What It's About:

This adaptation of the beloved Dickens ghost story focuses on the archetypal miser-who-hates- Christmas, Ebenezer Scrooge (Scott). Scrooge is tough on his good-natured clerk Bob Cratchit (Warner), who struggles on his meager salary to care for his loving family, especially the crippled Tiny Tim (Walters). Scrooge’s hard-heartedness is put to the test, however, when he is interrupted on Christmas Eve by a visit from his deceased associate Jacob Marley (Finlay), who heralds the arrival of three time-traveling ghosts. Each of the phantoms attempts to show Scrooge the error of his ways—but is it too late?

Why I Love It:

One of the most popular tales in Western literature, A Christmas Carol has been filmed numerous times and featured talent as diverse as Alastair Sim, Patrick Stewart, Jim Carrey, and the Muppets. But this made-for-TV version is the most touching production of all. Much of the credit goes to Scott, who brilliantly portrays the wounded vulnerability beneath Scrooge’s façade of formidable power. The rest of the cast (especially Finlay as the melancholy Marley) is equally impressive, aided by exquisite scenery, music, and costumes that lovingly bring 19th century London to life. At turns eerie and mysterious, tender and witty, this Christmas Carol is a gift at any time of year.