My Top 10 Favorite Adaptions of A Christmas Carol

   Of all the classic Christmas tails that we frequently return to every year, it’s the novel “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens that has always stood out as my own personal favorite. It's a story of redemption, remorse, regret and the beauty of life all in one beautiful package. Mr. Scrooge of course is the meanest and greediest man alive, who thinks little of his fellow man. Yet, one magical Christmas Eve, he’s visited by four ghosts, who take him on a journey through the past, present and future, to see what made him such a miser, and to see if he can reform. 

It’s just a timeless tale, and part of the appeal is seeing how many different film and television productions bring their own unique spin to the story. There are probably just as many adaptions of this book as there are stars in the night sky, and this year … I wanted to count down my own personal Top 10 favorite adaptions. I’m not trying to make any kind of official list, as these aren’t arranged by objective quality, but simply by how each left their impression on me as a fan. With that said, here are my own personal Top 10 Favorite Movie or TV adaptions of the Charlies Dickens classic “A Christmas Carol”.

 

#10 “The Stingiest Man in Town” (1978)

Rankin and Basses produced a number of classic Christmas specials including “Frosty the Snow Man”, “Rudolph the Red-Noised Reindeer”, and for their twelfth holiday offering, they decided to throw their hat into the ringer with an adaption of “A Christmas Carol”. Their 1978 animated musical titled “The Stingiest Man in Town” was actually a remake a live-action TV musical of the same name … which had varying results, yet is still quite special, and it’s honestly one of the more underrated tellings of the story.

 The character designs in this special remind me of the studio's animated version of “The Hobbit”, and while it’s kind of cheap looking, it’s also very ambitious with its visuals and imaginative ideas. Honestly, even though it’s not the best animated, this version still packs some distinct imagery that help it stand apart in my mind from other versions of the classic tale. It’s also a rare version to spot-light other staples of the holiday, like a song dedicated to Santa, as well as a beautifully animated song focusing on the nativity of Christ. The cast all around is decent, with Walter Matthau being a passable Scrooge. While many key scenes (mainly the encounter with the future) are regrettably trimmed down, this special still packs all the right emotional punches one would expect from any version. In general, I’m glad Rankin and Bass gave us their own unique animated version.

 

#9 “A Christmas Carol” (1997)

From one animated adaption to another, this late 90’s production frequently gets lost in the shuffle of admittedly better versions … but I have a soft spot for it … mainly for the novelty of Tim Curry as Scrooge. He’s one of those talents who just feels like he was born to play the role at some point.

At his side are other noteworthy talents, including Whoopi Goldberg and Ed Asner. There are also some original details, including a pet dog for Scrooge, and other familiar scenes like Scrooges childhood in the orphanage, and his breakup with his girlfriend are nicely expanded on in this version. While the animation is direct-to-video quality, it once again is really trying with everything it’s got, and many scenes have a distinctly memorable look. Lastly, the film features eight original songs, which are perfectly pleasant to listen to. All around, this one may not exactly be one of the absolute greats, but once again, I feel this one deserves some attention, and it always leaves me feeling great inside, like any adaption. It really goes to show the strength of a good story, when there can be so many renditions, and still feel special, although this version certainly has the advantage of original songs, and the always dependable Tim Curry.

 

#8 “Scrooge” [A Christmas Carol] (1951)

Of all the Scrooges past, present and yet to come, they will all be riding the coat tails of one Alistair Sims in the iconic role. 

This is it, the one that’s frequently cited as not only the absolute best film adaption, but maybe even superior to the book itself. While staying faithful to the source, this film dives deeper into the character of Scrooge, adds new compelling layers to his back story, and leading the charge is Alistair Sims who absolutely shines in the lead role. While I have my own personal favorite portrayal of Scrooge, this is unmistakably a performance for the history books. There’s no other way to describe it, Alister Sims is just chillingly good in the role, and the main reason that this film stands above its 1938 predecessor … at least in terms of popularity. Without question, this classic earns its crown, but I’d also be lying if I said I liked it more than the next seven entries. Still a great classic, worth looking into, but it’s just never been one that I’ve made a tradition of re-watching for the Christmas season, at least in the same way others have.

 

#7 “The Muppet Christmas Carol” (1992)

For me, and many kids from my generation, we were first introduced to the Dickens Classic in the early 1990's through this classic Muppet picture. While I’ve never called this the absolute greatest version, it’s still infectiously lovable, as well as the one I have the most childhood nostalgia for, and it just leaves me smiling from ear to ear every time I watch it. 

Kermit the Frog and his band of Muppets are a special group of characters that I actually find myself loving more as an adult then I did as a kid, and they really are the appeal that makes this film stand out. There’s just something fun about seeing all these lovable Muppets in these iconic roles, as well as unique interpretations of the Christmas Ghost characters. In general, it’s so refreshing to look back on a film that didn’t overutilized CGI, and instead created this magical world full of practical effects, wonderful sets, and it just feels timeless in its own right. Michael Caine in my view, along with a decent performance, is the absolute best-looking Scrooge, as he just has that perfect image, presence and when reading the book, he’s usually the one I think about in the role. All around, despite featuring puppets, this is still a warm and humble holiday offering, which for me has only gotten better with age. 

