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	...	Queens 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

In Victorian England, merchant Ebenezer Blackadder is a kind and generous man. He enjoys Christmas-time and is generous with friends and freely gives whatever he can to the poor. That night, he is visited by the Spirit of Christmas who shows him some of his less likeable ancestors. When shown the options for the future, he decides that being bad is the best way forward.

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Plot Keywords:

adaptation of a christmas carol | christmas | ghost | generous man | year 1850 | 

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Taglines:

Blackadder's Christmas Carol by Ben and Dick.

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Genres:

Comedy | History

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Did You Know?

Trivia

Rowan Atkinson and Richard Curtis never considered making a season on "Blackadder" following Grand Admiral Blackadder in the far future. However, in Blackadder Back & Forth (1999), Lord Blackadder and Baldrick's time machine materializes in the middle of a space battle and it assumed that the space battle took place during Grand Admiral Blackadder's time.

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Goofs

Admiral Nelson never wore an eye patch over his lost eye.

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Quotes

Frondo: Take him to the Sprouting Chamber!

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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.

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Alternate Versions

In some copies, the line "They want us to do another one at Easter - they want to see us nail up the dog" has been cut.

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Connections

Version of Novela: Leyenda de Navidad I (1966)

User Reviews

hilarious!

A fantastic idea, this one. Take the old chestnut 'A Christmas Carol', give it a shake-up, and turn it on its head.

Ebenezer Blackadder (Rowan Atkinson in fine form as ever) is a good guy, who gives away anything to anyone, and is truly chock-full of the Christmas spirit. Time for the Spirit of Christmas (a rip-roaring turn from Robbie Coltrane) to work his magic, invoke the spirits of Ebenezer's ancestors and descendants, and inform him of the errors of his ways.

We're reminded of Blackadder's former incarnations, in Tudor and Regency times, and of the cunning plans and twists of the long-gone relatives. We meet again with the likes of Queenie (Miranda Richardson), Melchett (Stephen Fry), Nursie (Patsy Byrne), and Prince George (Hugh Laurie). And of course the Cratchit character - Baldrick, who else! - suffers more and more as the story unfolds.

A scary turn from Miriam Margoyles and Jim Broadbent (Victoria and Albert), and a mind-boggling look into the distant future completes the transformation.

Not shown often enough, this is a real plum-pudding of a piece.

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

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1