A Christmas Carol: The Musical (2004) (Movie Review)

  The 1843 novel “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens is one of my all-time favorite tales to be associated with the holiday season, and it’s arguably been adapted into more mediums than any other holiday themed story. While I have my movie adaptations that I feel best capture the spirit of the source material, I also find myself drawn to the versions that have their own distinct style, personality and approach. For instance, adapting the Dickens classic into a musical is an especially appealing concept, and is only fitting as “Carol” is in the title.

While there have been several musical renditions of “A Christmas Carol” in the past, my personal favorite is the 2004 movie simply titled “A Christmas Carol: The Musical”. I'm sure most fans prefer either the 1970 musical "Scrooge" or "The Muppet Christmas Carol" from 1992, which is perfectly understandable ... the Muppet version is certainly a close second favorite of mine. Nevertheless, it's the 2004 movie musical I find myself most drawn back too. Now to be blunt right out the gate, this film is far from perfect, and won't be for everyone, but even with its admitted short comings, it still feels special to me. It's adapted from the 1994 stage musical by Alan Menken and Lynn Ahrens, both of whom continued to work on the film, with Arthur Allan Seidelman directing, Hallmark distributing, and Kelsey Grammer in the lead role of Ebenezer Scrooge.  

  Naturally, Mr. Scrooge is the meanest and greediest man in London, who thinks little of his fellow man. Yet, one magical Christmas Eve, he’s visited by four ghosts, one being his late business partner Jacob Marley, and the other three being the spirits of Christmas past, present and future. 

Together they take Scrooge on a journey across time and space to see what made him such a miser, and to see if both the value and spirit of the season can reform him. This film stands apart from most others with an over the top, tongue and check quality, and as such, it’s going to be an acquired taste for some. For my liking, sense it’s a musical, I feel it has the right to be more colorful and bombastic with its presentation, and the film isn’t ashamed to go all the way. In comparison to the 1970 movie musical “Scrooge”, that film was just as over the top and cheerful in tone, but it mostly had a dinge look and design no different than other proper movie adaptations. By contrast, this 2004 movie musical maintains its gas-lamp, London setting, but it’s very colorful and highly decorated, which for me compliments the musical tone and personality of the film. Honestly, of all the live action “Christmas Carols” I’ve seen, this one visually gets me most in the cheerful, holiday mood.  

  As highlighted in the opening, the always reliable Kelsey Grammer is our Ebenezer Scrooge for this outing. 

He plays up the theatrics without adding too much to the character, and while not one of the absolute best portrayals, he’s consistently fun to watch, and still has some subtle moments to shine. I’d say for the first half, I felt I was watching the actor put on a performance, but as the film goes on, I begin to see the character more than the actor. By the end, Kelsey Grammer delivers the goods and makes for a passable portrayal of Mr. Scrooge. 

Also, sense this version aims to be a fun take on a familiar story, as opposed to a faithful adaptation of the source material, I feel it can get away with select changes in the story and character of Scrooge. For instance, when we go into Scrooge’s backstory, this version takes inspiration from the upbringing and childhood of the author Charles Dickens himself. We see that Scrooges father was arrested for failing to pay debts, which is the base point for Ebenezers obsession to cling to money, and fear of poverty. I personally don’t mind this change, as it fits in line with the character, and helps separate this movie from other adaptations. On a side note, Scrooge’s mother is wonderfully cast by Ruthie Henshall, who delivers some of the best singing and emotional beats of any character in a very short amount of screen time.  

  Another added detail I love is that this movie takes a page from “The Wizard of Oz”, and has Scrooge meet all three spirits in some kind of human form before he goes on his magical journey. 

The spirits of the past, present and future are first seen as a lamp-lighter, a newspaper seller and a blind beggar woman, before revealing their true spiritual identities, which again gives this version an identity different from other film adaptions. Jane Krakowski plays the Ghost of Christmas Past and can best be described as “Pinocchio’s Blue Fairy”, if she was a flashy show girl. It’s not what I’d call a definitive take on the character … but I’m not going to act like I don’t enjoy it either. Jane Krakowski would play another flashy show girl in an even more over the top holiday musical ... the 2017 special "A Christmas Story Live!". My favorite performance of the film is Jesse L. Martin as the Ghost of Christmas Present, who gives the character a witty personality all his own, has a great singing voice, and can also sell the dramatic and potent elements the supernatural entity requires. Jesse L. Martin also shined in both the Broadway and 2005 movie musical "Rent".

