The many faces of Ebenezer Scrooge and a timeless tale of redemption.
It’s that time of year. Christmas television in the UK would hardly feel complete without at least one version of A Christmas Carol appearing on our screens. For many, it has become as much a part of the festive season as mince pies, tinsel, and repeats of The Great Escape.
Every Christmas, A Christmas Carol will make an appearance.
Written by Charles Dickens in 1843, the story began life as a short novella. Set around Christmastime, it tells the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, an elderly and bitter miser whose only true love is money. Scrooge is rude, dismissive, and, regardless of whether it is Christmas, joyless. He treats everyone around him with contempt, especially those that he employs, his long-suffering clerk Bob Cratchit.
Any stranger who dares to wish him a Merry Christmas is greeted with “bah humbug”, while those seeking charity donations are shown the door.
Over time, Scrooge has driven away friends and family alike, and he appears not to care. That is, until one Christmas Eve, when he is visited by three spirits: the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future.
Each ghost shows him different aspects of his life, his past, and who he once was, and the man he has become. The final vision is the most chilling of all. The spirit tells him that if he refuses to change, he will face a lonely death, unmourned. No one will miss him when he is gone, and many will cheer. Faced with the consequences of his past choices, he decides to change. The story, at its heart, is about redemption, compassion, and the possibility of change.
Over time, A Christmas Carol has become far more than just a Victorian morality tale. Today, calling someone “a Scrooge” is seen as an insult — though it might often be delivered with a smile or as a joke (the modern equivalent is probably a Grinch). It suggests someone who is miserly, grumpy, or unwilling to share or bring happiness.
In short: nobody wants to be a Scrooge at Christmas — maybe!
And the story lives on in countless retellings. A Christmas Carol is widely regarded as the most remade film of all time. IMDb lists over 100 adaptations across film, television, animation, and stage. These range from period dramas and modern reinterpretations to serious and comedic takes.
Many famous actors have stepped into the role of Scrooge over the years, each bringing something different to the role. Alastair Sim’s 1951 portrayal is often considered the best and most definitive. Michael Caine played the part with The Muppets, in The Muppet Christmas Carol. George C. Scott and Patrick Stewart offered a typically powerful version, while Bill Murray gave the story a modern comedy look in Scrooged. Jim Carrey was an animated version.
But Christmas in the UK would not be Christmas without a version of Ebenezer Scrooge being shown at some point.
My own favourite is the Alistair Sim 1951 version, but I do watch the others, as the message is one that reminds us that redemption and change are always possible. Dickens’s story is an early example of what we might now call a “feel-good” tale. It is one where good triumphs over bad, kindness over cruelty, and hope over despair. Unrealistic, perhaps, when faced with the reality of the world we live in.
Yet, perhaps that’s why the story endures. Scrooge does change. He learns and redeems himself, but it is fiction. Many do not. And while Christmas is the perfect time of year to be reminded — change for the better is something that we are capable of at any time.
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