USA, UK, 17 December 1984
101m
35mm film colour, 4:3
mono, English
An American/British fantasy television film directed by Clive Donner.
Plot Summary
Ebenezer Scrooge is the meanest man in town and hates Christmas almost as much as he loves his money. But one Christmas Eve, he's visited by a series of ghosts who make him see the true meaning of Christmas – and a warning of what life may hold if he doesn't change his ways…
Credits
Crew
Directed by: Clive Donner
© 1984, Travenol Laboratories Limited
Made by Entertainment Partners Ltd., London, England
Executive Producer: Robert E. Fuisz
Produced by: William F. Storke, Alfred R. Kelman
Screenplay by: Roger O. Hirson
Based on the Novel by: Charles Dickens
Director of Photography: Tony Imi
Editor: Peter Tanner
Music Composed by: Nick Bicât
Sound Recordist: David Crozier
Costume Designer: Evangeline Harrison
Make-Up & Hair Designer: Christine Beveridge
Special Effects: Martin Gutteridge, Graham Longhurst
Production Designer: Roger Murray-Leach
Made entirely on location in England [Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England, UK]
Cast
George C. Scott (Ebenezer Scrooge)
Nigel Davenport (Silas Scrooge)
Frank Finlay (Jacob Marley)
Lucy Gutteridge (Belle)
Angela Pleasence (Ghost of Christmas Past)
Roger Rees (Fred Holywell/narrator)
David Warner (Bob Cratchit)
Edward Woodward (Ghost of Christmas Present)
Susannah York (Mrs Cratchit)
Timothy Bateson (Mr Fezziwig)
Derek Francis [credited in opening titles but not end titles]
Michael Gough (Mr Poole)
Caroline Langrishe (Janet Holywell)
John Quarmby (Mr Harking)
John Sharp [credited in opening titles but not end titles]
Joanne Whalley (Fan)
Peter Woodthorpe (old Joe)
Anthony Walters as Tiny Tim
Michael Carter (Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come)
Mark Strickson (young Scrooge)
Alternative Titles
Charles Dickens Weihnachtsgeschichte – German title
Cuento de Navidad – Venezuelan title
Cuentos de Navidad – Spanish title
En Spökhistoria – Swedish title
Links
Extracts included in
The Great Christmas Movies (1998)
Press
Sunday Telegraph 9 December 1984
“With seasonal caution I venture the opinion that Tiny Tim is a tiresome little sprog and the point at which the story always becomes too glutinously sentimental, a tendency that director Clive Donner does not curb, but it would be sheer humbug to deny the enduring power of this tale of misers reformed, cripples cured, turkeys on every table and goodwill by the bucket. A word of heartfelt praise for George C. Scott: few American actors could fit so well with a British cast.” – David Castell
References
Periodicals
TV Times 23 December 1989 – 5 January 1990 p.47 – review
What's On 6 December 1984 p.44 – review (Decent Dickens by Philip Bergson)
Newspapers
Sunday Telegraph 9 December 1984 – review (by David Castell)
Books
A Christmas Carol and Its Adaptations: A Critical Examination of Dickens's Story and Its Productions on Screen and Television by Fred Guida p.215 – credits