  I also like that we get more scenes of Scrooges underpaid employee Bob Cratchit bonding with his ailing son Tiny Tim before Scrooge goes on his journey, which gives both their characters a little more presence in the story. One of the most interesting additions to this film is a new little girl character named Grace, who seems to observe Scrooge on his journey, and determine how much he’s changed. I love this little moment during Scrooges trip through the Present, as he spots Grace in a crowd, and gives her a gift out of genuine thoughtfulness. It’s a great touch, and the character again is just one of those unique details that gives this movie a personality different from other film versions.   

  During our trip to the past, we spend a decent amount of time with young Scrooge and his beautiful young love interest, who’s named Emily in this version. 

Best of all, she's played by the delightful Jeffifer Love Hewitt. Ever sense I saw “I Know What You Did Last Summer” in my early teen years, Jeffifer Love Hewitt was one of my young crushes, and was always a welcome screen presence. Brian Bedford is also very good as Mr. Fezziwig, and I like that we get a little more focus on how Ebenezer callously discarded him, after he was a surrogate father figure. Jason Alexander, famous for his comedic roles, is a curious choice to play the ghostly Jacob Marley, but is serviceable in the role, and has an okay singing voice. His sequence is also a memorable one, featuring various ghosts intruding on Ebenezers home, and there’s a lot of playfully spooky visuals on display.

  The weakest part of the film unfortunately is the Ghost of Christmas Future, played in this film by Geraldine Chaplin. I wouldn’t have minded seeing the old beggar woman as the spirit of “things yet to be”, as long as she was wearing a veil to cover her face, but seeing her exposed face robs the entity of its mystique. 

That, and her final form of a mute enchantress figure clad in white … looks absolutely ridiculous and is a far cry from the more traditional faceless phantom of both the book and other film depictions. Most of the future sequence in this film comes off as rushed and lacks both the dread, tension and pathos required of this scene. I do at least like Scrooges reaction to his grave site, as he isn’t taking off guard, was almost anticipating this outcome, and while he still pleads forgiveness, Kelsy Grammer delivers an admirably restrained, yet still emotional performance. Also, for all my issues with the future sequence, I feel everything balances out with its resolution, in which Scrooge briefly reunites with his late mother and sister amidst a singing quire. It’s my favorite scene of the whole film, and subsequently one of my favorite moments of any “Christmas Carol” adaptation.    

  Finally, I have to talk about the musical numbers themselves, because as far as I’m concerned, this film features one of my favorite song-selections of any holiday picture. 

The Ghost of Christmas Present sings “Abundance and Charity”, which is the most theatrical, decorative and bombastic number, but still very fun. When looking back at his childhood, he’s reminded of the love he shared for his sister, which is effectively utilized through their childhood song “A Place Called Home”. The song comes back a second time as a romantic duet between the teenage Scrooge and his beautiful love interest Emily, and it’s really a wholesome romantic piece. The Ghost of the past sings “The Lights of Long Ago”, which is suitably whimsical, and a fitting piece for the character. The song “Christmas Together” is a straightforward celebration piece, showing how all the people of London come together, and spread the joy of the season. It’s absolutely in spirit with the source material, and it’s hard for me not to have a big smile on my face whenever I watch this scene play out.

  Of course, the main highlight of any “Christmas Carol” adaption is Scrooge’s reformation, which is punctuated by the song “God Bless us Everyone”. This triumphant musical number effectively captures both the tone and message of the original Dicken’s classic, and I love how this too is utilized more than once in the film. First, it’s a dramatic baled sung by Scrooge’s mother in the past. Then finally at the end, this song makes for a triumphant climax to Scrooge’s journey, as he reforms and becomes a better man who’s ready to give to those in need and celebrate the Christmas season. The statement “God Bless us Everyone” was already the most famous line from the novel, and it’s only fitting to stand as the best song in this musical adaption … as well as one of my personal favorite songs from any Christmas movie or special I’ve seen.

  In the end, I can see this film leaving audiences with varying reactions … it might be just a little too corny and over the top for some … it could be pleasant and enjoyable for others … honestly, it’s a love it or hate it movie experience. I can only speak for myself when I say … I’m quite fond of this movie musical. 

I love most of the songs, the personality is upbeat, it’s visually appealing, and the cast seems to be having a lot of fun, which absolutely carries over to me. I certainly wouldn’t call this any kind of definitive version … it’s honestly more of a guilty pleasure on my part … and there's obviously other versions I like more, but I can’t help enjoying this musical for the splendid little escape it is. I can respect why most fans would right this movie off as campy, but for me, it’s a completely different experience from the other films, while still maintaining just enough spirit of the classic novel, and that for me is enough to make this version work, and a personal favorite all the same.