 

#6 “A Christmas Carol” (2009)

 

As one of the more recent film versions of the Dickens classic, audiences may have been a little too familiar with this story to really get submersed in its message. Never the less, it’s dazzling visuals, holiday charms and unrestrained haunting atmosphere make it worth experiencing all over again. I’ve also loved Jim Carry my whole life, and for me, this was his last truly great character performance before he quietly disappeared from the big screen. The music is another great highlight, especially with Andrea Bocelli's song "God Bless Us Everyone", which stands as my personal favorite Christmas song. While far from perfect, this version has stuck with me through the years, and is a satisfying send-off for Robert Zemeckis animated Christmas productions.  

 

 #5 “A Christmas Carol: The Musical” (2004)

Here's yet another version of “A Christmas Carol” that may not exactly be remembered as one of the greats, but it’s absolutely a personal favorite of mine. Adapting the Charles Dickens classic into a musical was a very clever idea, giving audiences a fresh take on a popular story. While there have been several musical renditions of “A Christmas Carol” in the past, this is my personal favorite of all the musical adaptions by far. Visually, this one also gets me in the spirit of Christmas more than most other versions, and again, I absolutely adore the songs. Truthfully, it might just be my favorite collection of songs in a single Christmas outing. Some of these songs have even stuck with me as staples of the Dickens tale. It might just be a little too corny and over the top for some viewers ... which is perfectly understandable ... but for my own personal delight, I just can’t help pulling this one out every year.   

 

#4 “The Man Who Invented Christmas” (2017)

While we all know the story of Scrooge … what about the man behind the classic story and character. 

Well, in this severely underrated 2017 picture, we explore the personal journey Charles Dickens took to create his beloved novel … and just in time for Christmas. The style is very similar to the 2004 movie “Finding Neverland”, in that we take a dive into the imagination and influence on the authors creation, and we see how various people he encounters become the inspiration for his characters. The late Christopher Plumer shines as Scrooge, but the real star of this film is Dan Stevens as Charles Dickens. His performance half the time feels larger than life, and brings to mind Tom Hulce’s portrayal of “Amadeus”. If you’re a fan of the story, do check this film out, as it gives the immortal, time tested tale of Scrooge miraculous new life, and unique perception from the creative mind of the author. With its engaging lead performance, and heart felt vision, it makes for yet another great holiday staple.  

 

#3 “A Christmas Carol” (1999)

This may not be number one, but it is the version that’s stuck with me the most for two simple reasons. For one, this was my first real movie version of “A Christmas Carol” I ever saw, which didn’t involve colorful cartoon characters or Muppets. As such, it’s the version that made me fall in love with this story, and really appreciate what a wonderful and timeless tale this truly is. There’s so much quality in a premise that revolves around looking back on who we once were … comparing it to what we are now … and who we hope to be in the future. The second reason this version has stuck with me is Sir Patrick Stewart in the role of Mr. Scrooge. He is my personal favorite Scrooge, as he just nails ever emotion perfectly … even when acting over the top. While this version isn't the objective classic ... it's still my personal classic I always think back on. 

  

#2 “Mickey’s Christmas Carol” (1983)

In truth, this was one of the very first specials that introduced me to the Dickens classic at a young age, and what a great way for kids to be exposed to its incredible source material. It’s basically the strait forward telling of “A Christmas Carol”, but animated, and with all the classic Disney characters in the principal roles. Seeing Scrooge McDuck in the role of Ebenezer Scrooge is about as fitting as they get, and all the other famous Disney characters fit right in with the other roles. It gives children a fresh perspective of the characters from the book, and allows us to fully appreciate seeing them in later live-action renditions. I especially love how this special is only 30 minutes long, and it still captures the atmosphere, tone, emotion, and spirit of its source beautifully. Bottom line, if you have kids that have never even heard of “A Christmas Carol”, this is a great version to introduce them to it.

 

Before I reveal my Number One favorite, here are some quick Honorable Mentions ... 

"Scrooge" (1970)

"A Christmas Carol" (1938)

"Mr. Magoo's A Christmas Carol" (1962)

"The Real Ghostbusters: Xmas Marks the Spot" (1986)

"Spirited" (2022)

 

#1 “A Christmas Carol” (1984)

This early version of the Dickens classic still stands strong as one of the best, crafted with a firm direction, and blessed with the chemistry of George C. Scott in the leading role. 

While there have been many great versions … I think this movie is about as perfect as they get. There’s something about the details that seem to surpass most other versions. We see Scrooge looking back on not only his past, but his relation to his father, which is something rarely touched on in any version. Also, this film features my favorite ending of any version, and I’d take it a step further saying that … perhaps it’s my favorite scene from any Christmas movie. If your lost in a sea of film versions of “A Christmas Carol”, and don’t know where to start … this would be good one to begin with. Now, any version of "A Christmas Carol" is great, and worth viewing, but it’s this version from 1984 that left the biggest impact on me personally.

Thanks for reading my countdown … and continue to enjoy both the Christmas and Holiday specials you love!