A Christmas Carol (miniseries)

''A Christmas Carol'' is a 2019 British dark fantasy drama miniseries based on the 1843 novella of the same name by Charles Dickens. It began airing on BBC One in the U.K. on 22 December 2019 and concluded two days later on 24 December 2019. It also aired earlier in the U.S. on FX Networks from 19 December 2019 over three nights and was later repeated. The three-part series is written by Steven Knight with actor Tom Hardy and Ridley Scott among the executive producers. This adaptation was meant to present a darker take on the classic story, aimed at an adult audience. The drama involves adult language, brief nudity, horror elements, implications of child molestation, forced prostitution and a depiction of a child drowning.

Filming locations include Rainham Hall in East London and Lord Leycester Hospital in Warwick. Cast members include Guy Pearce, Andy Serkis, Stephen Graham, Charlotte Riley, Johnny Harris, Jason Flemyng, Vinette Robinson and Joe Alwyn.

Plot summary

In this version, Ebenezer Scrooge and Jacob Marley are asset-strippers with extensive industrial interests as well as being moneylenders. Seven years after Marley's death, the miserly Scrooge resents people who cherish Christmas as hypocrites, arguing if people were as good as they claim to be during the festive season then they would be so during the entire year. At home, Scrooge's clerk Bob Cratchit and his wife Mary struggle to survive and raise their children, especially the disabled Tiny Tim.

Marley rises from the dead as a spirit bound by chains and encounters the Ghost of Christmas Past. The Ghost tells Marley he will not have rest unless he helps Scrooge find redemption. Marley visits Scrooge, shows him visions of the suffering workers in their mines and sweatshops, and explains that the links of his chains represent lives lost because of their greed. He warns Scrooge that the same fate awaits him unless he heeds the three spirits who will visit him on Christmas Eve.

The Ghost of Christmas Past arrives, first taking the form of Scrooge's abusive father Franklin before showing Scrooge his past, taking on different guises, including Ali Baba, Scrooge's childhood hero. A vision shows Scrooge's childhood self at a boarding school, where he was made to stay during the Christmas season and was sexually abused by the schoolmaster. Scrooge learns his father knew of the molestation and allowed it in exchange for the schoolmaster waiving attendance fees. Scrooge's sister Lottie rescued him one year, telling him their father was out of the family and, unbeknownst to Scrooge, threatening to shoot the schoolmaster if he ever touched her brother again.

The Ghost then shows Scrooge a Christmas during which Mary asked Scrooge for a loan of £30 so Tim could have a life-saving surgery. Scrooge offered to give her the money if she came to his apartment on Christmas Day. The next day, Scrooge made Mary admit she was willing to prostitute herself to save her child, and watched her undress. He then said that he did not desire her, but that he wished to see how easily people abandon their morals for money. Scrooge gave her the money and threatened to tell her husband if he should ever leave his employ. Humiliated, Mary told Scrooge he would one day see a "mirror" showing him his true self, stating that as a woman she had "the power to summon such spirits."

The Ghost of Christmas Present appears, in the form of Scrooge's long-dead sister Lottie, the mother of his nephew Fred. She and Scrooge watch the Cratchit family celebrating Christmas together. Bob announces he will resign from Scrooge's employment in the morning, as he has found another job. Scrooge wishes to tell Mary he will not reveal their arrangement to Bob, but, sensing his presence, Mary tells him to leave.

The Ghost of Christmas Future appears as a man in black with his mouth sewn shut. Scrooge sees the next day that Cratchit resigns, now aware of what Scrooge did to Mary. While skating on a frozen pond, Tim falls through the ice and freezes to death. The Ghost then shows Scrooge his own corpse, alone with no mourners. Marley arrives and talks of redemption, but Scrooge refuses a second chance, saying he does not deserve forgiveness and will accept his fate, if only Tim will live.

Marley is returned to his grave to rest and Tim's grave vanishes as Scrooge is transported back to reality on Christmas Day, at a point before Cratchit has announced his resignation. Scrooge visits the Cratchit home, wishes Cratchit well in his new job, and gives him £500, announcing he is closing down his business. Mary thanks Scrooge for the money, but says it will not buy her forgiveness. He replies he will not want or earn forgiveness, but simply work to be the best person he can be. He thanks her for summoning the "mirror" and, as he walks home, scatters a bag full of gravel on the pond so no one will be able to skate there. Looking of out the window after he leaves, Mary tells the three spirits that there is still much work to do.

Cast

*Guy Pearce as Ebenezer Scrooge
* Billy Barratt as Young Ebenezer Scrooge
*Andy Serkis as Ghost of Christmas Past
*Stephen Graham as Jacob Marley
*Charlotte Riley as Lottie Scrooge/Ghost of Christmas Present
*Joe Alwyn as Bob Cratchit
*Vinette Robinson as Mary Cratchit
*Jason Flemyng as Ghost of Christmas Future
*Kayvan Novak as Ali Baba
*Lenny Rush as Tiny Tim
* Johnny Harris as Franklin Scrooge
*Adam Nagaitis as Fred, Lottie's son

Production

It was announced in November 2017 that the BBC
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