  Thanks for reading my review of the 2004 holiday special “A Christmas Carol: The Musical” … and continue to enjoy the movies and musicals you love!

Touched by An Angle: All the Christmas Episodes (Series Review)

 Back when I was just a kid in the 90’s and early 2000’s, my mother and I didn’t watch too many programs together, as I mostly just watched animated programs, or whatever my dad was viewing. Because of this, the 90’s Drama/Fantasy series “Touched by an Angel” has always stuck with me as that rare program that my mother and I bonded over while watching together. 

The series revolved around a group of angels who take on human form, and visit individual people on Earth, who are going through very human trials and hardships, which frequently puts their faith into question. Roma Downey stared as a younger Irish angel named Monica, who studied under an older mentor angel named Tess, played by the late Della Reese. 

Later, the two were joined by a third member named Andrew, also known as “The Angel of Death”, played by the late John Dye. Naturally, with a premise revolving around these three Angels visiting people in need, it made the show ideal for annual Christmas centered episodes. For its nine-season run, there wasn’t a single year without a special Christmas offering from this series, and for this post, I’m going to go through each one in order of release and see just how well they hold-up all these years later.  

 

“Fear Not!” (Season 1: Ep. 9)

For the very first Christmas outing of this show, we see Monica and Tess helping at a small-town church, who are putting on a Christmas pageant. One little girl named Serena wants to be the pageant angel more than anything, but tragically, a viral heart condition is taking its toll on her. This development is especially alarming to her best friend named Joey, who’s pathologically afraid of the dark, and doesn’t know how to face his fears without her. Joey’s older brother Wayne, played by Randy Travis, is emotionally distant from his brother, and has been struggling with his faith sense the passing of his parents. 

However, with Serena’s immanent passing, and some words of encouragement from Monica, Wayne needs to find his faith, and be the guiding light for his little brother Joey, as he faces his fears of losing someone he loves once again. Everything comes together in a beautiful finale on Christmas Eve, and subsequently one of the most memorable moments of the show’s holiday offerings. As the little girl Serena quietly passes away, everyone in attendance at the pageant receives a special Christmas gift.

Monica reveals her angelic presence to everyone in a vision, the manger scene comes to life, and everyone is filled with the hope and good tidings that come with the holiday. All around, this was a solid first Christmas instalment for this series, with a thoughtful message, uplifting sequence, and some of the most memorable guest appearances in the show. This actually marked the first of three Christmas outings to feature Randy Travis as the older brother Wayne, and naturally, he provided some music for the show too.        

 

“The Feather” (Season 2: Ep. 11)

An immediate follow-up to the previous Christmas Episode, we see Randy Travis character Wayne, and his little Brother Joey have been changed by their experience. The rest of the community has no clue how to feel about their special shared vision, and their joined confusion devolves into mass concern. This gets the attention of a crooked preacher named Charles (played by William R. Moses), who also doubles as a con man, and after snatching a dove’s feather left behind from the night, he begins to manipulate the locals, and gradually takes over the church. 

Our guest lead Wayne recognizes him for the con artist he is, as the two used to run scams together, but exposing him will also reveal his past sins, hence his conflict … oh, and of course they’re both long lost brothers too. This would have been enough for one instalment, but unfortunately, things get even more complicated for this episode’s own good. 

Little brother Joey discovers an abandoned baby, who’s also a crack-baby, and Joey appoints himself soul guardian, no matter what anyone else says. While everything comes together in another decent moment of Monica revealing herself to the whole community, it’s still not as strong as in the previous episode. Certainly not a bad follow-up, but there’s just a little too much to be focusing on, to the point where a well-intended message gets lost in the shuffle.          

 

“The Violin Lesson” (Season 3: Ep. 13)

The son of a violin maker comes home to spend Christmas with his family, but unfortunately … it’ll be his last, as he’s tragically dying of AIDS. Now our visiting Angels help the elder violin player, and his family accept the devastating revelation. Peter Michael Goetz and Millie Perkins guest star in this episode, and the performances all around are very good. The dramatic moments earn their poignant effects, there’s a great message about acceptance, and everything closes on a strong note. All around, a perfectly good episode of the show, but probably the Christmas episode I like the least. The holiday is more of a backdrop, and isn’t woven into the story as nicely as their other Christmas outings. 

