A Christmas Carol (1999)

A Yearly Tradition

An excellent adaptation of a Christmas favorite.
I orginally taped it off TNT back in '99, watching again every year. I was so glad to find it in DVD format online.
I bought several copies, to give as gifts.
A must see to get you in the holiday spirit December 28, 2008

Piccard Goes Where Many Have Gone Before

Many have been "Scrooge." and so far I've never seen anyone do a bad job. I love the story and Patrick Stewart does it well. I was suprised as I did not think I would believe him as scrooge. The story was presented well and pleasing to watch. But I am biased as this is my favorite Chritmas story and so far I like all versions. December 27, 2008

A Christmas Carol

A Christmas Carol with Patrick Stewart is a fresh and moving retelling of Charles Dickens. I have encouaged its viewing as a pastor, and many like me enjoyed it the the classic, but saw it anew and come to life with meaning for today.

"Ebenezer" means an encounter that has resulted in significant change. Charles Dickens was saying more than what sees in just one viewing. I wish more people knew of this movie. December 23, 2008

Without a doubt Closest to the original Dickens Classic

It has been estimated that there have been over 1,000 versions (since the first 1910 silent one) of this timeless classic, and I know that a lot of people credit the Alistair Sim version as being most faithful to the original text--while factually it is far-and-away among the LEAST faithful to the Dickens' tale.
I don't say that to disparage Sim's version as I find it a thoroughly enjoyable and well done classic. That said, however, its divergence from the original text begins with the title "Scrooge" instead of the actual name "A Christmas Carol". It changes Belle's name to Alice, it has her ending up as a lonely spinster working in some poorhouse for sick elderly instead of happily married and mother to the children Scrooge might have called his own; Fan is anything but "little" and the abandoned boy at school is hardly a "boy"... the list of other deviations goes on and on for this alleged "truest to the original" version; but that is NOT what this critique is about--it's about Stewart's version; yet I felt it necessary to mention that to make my point.
I am a Dickens purist, and while I enjoy ALL of the versions of this classic (and the Sim, and Reginald Owen and George Scott versions are among my favorite --as is the Mr. Magoo version among the many animated ones), THIS one (with Patrick Stewart is far and away the very BEST if you want to see it as close to the way Dickens wrote it as possible.
That said, it DOES have its senseless deviations. For one inexplicable thing the producers saw fit to change the name of his sister Fan, to "Fran" (I really think that is the silliest thing they did and by far the most egregious infidelity with no justification beyond using a more common name). At least she IS a little girl... and Scrooge a little boy at the time. The book DOES begin with a brief snippet from Marley's funeral but only to get in the lines about Marley being "dead as a doornail" followed by a reference to it's not being the "deadest bit of ironmongery" (directly from the text)... then quickly changes to the scene in Scrooge's counting house, with Cratchit busily at work in his little tank while the mercenary Scrooge watches greedily.
From this point on the movie follows the actual story with remarkable accuracy. It even shows the ghost of Christmas Present as a MALE!!! as opposed to the Politically Correct penchant of so many producers to make one of the Spirits a female (despite the FACT that the Ghost of Christmas Present refers to his 1800 plus BROTHERS). Joel Grey is perfect as the diminutive Spirit who looks both old and young at the same time. The Spirit of Christmas Present also is great, and takes Scrooge to all those places, (the lighthouse, the ship at sea, down in the "bowels" of the Earth, to the almshouses and prisons), and later we actually see him AGE... something NO other version I've seen depicts. After his frightful trek with the Ghost of Christmas yet to Come (NOT the Ghost of Christmas Future--never mentioned in the book)... he more accurately reacts... we see him go to church (not shown in any other)... and his pacing in front of the nephew's house before dashing for the door. Little things like this make it just perfect among ALL versions. -- OH! And Cratchit actually DOES live in a hovel... truly a poor residence, and is skinny and looks the Cratchit we envision while reading the tale. And again unlike all other versions, depicts Bob going upstairs to say one last farewell to Tiny Tim who is obviously waked in his bed after his demise--another thing NO other version I know of shows.
Okay... I'm not going to go on any further and doubt many will have read this far; but I was only too happy to critique this version simply because I'm always excited when I see a movie that, unlike most, is truly faithful to the actual text. Beyond the irksome moniker of "Fran" and a few changing of words to a more modern lexicon hither and yon... this made for TV movie is without peer as a screen adaptation of the most filmed and most timeless Christmas Classic ever put to pen--or on screen. No doubt -- Five stars and a big thumbs UP! Loved it!
December 20, 2008

best version

Patrick Stewart is so great in this version of a Christmas Carol. A must for all fans of this classic tale. December 19, 2008

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