Besides the Christmas stories that are Biblical in origin, Charles Dickens’ 1843 classic telling of A Christmas Carol remains one of the longest-running, most-adapted, and most-relevant holiday tales to date. More than 170 years after the infamous miser-turned-do-gooder Ebenezer Scrooge entered our culture for the first time, there are still quite a few folks out there who could do with taking this timeless lesson to heart. I’d suggest they take the time to do what I did and watch 20 or so adaptations of A Christmas Carol until the moral sinks in, but the good-willed among you who don’t need a lesson from the spirits can check out our ranked list to see which version is most worthy of your time.
From the silent film that’s the oldest known theatrical adaptation in existence to the latest contemporary computer-animated feature film, A Christmas Carol has been presented in a number of different media over the decades. Each generation has enjoyed its own iteration of the classic tale, but our current generation has the unprecedented ability to access each-and-every one of those adaptations at a whim. With that in mind, here are 24 that should be on your watchlist.
A quick note on Bharat Nalluri‘s The Man Who Invented Christmas. This 2017 addition to the canon of A Christmas Carol takes a different tack in that it follows Dickens himself, played by Dan Stevens, on his journey toward writing and publishing the timeless tale. Scrooge (Christopher Plummer) and the familiar Ghosts of Christmas still make an appearance, but from a skewed perspective that takes quite a few liberties with Dickens’ life. In other words, it’s a fictionalized tale about a remarkable writer of fiction, and one that seems to borrow from the canon than it adds to it. You can read Matt Goldberg‘s full review here. – Dave Trumbore
Editor’s Note: Some movies are not available for streaming.
24. Scrooge, or, Marley’s Ghost (1901)
Directed by Walter R. Booth
This first adaptation isn’t really included in the rankings since it’s such an obscure one, but since it’s the oldest known film version in existence, I had to at least bring it to your attention. Directed by Walter R. Booth and produced by R.W. Paul in 1901, the British short film featured an unidentified actor playing Scrooge. Though only four minutes and 55 seconds of the six-minute-and-20-second-long film are available to curious audiences, at least the 35mm reel is preserved by the British Film Institute.
As you can see in the video above (just stop for a second and think about how cool it is that we have the ability to do that), Scrooge encounters only the ghost of Marley who shows him visions of Christmases past, present and future. There are some impressive visuals on display for a work that’s almost 115 years old, though the presence of a theatrical setup is strong throughout. This is as good a place to start as any, save for reading the original Christmas tale itself. – Dave Trumbore
23. Scrooge (1970)
Directed by Ronald Neame
There’s pretty much a version of Scrooge for everyone out there, but five-time Oscar-nominated actor Albert Finney is most decidedly not for me. There’s something about his performance that is strange and off-putting. Perhaps it’s his penchant for lurching about with a twisted grimace and a hunched back, or the fact that his character can’t quite seem to come to grips with the lessons the spirits are trying to teach him. Then there’s the fact that this is a musical rendition of the tale, and while that may be great for some folks, it’s not my bowl of gruel.
That being said, this version does have a few things that others do not. When Scrooge returns home on Christmas Eve, there’s a ghostly full-sized horse-drawn carriage that passes through his lobby; this is a description pulled right from Dickens’ text that was meant to illustrate just how cavernous Scrooge’s home really was. Another interesting note is that we actually see Scrooge temporarily wear his very own ponderous chain just before his redemptive moment, with Marley stopping by to bid him a not-so-fond farewell and a Merry Christmas. However, Finney’s performance is eerily similar to Adam Sandler’s Little Nicky, so it’s on the list of A Christmas Carol adaptations I’d rather not watch again. – Dave Trumbore
Scrooge
- Release Date
- 1970-5-11
- Director
- Ronald Neame
- Rating
- G
- Runtime
- 113 Minutes
Watch on Paramount+
22. Rich Little’s Christmas Carol (1978)
Directed by Rich Little
Like the version above and those that follow, this take on A Christmas Carol is at least worth a watch if you haven’t seen it before. Despite the fact that Dickens’ story is a timeless tale, I was a bit surprised to find how dated Rich Little’s HBO special was. It’s very 1978, owing mostly to Little’s shtick that relies heavily on celebrity impersonations and topical humor. The musical numbers and laugh track also add a heavy hand to the comedy routines.
If you know the names Paul Lynde, W.C. Fields, Peter Falk, and Truman Capote well enough to appreciate Little’s impersonations and inside jokes, then you should check this one out. Otherwise, it’s probably not worth your time. Though Little’s one-man show in which he takes on 15 or so roles by himself is impressive, I’d reserve this one for the nostalgic and the Dickens dedicated. – Dave Trumbore
Rich Little’s Christmas Carol
- Release Date
- 1978-12-00
- Cast
- Rich Little
- Runtime
- 60 Minutes
- Genres
- Holiday
21. The Stingiest Man in Town (1978)
Directed by Katsuhia Yamada, Jules, Bass & Arthur Rankin Jr.
The Rankin/Bass purists among you probably know that the animation company behind such famous holiday specials as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, The Little Drummer Boy, and Frosty the Snowman also churned out their own take on A Christmas Carol titled The Stingiest Man in Town. If this comes as news to you, you might also be surprised to learn that the special wasn’t produced using claymation-like Animagic, but rather traditional animation. The Japanese animation studio, Topcraft, that brought this special to life also housed many of the animators that would later start Studio Ghibli.