Once in a while we'll get a scene in a Christmas tree lot or by a Snow Man, but the events of the episode could have easily played out at any given time of the year. That, and it also covers similar ground as previous installments, including a family member accepting someone for who they are, and someone’s imminent death landing on the holiday, just like in the previously mentioned “Fear Not!”. Still, not a bad episode at all … I’d say it’s just the least best in feeling like Christmas.     

 

“It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” (Season 4: Ep. 12)

Randy Travis returns as Wayne, who along with his brother Joey, are about to receive another Heavenly visit for the holiday season. When Wayne goes out for a little late-night shopping, he suddenly disappears in a massive snowstorm. Meanwhile, back at home, Monica visits Joey, who’s falling into despair at the thought of his brother never coming home for Christmas. Amidst a power outage, and other visitors, Monica recalls an experience from the early 1900’s, in which she first met famed author Mark Twain, and how he too faced the loss of loved one during the holiday season. Whether it be “Star Trek: The Next Generation” or “The Rifleman”, I feel the best classic shows need to include Mark Twain in some form. 

For this outing, John Cullum portrays the legendary author, and is fantastic all around. Everything from his home life, to how he laments loved ones lost, to how he views his faith are all just as engaging as any contemporary story from this show, if not more so. Setting this outing mostly in the 1900’s certainly gives this episode a unique identity and feel, and the ensemble cast is my favorite by far. It’s great to get one last holiday outing with Randy Travis, and the returning cast from the episode "Fear Not!". 

John Cullum’s Mark Twain speaks for himself, but the last big guest star to highlight is the late great Paul Winfield, who made everything better by his presence. While his appearance in this episode as a visiting angel is brief, he still manages to leave an impression. Personally, this is my favorite of what I like to call “the Randy Travis collection”, and it’s one of my favorites of the shows Christmas offerings by far.   

 

“An Angle on the Roof” (Season 5: Ep. 11)

Set in a small Texas town, near the border line of Mexico, we see a special Christmas Eve, in which the angels visit individuals who feel they have nothing to live for, including a bitter old motel owner on the brink of suicide, and three lonely truck drivers who feel like they’ve seen it all. Meanwhile, a young Mexican couple have illegally crossed the border, and seek refuge before the wife delivers her new baby. 

As all these players converge on the old man’s inn, it becomes very clear they all represent characters from the Christmas Pageant. As such, this episode probably has the strongest ties to the holiday over any other episode of the show. Everything about this episode is bathed in a warm Christmas atmosphere, from the lit-up decorations, to the mysterious weather, and of course all the memorable imagery on display … Monica illuminated on the roof being the most obvious. While it’s admittedly corny and on the nose at times with its Pageant presentation, it’s still thoughtful, and is also a clever idea for a Christmas themed outing for this series. 

Guest star Alexis Cruz gives this outing its dramatic backbone, while also providing the right amount of good cheer. It’s all around another one of my absolute favorites of the shows Christmas offerings, and is simply the most comforting episode to watch around the season, especially on Christmas Eve.      

 

“The Christmas Gift” (Season 6: Ep. 10)

Following after an episode set entirely on Christmas Eve, the next holiday instalment takes place over a passage of time, beginning on Thanksgiving, and concluding on Christmas. A small-town trumpet player named Robert is sadly killed during a carjacking, leaving his wife LaBelle strained for money, and only one logical option left … move in with her mother-in-law. We see how grading the new living situation is for both woman, as they hadn’t always seen eye to eye, but now, both blame each other for Roberts death. 

Naturally, our Angels are on hand to help them come together through the hardships and learn to forgive one another. All through the episode, we’ve seen these characters in the company of a homeless man named Gabe, who at the end reveals himself to be the Archangel Gabriel, and announces on Christmas Eve that LaBelle is with child. The episode closes with Gabe playing “Away in a Manger” on Robert's rescued trumpet, and while this sequence can be viewed as corny, I’m a sucker for sentimental, holiday moments like this. 

Personally, I would have liked more from our main Angels in this episode, but they have their moments, and guest stars Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee certainly help carry this outing. Along with the trumpet, there’s some decent musical moments in this episode. Aside from Gabriel’s appearance at the end, this admittedly isn’t one of the show’s most memorable Christmas offerings, but it’s certainly a good watch, with a decent message to be shared.      

 

“An Angel on my Tree” (Season 7: Ep. 10)

Just like a Christmas morning … there’s a lot to unpack with this episode, but I mean that in the best way, unlike with my earlier mentioned episode “The Feather”. The best place to start is the backstory. One year ago on Christmas Eve, a broken Tree topper sets off a chain of events, culminating in an enraged father named Joe unleashing his anger on a local boy, who was teasing his son Cody, on account of his Tourette Syndrome. The local boy tragically dies in the event, and the son Cody blames himself for the whole incident, and worse … his father blames him for it too. Leading-up to the one-year Eve of the event, which happens to be Christmas Eve, Joe is serving time in prison, and Cody views himself as a mistake who should have never been born. 

