Adaptations of 'A Christmas Carol'

Old Marley may be as dead as a doornail, but these adaptations of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol live on in the hearts and screens of many every holiday season.

It is hard to beat the nostalgia of a classic Christmas film or book, yet these films roll both elements into one. A Christmas Carol has been retold dozens of times across film, books, and theatre, but here are just a few of our top picks...

Scrooged (1988) is a modern rendition of Charles Dickens’ classic holiday tale that centres around cranky television president, Frank Cross (Bill Murray). Cross is in the midst of overworking his employees to produce a high-grossing Christmas special to be aired primetime all while, surprise surprise, he isn’t very full of holiday cheer. He’s first visited by his old money-grubbing boss in his gleaming city penthouse before an unruly barrage of modern spirits attempt to show him the light. Scrooged is a welcome take on an old classic that holds up year after year.

The Muppets’ Christmas Carol (1992) is a family classic for a reason. Michael Caine stars as Ebenezer Scrooge alongside the familiar cast of Kermit, Gonzo, Miss Piggy, and the rest of the Muppet cohort. This adaptation is set in Victorian England, but it is injected with childhood joy and optimism by Jim Henson’s gang of singing vegetables and story-telling rats. It’s hard to watch without a smile on your face.

When it comes to Christmas, it is hard to top a tried and true nostalgic childhood classic. Mickey’s Christmas Carol (1983) ticks all the boxes, but not just for me- it has a very rare 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes! Who better to embody the miserable Scrooge than Scrooge McDuck? This adaptation feels like the cozy embrace of a warm blanket after a chilly walk - genuinely hard to fault. Maybe that’s just down to happy memories of baking cookies with this playing in the background.

If you’re looking for a retro Christmas feeling, then Scrooge (1951) might be the answer as it’s the most traditional retelling of A Christmas Carol on this list. Its black-and-white cinematography gives it a perfectly vintage vibe with impressive performances from Alastair Sim (Scrooge), not to mention the skill of the costume and set designers as well. If you’ve been obsessively reading the original A Christmas Carol, then this adaptation might just hit the spot.

Finally, we come to Disney’s A Christmas Carol (2009). This most-recent adaptation is packed full to the brim with an all-star cast. Jim Carrey stars as Scrooge, and Colin Firth (Fred) and Gary Oldman (Bob Cratchit, Marley, and Tiny Tim) also make appearances. Controversially, this is the one that has me closest to saying ‘Bah humbug!’. Maybe it’s the animation style or some of the darker scenes, but this is the last one on the list I would turn to for some light-hearted holiday cheer. Nevertheless, it is still a classic and will no-doubt go on to be rewatched dozens of times throughout the Christmas period.

Edited by Hannah Youds