This animated remake of a popular live-action musical special by the same name, which starred Basil Rathbone as Scrooge, featured Tom Bosley as a narrating «humbug» and Walter Matthau as the penny-pinching lender. The tone of this one is much more cartoonish, with the talking rats, cats, and dogs, and silly songs. And while the musical numbers are nowhere near as memorable as Rudolph, there’s quite a bit of Dickens’ actual dialogue used here. Though it plays up some of the story’s more horrific and supernatural elements, the spirits themselves are borderline ridiculous. You can pass on this one unless you’re filling out your Rankin/Bass bingo card. – Dave Trumbore
The Stingiest Man in Town
- Release Date
- December 23, 1978
- Cast
- Walter Matthau
- Rating
- TV-G
20. Mister Magoo’s Christmas Carol (1962)
Directed by Abe Levitow
If you’re a fan of the nearsighted, 1960s Jim Backus-voiced cartoon character Mister Magoo, then this Christmas special should be a slam dunk for your watchlist. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, then this movie is simply a «Pass.» It’s yet another animated adaptation that skews towards a younger crowd with silly songs and less-than-scary spirits, but these days only adults of a certain age would probably appreciate its charm.
There’s an interesting theme that pops up in a number of these animated adaptations that use well-known cartoon characters to play Scrooge. Rather than just be Scrooge, many of the specials have a frame story that has the character playing Scrooge in a play of some sort. This allows for some added gags outside the structure of Dickens’ story, but there are better versions than Magoo’s. The saving grace here is that Mister Magoo’s redemption as Scrooge is quite cute and literally brings down the house. – Dave Trumbore
Watch On Apple TV
19. Bugs Bunny’s Christmas Carol (1979)
Directed by Friz Freleng
Now here’s an animated adaptation of a different sort. Rather than set up some sort of elaborate frame story, the Merrie Melodies gang just jumps right into the tale. I appreciate that, just like I appreciate the eight-minute runtime of this short, making it the most economical version since the 1901 silent film in terms of time. However, this is a very loose and silly adaptation that’s better left for the little ones to enjoy.
Sure, seeing Yosemite Sam blow his stack as a hassled and harassed Ebenezer Scrooge and listening to Porky Pig stammer as the nervous Bob Cratchit are great moments, but if you’re looking for a full adaptation, you should try elsewhere. Then again, if you just want to see Bugs Bunny play pranks on Yosemite Sam and bring a bunch of his friends in to play cameos, then this is a fun short to watch during the holidays. – Dave Trumbore
Bugs Bunny’s Christmas Carol
- Release Date
- November 27, 1979
- Director
- Friz Freleng
- Cast
- Mel Blanc
- Runtime
- 8 Minutes
18. A Christmas Carol: The Musical (2004)
Directed by Arthur Allan Seidlman
We’ve already featured a feature film, TV special, and cartoon adaptations in our list, but this is our first live-action TV special that’s also a musical. And it’s not great. Sure, the production quality was solid for television, and eight-time Oscar-winning songwriter Alan Menken certainly brings home the musical portion of the proceedings, but the very «TV actor» cast of Kelsey Grammer, Jason Alexander, Jane Krakowski, Jesse L. Martin, and Jennifer Love Hewitt keep this adaptation from soaring any higher.
Director Arthur Allan Seidelman’s version of A Christmas Carol broadens the stage beyond the usual settings, in part to include dynamic musical numbers featuring lots of cast and choral members, but it also feels just a bit too clean for Victorian London. The interesting aspects of this version include Grammer’s Scrooge meeting the Christmas Spirits earlier in the show in their human forms, a bit of foreshadowing not seen in other adaptations. Unfortunately, Grammer’s redemptive moment doesn’t quite bring this one home, even though his Scrooge does make amends with, seemingly, the whole town. If you’re a fan of musicals, you could do worse than checking this one out. – Dave Trumbore
Watch On Pluto TV
17. Ms. Scrooge (1997)
Directed by John Korty
Ms. Scrooge is our first real departure from A Christmas Carol as a traditional adaptation to more of a contemporary re-imagining. Oscar-winner John Korty directs the Oscar-nominated Cicely Tyson as, wait for it, Ms. Ebenita Scrooge. Now you could easily dismiss this late 90s TV film as a weird one-off in A Christmas Carol history, but it actually has some brilliant moments, such as a sermon delivered by Scrooge’s nephew Reverend Luke (Michael Beach) that hammers home the difference between sinners and saints during their time on Earth.
That being said, the story of Tyson’s Scrooge from her traumatic childhood through her isolated adulthood and late-in-coming redemption might not be to everyone’s liking. While the gender and race swap for this version is admirable, there’s also an odd attempt to shoehorn racial tensions and gender inequality in the workplace into the story. Those issues are raised but never brought to a satisfactory conclusion, so they fall short, just like Tyson’s delivery of Scrooge’s redemptive moment at the movie’s end. Still, a worthy watch if you’re looking for an alternative take on the classic story. – Dave Trumbore
Ms. Scrooge
- Release Date
- December 10, 1997
- Director
- John Korty
- Rating
- TV-G
- Runtime
- 87 MInutes
- Main Genre
- Drama
16. Christmas Carol: The Movie (2001)
Directed by Jimmy T. Murakami
The next animated film on our list is another attempt to embellish Dickens’ original tale and depart from the established storyline. In director Jimmy T. Murakami’s version, supporting characters get a chance to shine on their own rather than bask in the light reflected…