Thus, our visiting Angels try to bring this shattered family back together, and a special Christmas gift exchange might just be the thing to heal these broken hearts. While this show naturally deals with dramatic events, even during the holiday season … this is the one that most brought out the tears in me. Something about family ties, facing unforgivable events, and accepting oneself as a great individual, even with a handicap, are all themes and content that resonate with me. 

Guest star Christopher Marquette delivers an emotionally shattering performance in the role of the older son Cody. There’s also original holiday music by Kenny Rogers. All around, this isn’t the easiest Christmas episode to watch, but it absolutely delivers in hitting an emotional home run.   

 

“A Winter Carol” (Season 8: Ep. 11)

Hear we go, of all the memorable Christmas outings from this show, none left a bigger impact on me then this episode, which aired on December 2001 … a mere three months after 911. The episode begins with a boy lamenting the disappearance of his drum teacher on September 11, 2001. The boy's mother is the mayor of the town, and she refuses to grieve, as she has too many responsibilities. The boy's elder brother has all but lost his Christmas spirit, and decides to enlist in the army to beat back as many terrorists as possible. In short, this episode is all about coping with a tragedy, and finding some humane way to move on with your life. 

I was only a young 4th grader during the disaster of 911, but I still remember what it was like, with this empty feeling hanging over everyone’s head … and hearts … which carried over into Christmas for many of us. This episode was a much-needed reminder of why it’s important to grieve, except the reality of a horrible disaster, and try to rekindle the joy one would associate with the Christmas season. It was a much-needed cleanser after a global changing event, and it was just the message we needed to make Christmas joyful again. 

On a side note, this marked the first Christmas episode to feature a new lead angel character named Gloria, who was played by Valerie Bertinelli. She’s a little clumsier and more childlike than the others, and in this episode has a bad habit of announcing “it’s her first Christmas”. Special guest stars for this episode include Blair Brown as the Mayor, Steven Curtis Chapman as the elder son, and the episode closes with The Mormon Tabernacle Choir performing “The Battle Hymn of the Republic”, which is definitely a highlight. While this episode was late into the show, it’s still personally my favorite of this series Christmas themed episodes.

 

“The Christmas Watch” (Season 9: Ep. 10)

For the very last Christmas themed episode of the show, we get something wholesome and very simple in both presentation and narrative. 18 months after 911, a local New York clock shop faces permanent closure on Christmas Eve, leaving the staff on the unemployment line. Thanks to our visiting angels, a busted watch is brought to them, which belonged to a fellow employe, who sadly passed away during the tragedy of September 11^th. 

Thus, for one final task, the store members elect to construct a new watch for his family, to both honor the memory of their lost friend, and to give the shop one last task before it closes. This episode did a number of things different from the show’s formula, and while not one of the absolute best, it’s certainly one of the most unique. Everything is set in this one location, and it’s all spent with these characters reflecting on their time, and where they might go from here. The clock shop is a very warm and comforting setting, and the members give it some personality. 

Also, while morals are still conveyed, our team of Angels never reveal themselves as such to any of the human characters, which is another rarity for this series. The guest stars this time around include Austin Pendleton, Matt Malloy, Eddie Mills, Christie Lynn Smith, Jodi Thelen, and Jose Zuniga. While it doesn’t reach the same emotional highs of the previously mentioned “Winter Carol”, it still succeeded as a warm and cozy little Christmas episode to close out their nine-year holiday run.   

 

That concludes my run-down through all the Christmas themed episodes of “Touched by An Angel”, and if I was to quickly rank them on my own personal scale of most favorite to least favorite, it would go like this …

1. “A Winter Carol”

2. “An Angel on the Roof”

3. “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear”

4. “An Angel on my Tree”

5. “Fear Not!”

6. “The Christmas Watch”

7. “The Feather”

8. “The Christmas Gift”

9. “The Violin Lesson”

It's certainly been a welcome trip down 90’s memory lane, and for anyone who also watched this series back in the day, I hope it was special to look back on it. If you’re someone just looking for any random Christmas special to watch, maybe this list will give you something pleasant to view for this Holiday season.

Thanks for reading my episode run-down of "Touched by an Angel" … and continue to enjoy the shows you love.