A Christmas Carol
1938 · Movie · NR · 69 min · ★ 7.0 · 86% critics
On Christmas Eve, a bitter, penny-pinching old man is shaken awake by a series of supernatural visitors who force him to face his past choices, present behavior, and the lonely future he’s headed toward. As the night unfolds, he must decide whether to stay hardened and cruel or open himself to compassion and change.
Based on A Christmas Carol
Also known as Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol
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Details
- Years
- 1938
- Release date
- 1938-12-16
- Language
- English
- Rated
- NR
- Runtime
- 69 min
- Critic score
- 86/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.0/10 (153 votes)
About
You’ll likely enjoy this if you want a cozy, classic holiday ghost story with a warm message and quick pacing, especially if you like A Christmas Carol (1984); Not for you if you need a longer, more faithful adaptation.
Pros: warm holiday spirit; solid performances; classic ghostly tale | Cons: rushed, shortened story; changes from the book; uneven, over-the-top moments
Themes
- based on novel or book
- clerk
- holiday
- redemption
- little boy
- apparition
- black and white
- spirit
- goose
- celebration
- miser
- ghost
- +8 more
Cast & crew
Reginald Owen
as Ebenezer Scrooge
Gene Lockhart
as Bob Cratchit
Terry Kilburn
as 'Tiny Tim' Cratchit
Barry MacKay
as Scrooge's Nephew Fred
Lynne Carver
as Fred's Fiancee Bess
Leo G. Carroll
as Marley's Ghost
Ann Rutherford
as Spirit of Christmas Past
Lionel Braham
as Spirit of Christmas Present
Ronald Sinclair
as Young Ebenezer
Kathleen Lockhart
as Mrs. Cratchit
Directed by Edwin L. Marin