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Project: Recommend
Writer: N/A

LOG LINE: Scrooge, a miserable old miser, is haunted by his past. He is forced to see his inevitable future, convincing him of the error of his ways. By facing his terror he is redeemed, and learns that opening his pocketbook can lead to the opening of his heart, and that generosity of spirit can save his soul.

COMMENTS SUMMARY: Unparalleled as a morality tale, the characters and situations in A Christmas Carol are archetypal and deeply resonant in the culture. This is an allegory of the human spirit, with the large theme of generosity of spirit synonymous with the Christmas spirit, and the life force itself. Because the story is so well known and loved, however, it runs the danger of being too familiar; and a fresh approach would be necessary to mine its rich thematic territory.

SYNOPSIS: See Attached.

SYNOPSIS:

EBENEZER SCROOGE, 50's, had but one friend, if he could be called that; in actuality, Jacob Marley was his business partner, for all of Scrooge's life revolved around the business of his counting house. But Marley died years ago, and now Scrooge carries on alone, and willingly so. Just by his presence he deflects any attempt at human warmth and relationship, and certainly his offices are not warm or welcoming. Even his clerk BOB CRATCHIT, 40's, is forced to wrap himself in a blanket to keep warm.

It's Christmas Eve, and Scrooge's NEPHEW, 20's, comes to wish him a merry Christmas; to which Scrooge's only reply is "Bah! Humbug!" The hapless nephew tries to convince Scrooge to come to Christmas dinner, to no avail. Soon others come as well, on their Christmas missions of soliciting donations for the poor, or for themselves. But Scrooge supports prisons and workhouses, not charity. He sends a poor BOY, 12, singing carols for money, away without a penny. He finally lets his freezing clerk go home, grudgingly giving him the day off on Christmas day.

The night is dark and foggy as Scrooge makes his way home, to the large dreary house that once belonged to Marley. He is unnerved, however, by a strange phenomenon - as he gropes for the lock, he sees Marley's face, glowing darkly in the doorknocker. He's taken aback, staring at it until it goes away. But he takes the precaution of looking all through the gloomy house, and then locking himself into his room.

But here he's tormented as well; Marley's face appears on every fireplace tile. Then a bell starts swinging, and soon every bell in the house rings out as well. When they stop a new noise begins, as if someone was dragging a heavy chain. A moment later that someone walks right through the locked door - it's the ghost of JACOB MARLEY, 60's.

Scrooge refuses to succumb to his terror, by engaging Marley in conversation. Their talk is disturbing; Marley speaks of his chains as if they are the same chains that Scrooge wears around his soul. Because Marley's spirit never walked beyond home and counting house, he's doomed to tread that path for eternity. Marley only now understands that the only true business is the welfare of mankind. He's come to warn Scrooge, so that he may escape Marley's fate. He tells him of a coming visit by three spirits, on three consecutive nights, and then disappears out the window - when Scrooge looks, he sees a world populated by miserable phantoms, all in chains.

With great trepidation Scrooge goes to sleep, awaking in darkness by the chimes that ring out. Time has either stood still or he has slept through an entire day. But he has no time to think about it. The hour strikes one, and he's visited by the first spirit.

The SPIRIT, 60's, is an old man with the face of a child, who takes Scrooge on a journey, back to his childhood home and school. Scrooge is moved in spite of himself, alternately laughing and crying, to see his younger self, neglected and solitary, his only companions the fictional characters of literature. And he feels something he hasn't felt for a long time - pity, for the poor boy that he was. And he immediately regrets not giving something to the poor boy singing Christmas carols for money.

The spirit takes him to another Christmas, where his sister FAN, 6, rescued him from his loneliness at school, convincing their stern father to let him come home. Scrooge remembers her warmth and generosity, still alive in her son, the same nephew he cast off so cruelly the night before.

They journey to the site of Scrooge's apprenticeship with OLD FEZZIWIG, 60's, who insisted upon celebrating Christmas, closing down the workplace and throwing a lavish party for family and friends and employees alike. And now old Scrooge realizes the happiness one can give to his employees, simply by the act of appreciating them.

The scene changes again, and Scrooge is confronted with the harshness and greed cut into his aging face. There is a GIRL, 20, in mourning beside him - the girl he didn't marry, only because she had no dowry; and he sees the love he lost as a result.

Scrooge begs for mercy from the Spirit, he doesn't want to see more. But he's forced to see the girl, now a WOMAN, 40's, with a brood of joyous children, welcoming their beloved father home on Christmas Eve. And the father mentions seeing the lonely Scrooge, alone at work while his partner lay dying. It is more than the current Scrooge can bear; he struggles with the Spirit, and falls into a deep sleep.

