A Christmas Carol

1971 0h 25m EN

👍

7.2

SOLID

★7.2TMDB · 59

AnimationDramaFantasyFamilyTV Movie

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Miser Ebenezer Scrooge is awakened on Christmas Eve by spirits who reveal to him his own miserable existence, what opportunities he wasted in his youth, his current cruelties, and the dire fate that awaits him if he does not change his ways. Scrooge is faced with his own story of growing bitterness and meanness, and must decide what his own future will hold: death or redemption.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Cast

Alastair Sim
Scrooge (voice)
Michael Redgrave
Narrator (voice)
Diana Quick
Ghost of Christmas Past (voice)
Joan Sims
Mrs. Cratchit (voice)
Michael Hordern
Marley's Ghost (voice)
Paul Whitsun-Jones
Fezziwig (voice)
David Tate
Scrooge's Nephew/ Charity Man (voice)
Felix Felton
Ghost of Christmas Present (voice)

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Richard Williams
Writers: Abe Levitow, Hal Ambro, George Nicholas
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America, United Kingdom, Canada

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 25-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

55 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 3 countries: United States of America, United Kingdom, Canada.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Ben Rayner shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Alastair Sim and Michael Redgrave and Diana Quick carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0068373 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

Only 59 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Richard Williams directs. Ben Rayner cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America, United Kingdom, Canada. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 25-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
255 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3International production across 3 countries: United States of America, United Kingdom, Canada.
4Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
5Editor Ben Rayner shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Alastair Sim and Michael Redgrave and Diana Quick carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt0068373 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Only 59 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Editing: Ben Rayner
Runtime: 25 min · 0h 25m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): NR
IMDB: A Christmas Carol (1971)

Awards

Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Also by

Richard Williams

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2024-03-20
★ 7/10
There are some astonishingly good time-lapse animations in this very heavily abridged version of the famous Charles Dickens Christmas story. It helps that Alastair Sim reprises his characterful role from 1951 and what now ensues is an engaging and quickly paced version of the tale of the miser who has four visitations early one Christmas morning. One from his erstwhile, now late, business partner then three that reflect his childhood, his present and the potential for his future - and it's that last part that makes him realise that, well we know the rest. The script retains much of the salient points from the story (though I don't know I've ever seen the miners or lighthouse keepers before) and we whizz along without losing too much of the powerfully touching sentiment of the narrative. I thought the "Scrooge" character looked quite like Maurice Denham and I did enjoy this.

Production companies

Who made it

RI
Richard Williams Studio
GB
ABC
US
CH
Chuck Jones Enterprises
US
ST
Studio Film Laboratories Ltd.

Key crew

ProducerRichard Williams
NovelCharles Dickens
Executive ProducerChuck Jones
EditorBen Rayner
EditorMichael Crane
MusicTristram Cary
AnimationKen Harris
AnimationBill Hajee
Story ArtistAbe Levitow
Story ArtistHal Ambro
Story ArtistGeorge Nicholas
AnimationSergio Simonetti
AnimationRoy Naisbitt
AnimationAnwar Rassam
Production ConsultantOmar Ali-Shah
AnimationJanet Chapman

Themes & keywords

What it's about, really

based on novel or book
holiday
ghost story
christmas

Release history · US

When it landed

Theatrical1971-12-21NR

7.4