Disclaimer: Contains spoilers!
Plot Summary: Charles Dickens' timeless tale of miserly Ebenezer Scrooge being visited by three ghosts one Christmas Eve.
Review: Of all the holiday themed books, movies, songs, etc. in existence, nothing embodies the message and visage of Christmas more to me than the immortal classic, "A Christmas Carol." There's just something so mesmerizing and unforgettable about the tale that draws me in no matter what shape or form the story takes. The messages, themes, imagery, characters, dialogue, and creativity that form the story are perfect and touch a certain chord with the audience like nothing else. Everything about the story works perfectly and leaves the audience with great introspection as well as reflection in the same manner Scrooge experiences. There is a beauty to the imagination involved in structuring the story and even though the tale is celebrating its 170th year of nonstop publication, it still holds relevance and can be easily relatable to anyone. However, with literally hundreds of iterations, how does one determine the best medium besides the original novella? For me, the definitive adaptation of the story is this made-for-TV film starring none other than Patrick Stewart as Scrooge himself. This film captures the story accurately while instilling a tone that matches up with how I envision the story as I read it. Furthermore, that somber tone is provided while enhancing the triumphant redemption of Scrooge by the end--properly engaging the audience like few other variations can.
Since I think it's safe to say everyone is familiar with the storyline here, I will simply delve into what makes this adaptation better than all the others. First and foremost, the look and atmosphere are spot on; the Victorian England vibe is strong and the side effects to industrialization are ever present with high production values. There is elegance to the set designs and lighting choices that establishes a strong tone from the onset. That wet, wintery look feels so dreary, which mirrors the cold heart of Scrooge, works so well when contrasted to the bright, snowy look by the end once Scrooge is redeemed. There is this overpowering sense of misery, dread, and suffering present throughout the film as you feel the harshness of the time period and the sheer despair of those that lived during the era; I know it can sometimes feel over the top, but I think the ideas that Dickens were going for are ideally represented for the audience. Even though the Christmasy look to the background is severely toned down, I think this is a more accurate depiction of the past rather than overly festive. As for the acting, all the players involved do a fantastic job with the exception of a few shaky performances from Cratchit's kids. Of course, the standout performance is from Mr. Stewart who brings Scrooge to life with such conviction and sincerity while simultaneously balancing the portrayal of Scrooge's unforgiving sternness versus his emotional fragility. The right moments are especially stressed to emphasize many of Dickens' themes more adequately than other incarnations like when we see the tortured souls Marley discusses, the various individuals celebrating Christmas around the country, and the heartless nature of many people both rich and poor; there is a lot of powerful imagery present throughout this film that many versions do not do justice toward. The introduction of the three infamous Christmas spirits: past, present, and future (aka Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come) could have been done a tad bit better, but their looks are in league with other versions. I've always enjoyed the look at the Christmas past most, because we see what led to Scrooge's downfall. It's interesting that Scrooge only ever had a handful of people that were close to him and he lost them one way or another; although, I've always felt there should have been more closure with his fiancee, Belle. There is a kind of annoying musical number that comes out of nowhere, but I suppose, like me, the writers here felt there needed to be more expression on Scrooge's loss of Belle since it is probably the biggest contributor to his current self. Lastly, I guess there is just this sort of authenticity and faithfulness to the experience that makes it feel like you're almost reading the story. It's hard to explain, but as someone who has read the story many times, I sometimes start to mix up the tinier details that occur between this version and the original story because they play out so similarly in my mind and that is a feat unto itself.
Critics have criticized Scrooge's transformation over the years claiming it was forced, but I think they interpret the story too literally. The underlying notion is that this is a greedy old man experiencing a moment of enlightenment and realization that there is more to life than what he has believed. It's not necessarily that the spirits are scaring Scrooge into changing, because you could argue it was all in his head anyway, but it is a sort of awakening for the character; in fact, it is the ghosts that want him to come to these conclusions on his own. I think this story rightfully deserves the enormous praise and admiration it has garnered over the decades as a fundamental literary masterpiece and essential part of Christmas history. I make it a tradition to watch this film adaptation every Christmas and it usually airs on TV every year anyway. Everything about this incarnation is spot on, feeling like it possesses genuine Hollywood level of productions while never venturing too far from the source material. The acting, music, tone, and imagery are near perfect and the story is brought to life as wonderfully as I could hope. I definitely recommend checking this film out this Christmas or perhaps to even get ahold of the story itself and finally read it if you haven't already.
Notable Moment: When Scrooge sees all the tortured souls like a giant whirlwind in the sky. Talk about some "Dante's Inferno" level shit!
Final Rating: 9/10
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