Television Movie Review: A Christmas Carol
Charles Dickens classic tale follows miser Ebenezer Scrooge as he lives his life soley focused on how much money he makes. Scrooge lives like a pauper despite his wealth. Scrooge’s assistant Bob Cratchit must work with only a few coals for warmth. Scrooge condemns Cratchit’s request for the entire day off on Christmas day, calling Christmas “humbug”. On Christmas Eve the ghost of Cratchit’s business partner haunts him warning Scrooge to change his ways. Scrooge is visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future who show Scrooge how others view his miserable life and make clear he must repent his ways.
This Hallmark Channel adaptation of Charles Dickens novel stars Patrick Stewart as Ebenezer Scrooge. It is a very good production, with excellent cast and a standout performance by Patrick Stewart, a fine Shakespearean stage actor who makes the most of this stellar role. The art direction is beautiful and the costumes are particularly appealing in this version of Dicken’s book.
Dickens story of greed and redemption is a classic and one of my favorite books. Whether you choose the Hallmark Channel version or the original movie starring Alastair Sim, or one of the many other versions, A Christmas Carol is a treasured story worth watching every Christmas season.
1999. Directed by David Hugh Jones. Starring Patrick Stewart, Richard E. Grant, Joel Grey, Ian McNeice, Saskia Reeves, Desmond Barrit, Bernard Lloyd, and Dominic West.
