UK, 1901
black and white
silent
A British fantasy film directed by Walter R. Booth. It's the oldest known adaptation of Charles Dickens' novel A Christmas Carol. Only 620 feet have survived (approximately 5m 30s) which is preserved by the British Film Institute who have made the footage available online.
Plot Summary
Miserly London businessman Ebenezer Scrooge is visited on Christmas Eve by the ghost of his dead business partner Marley, who warns him that three more ghosts will appear during the night trying to show Scrooge the error of his ways. As the night wears on, he's visited by the Ghost of Christmas Past, the Ghost of Christmas Present and the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. But will even they be enough to soften old Scrooge's heart?
Credits
Crew
Director: Walter R. Booth
Paul's Animatograph Works
Novel: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Alternative Titles
Scrooge
References
Books
- Charles Dickens on the Screen: The Film, Television and Video Adaptations by Michael Pointer p.117
- A Christmas Carol and Its Adaptations: A Critical Examination of Dickens's Story and Its Productions on Screen and Television by Fred Guida p.172 – credits
- The Encyclopedia of Novels Into Films second edition by John C. Tibbetts and James M. Welsh pp.54-56 – illustrated credits, review (by F.T. [Frank Thompson])
- Horror in Silent Films by Roy Kinnard p.14
- Reference Guide to Fantastic Films by Walt Lee p.423 – credits
