SYNOPSIS:
The penny-pinching Ebeneezer Scrooge (Scrooge McDuck) works his employee, Bob Cratchit (Mickey Mouse), to the bone on Christmas Eve, all while shooing away his nephew (Donald Duck) and collectors for the poor (Ratty and Moley). But after retiring to his home for the night, he's visited by the ghost of his late partner, Jacob Marley (Goofy), who warns him about where his greedy and selfish behavior will lead him. Jacob tells Scrooge that he will be visited by three spirits that night: the Ghost of Christmas Past (Jiminy Cricket), Christmas Present (Willie the Giant), and Christmas Future (Pete). With the revelations each spirit brings, Scrooge must reevaluate his life and decide whether to keep heading down his path or change his ways.
REVIEW:
This was the version of A Christmas Carol that I grew up with. At only 25 minutes long, this short animated film was succinct and to the point. It was also a great way to introduce children to the classic Charles Dickens story. Despite being a dark and foreboding tale, this version keeps it light and silly, preventing the viewer from getting lost in the gloom of Scrooge's plight.
This was also fun seeing Scrooge McDuck play the role of his namesake. He was actually named and characterized after Ebeneezer Scrooge from the classic novel. And here's a little fun trivia for you: Scrooge McDuck (created in 1947) was actually created just a hair over 100 years after Charles Dickens published his novel, A Christmas Carol (written in 1843).
I've always been very good at being able to "walk a mile in others' shoes." I empathize greatly with people around me and I'm very hard to upset because I always try my best to consider the point of view of others before I open my mouth. And I can attribute this personality trait to various experiences as a child, but one that definitely holds true is Mickey's Christmas Carol. It released just a year before I was born, so naturally, I spent my childhood watching it through the winter holidays. Seeing a sour, cruel man re-examine his life, consider how he affects others, and then discover the horrible fate awaiting himself if he continues to be mean, helped young me learn to respect others and treat everyone with kindness. The crippled Tiny Tim definitely moved me as a child and his passing in the potential future struck a chord with me. If I could prevent a dark fate for others with just a little kindness, then that's all the motivation young me needed!
Also, the grave scene scared the hell out of me when I was a child! Re-watching it as an adult, it's pretty mild. But as a kid, seeing a coffin deep in a grave open up with hellfire spewing from it terrified little me. Even more so when the laughing Ghost of Christmas Future pushed Scrooge into the grave! I was afraid of graves for a long time after watching this short film.
RECOMMENDATION:
I grew up with this film, so naturally, I have to recommend it as a must-watch! It faithfully retold the classic novel's tale, with a few silly moments here and there to add levity to an otherwise dark tale. Even still, it was brief enough to keep the wandering mind of a child focused and entertained, while still getting across a simple, digestible message for young minds. If you haven't seen this version yet, you're missing out! It's currently up on Disney+ (which is where I stumbled across it tonight).
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