth and this, I prefer Back and Forth, but this is still a hilarious delight to watch. At the beginning, Ebenezer Blackadder is the opposite of Ebenezer Scrooge, being nice to everyone - even Baldrick, surprisingly enough. He is so kind he ends up giving away all their Christmas presents and food for the next day - and their mini Christmas tree (the people who do this include Queen Victoria and Albert, who dress up as peasants to meet Blackadder). That night, the ghost of Christmas past, present and future comes to meet Blackadder and congratulates him for being very nice - unlike his ancestors. The ghost shows Blackadder some things that have happened and will happen, transforming Blackadder in unusual ways...

The cast:

The lovely, kind Blackadder (:-O ???): Rowan Atkinson. The sweet, brainless Baldrick: Tony Robinson. Lord Melchett: Stphen Fry. The happy, bumbling Queen Vicky: Miriam Margoyles. The silly Albert: Jim Broadbent. The jolly, magical ghost of Christmas past, present and future: Robbie Coltrane. + people from the second and third parts of the series.

I recommend this to anyone who likes Blackadder, anyone who likes good humour and people who like Christmas! Enjoy! :-)

8 and a half out of ten.