Christmas elicits nothing more than "Bah, humbug!" from Ebenezer Scrooge (Scott), a miser whose sole pursuit of financial success has left him a bitter and lonely old man. But a Christmas Eve visit from the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future ultimately teaches him to open his heart to the spirit of Christmas and to the joys of friends and family.
In the same year that he directed a handsome version of The Scarlet Pimpernel for television, Clive Donner also made this worthy 1984 small-screen production of the Dickens tale. George C. Scott can't quite muster a decent English accent, but he does bring some new colors to this movie's interpretation of Scrooge, making the character less nasty for the sake of nastiness and more a product of a life of lovelessness. The supporting cast is first-rate, and the production is far more handsome than most TV fare. --Tom Keogh
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
The best:
Of all adaptations of A Christmas Carol, this is the best one. George C. Scott is the perfect Scrooge.
I find it hard to enjoy this as a Dickens story when...:
its lead character hasn't the least bit of an English accent! George C. Scott is appropriately grumpy, etc. but give me Alistair Sim anytime. However, I know there are folks who don't like black and white movies, and if that is the case (don't get the colorized one for goodness sake!) I would guess you probably would be willing to forgo Dickensian atmosphere --therefore, this version is as good as any other, as the supporting cast is excellent and the adaptation itself is very good.
A great George C Scott performance of a classic.:
In my opinion this is the best version of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens which has been made to date. Although George C Scott is an American he portrays Scrooge excellently. It is realistic, being filmed in Shrewsbury, England. If you're looking for modern visual effects this is probably not for you, but it's great for kids and adults alike with messages that are valid in modern day. I've got this film on VHS tape and DVD and no christmas is complete without watching it. 'A' rated film quality but not... more info
A Christmas Carol:
The BEST Christmas movie ever.....my children 15 and 13 loved it as well. Much, much better than later versions. It will be a Christmas tradition from now on.....everyone should buy this for their video library! Jane