He wakes again at the strike of one. This time there's no spirit, but a ghostly glow coming from the next room. He enters, and it's his own room, but transformed. There the spirit resides, the GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PRESENT, a jolly green giant surrounded by plenty. This time Scrooge is ready for the journey, which shows Scrooge what Christmas looks like to other people, and what it feels like to those with generosity of spirit. And then the Ghost takes him to his clerk's house, where MRS. CRATCHIT, 30's, is preparing Christmas dinner with her brood of children. It's late by the time Bob gets home, bearing TINY TIM, 6, frail and crippled. They celebrate with a Christmas dinner, where a goose feeds eight people, and they bless Christmas and each other. Scrooge is touched by Tiny Tim, wondering if he will live. The ghost reminds Scrooge of his own words, wishing all those who can't work to die, and Scrooge feels deeply ashamed for the first time. And even more so when Bob Cratchit toasts his name. By the reactions of the others, however, he sees that he is the ogre that casts a pall on this family's happiness.

They move on, to a desolate moor, where even there the MINERS make Christmas; and then to a lighthouse in a raging sea, where the lone men make a simple Christmas too; and to a ship at sea, where Christmas reigns. Only to return to a place he's never been, the home of his own nephew, celebrating Christmas with his beautiful WIFE, 20's. They are discussing Scrooge and his sad and lonely life, and the nephew insists he will continue to invite Scrooge to Christmas, like it or not. Scrooge's heart softens, as he watches the festivities; and although one of the games makes fun of Scrooge, his generous-hearted nephew insists they drink to his health. Scrooge wants to linger here, but the Ghost insists he must continue on spreading blessings, until it's time to go.

Before he disappears Scrooge sees two degraded CHILDREN, 10, clinging to the ghost - Ignorance and Want. Scrooge is appalled, and wonders if they have no recourse. To which the Ghost replies, in Scrooge's own words, "Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?"

The next spirit appears as a shrouded phantom, which doesn't speak - the GHOST OF CHRISTMAS YET TO COME. Scrooge follows, gladly now, understanding that these spirits have come to help him. They travel to the city, where mention is made of a death, with no one attending the funeral. Scrooge wonders who it is, horrified to see people plundering his meager possessions on the dead man's deathbed, with no one to intervene.

Chilled, Scrooge begs for a glimpse of someone who cares about the dying. They return to the Cratchits, where the family is in mourning for Tiny Tim. Then they go on to a neglected grave; as they draw close, Scrooge sees that it's his. Scrooge finally understands to what end his life will lead him, and he begs to be allowed to change, vowing he will honor Christmas in his heart, and embrace its lessons.

Scrooge awakes in his own bed, vowing now to live in Christmas past, present and future; and he is transformed, as radiant and full of laughter as he was once dour. He's elated to learn that it's Christmas Day - his adventure were all in the course of one night. His first act to right his wrongs is to buy a turkey for the Cratchits, and then makes a large donation to the charity he rebuffed the day before. He goes on to spend a wonderful day with his nephew's family. And the next day surprises Bob Cratchit with a raise, and a great deal of assistance, so that Tiny Tim doesn't die after all. And Scrooge lives to become much beloved by all who know him, and know of him.

COMMENTS:

Unparalleled as a morality tale, the characters and situations in A Christmas Carol are archetypal and deeply resonant in the culture. This is an allegory of the human spirit, with the large theme of generosity of spirit synonymous with the Christmas spirit, and the life force itself. Because the story is so well known and loved, however, it runs the danger of being too familiar; and a fresh approach would be necessary to mine its rich thematic territory.

In this story Dickens raises the "ghosts" of ideas, so that the ghosts are metaphors, not just special effects. But they also provide tantalizing visual possibilities, so that this can be seen as a ghost story as much as it is a morality tale. This is one of the most effective uses of "dreams" or "ghosts" in literature, used to depict the passage of interior time, where the psyche undergoes transformation while the body is asleep. The use of the three spirits - the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future, also provides a solid structure in terms of the plot; this could be easily adapted for the screen. The minor characters could also be developed to great effect, particularly the nephew, and not only Bob Cratchit and Tiny Tim.

Scrooge is as rich a character as Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, and on no less a transformational journey. Although in the first act he is a thoroughly detestable character, by the first act turning point and the appearance of the first Spirit, and Scrooge's terror at the beginning of his ghostly journeys, we get an inkling that he is human, and therefore capable of change and redemption. It also allows us to see him as a possible object of sympathy, unusual in the literature of evil characters; rather than destroying him, Dickens uses the device of Christmas and its qualities of generosity and forgiveness to transform the beast.

This puts the story on the level of myth and fairy tale, as a story that touches the heart of the culture, and might suggest a treatment that focuses on Scrooge's story; that is, on the original story rather than on the Tiny Tim sub-plot that has been so dominant in other screen treatments of this tale. Together with the rich visual possibilities inherent in the original story, this could make for a fresh and compelling retelling of this classic.

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