A Christmas Carol

1984 "A new powerful presentation of the most loved ghost story of all time!"
7.8| 1h41m| PG| en| More Info
Released: 09 October 1984 Released
Producted By: Entertainment Partners Ltd.
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
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Synopsis

Miser Ebenezer Scrooge is awakened on Christmas Eve by spirits who reveal to him his own miserable existence, what opportunities he wasted in his youth, his current cruelties, and the dire fate that awaits him if he does not change his ways. Scrooge is faced with his own story of growing bitterness and meanness, and must decide what his own future will hold: death or redemption.

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Reviews

Grimerlana Plenty to Like, Plenty to Dislike
Claysaba Excellent, Without a doubt!!
Kaydan Christian A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.
Kaelan Mccaffrey Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.
springermatthew This movie has become a Christmas tradition in our household. George C. Scott is amazing as Scrooge and every British actor in the movie is spot-on for The Victorian English tale. My favorite smaller role would have to be the ghost of Christmas present who is hilarious in his wit and retorts to Scrooge's dourness. It is as realistic as this story can get and does not downplay the seriousness of Scrooge's situation as well as not over indulging in the sweetness when Scrooge has his revelation. By far my favorite Christmas story!
Anssi Vartiainen Once again a retelling of the classic Charles Dickens novella. This time made directly for television, yet starring George C. Scott in the role of Ebenezer Scrooge. And over the years it has become one of the most well-known adaptations of the original tale. And for a reason, I say.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.
Prismark10 The striking thing of the 1984 television movie starring George C Scott as Scrooge is the faithfulness to the text, not only in the lines spoken by the cast but in director Clive Donner bringing it in the visuals such as the door knocker changing to the face of Marley and bringing to life the sparse Victoria setting of Scrooge's lifestyle.Of course there is no issue that an excellent actor such as Scott will have no issue playing the miser Scrooge and there are excellent turns from Frank Finlay as Marley and Edward Woodward as the gigantic Ghost of Christmas present with a touch of malevolence.Maybe the casting of David Warner did not feel right as Bob Cratchit, an actor who spent most of the 1980s playing villains and maybe was a little too old for the role.The film is filled with British character actors, sadly many of whom along with Scott are no longer with us. However if you want to see a traditional adaptation of Dicken's festive tale then you cannot go wrong with this one.
SimonJack This TV movie of "A Christmas Carol" is one of only three films of the Dickens classic to receive major award nominations. George C. Scott was nominated for an Emmy award for his portrayal of Ebenezer Scrooge. The 1999 TV movie starring Patrick Stewart received an Emmy nomination for cinematography. The other film, the 1970 musical version "Scrooge," received four Academy Award nominations. This 100-minute production has a good rendition of the Charles Dickens story. While Scott's Scrooge is very good, he gives a nuance to the character that doesn't seem quite right. He smiles at times when making a put down or derisive comment. That becomes more striking, in retrospect, with his late conversion, which then seems much less convincing. One can understand why fine actors (of which Scott is one) would want to play Scrooge and remake the story on film in succeeding decades. It's a true testimonial to the brilliant and timeless book by Dickens. And, it is also evidence of the love great actors have for the theater, and of the challenge they have to tackle stories and roles that already have achieved excellence. The rest of the cast are OK, for the most part, but no other performances are notable. Some things that take away from the film. The most bothersome is the musical score. At times, it is much too loud and heavy, and at other times it just doesn't suit the scene. The setting doesn't seem quite real. Scrooge's home is very neat and tidy. The street sets, especially of the town, seem too clean and unreal – sort of a feel one gets from CGI. Still, this is a decent portrayal and film, and one worth watching. It's the best movie of "A Christmas Carol" made for TV. But it's not one to keep in place of the 1938, 1951 or 1970 films.