Charles Dickens’ 1843 novel A Christmas Carol has been adapted hundreds of times for stage, radio, movies and television. (Of course, the fact that it’s been in public domain for well over a century didn’t hurt.) Of all of these adaptations, there are two that stand head and shoulders above the rest: the 1951 British film version titled Scrooge (comic actor Alistair Sim giving a flawless dramatic performance in the main role) and the excellent television version starring George C. Scott as Scrooge (originally broadcast on Dec. 17, 1984). (Although Scott’s superlative performance was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Special, amazingly, he lost to Richard Crenna.)

Directed by Clive Donner (who worked as an editor on the 1951 version) and scripted by Roger O. Hirson, this production of A Christmas Carol was filmed on location in Shrewsbury, England. Although it premiered on television in America, it was released theatrically in the UK. (The period details provided by art directors Diana Charnley, Peter Childs and Harry Cordwell were impeccable. The cinematography by Tony Imi and original music score composed by Nick Bicât weren’t too shabby, either.)

As just about everyone knows, the story’s protagonist is Ebenezer Scrooge, a Victorian-era London business man, who has devoted his entire life to amassing as much money as possible by whatever means necessary. Not surprisingly, he has no friends and almost no family. Indeed, his only living relative is his late sister’s son Fred Hollywell (Roger Rees) who drops by his uncle’s office on Christmas Eve to invite him to supper the next evening.

As usual, Scrooge, who despises the mere mention of the Christmas holidays, declines the invitation. As he contemptuously puts it to Fred, “If I could work my will, every idiot who goes about with 'Merry Christmas' on his lips, should be boiled with his own pudding, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart.” After Fred leaves, Scrooge reluctantly gives his clerk Bob Cratchit (David Warner) permission to take the next day off and heads for the stock exchange before returning home.

While dining on a particularly unappetizing bowl of gruel, Scrooge is astounded and horrified to see the ghost of his late partner Jacob Marley (Frank Finlay) materialize. Marley warns Scrooge that, if he doesn’t turn over a new leaf, he will be doomed to eternal damnation just as Marley’s spirit is similarly condemned. Because Scrooge obviously doesn’t believe him, Marley states that the old miser will be visited by three ghosts who will show him why this warning must be heeded.

The first spirit The Ghost of Christmas Past (Angela Pleasence) shows Scrooges scenes from his boyhood and his beginnings as a young man of business. The second spirit The Ghost of Christmas Present (the recently deceased Edward Woodward) gives Scrooge a glimpse of the Cratchit Family’s Christmas. Scrooge is especially concerned with Cratchit’s crippled young son Tiny Tim (Anthony Walters). When he asks the ghost what will become of the lad, he is informed that, under present circumstances, the boy’s life will soon be cut short.

Finally, it is the visitation of The Ghost of Christmas Yet-To-Come, a sinister Grim Reaper figure, that convinces Scrooge of his folly by showing him how little his passing will be mourned by his acquaintances. Now successfully reformed, a kindler, gentler Scrooge sets out to repair the damage he’s done, but first there’s a matter of Christmas dinner at his nephew’s home…

A Christmas Carol is available from Netflix and Amazon.