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On Christmas Eve 1843,
Ebenezer Scrooge, a surly money-lender at a counting house, who has run
the business himself for seven years since his business partner Jacob
Marley died, does not share the merriment of Christmas. He declines his
nephew Fred's invitation to join him for Christmas dinner and dismisses
two gentlemen collecting money for charity. Scrooge reluctantly gives his
loyal, low-paid employee Bob Cratchit Christmas off, as there will be no
business for Scrooge during the day. In his house, Scrooge encounters the
tortured ghost of Marley, who warns Scrooge to repent of his wicked ways
to avoid being condemned in the afterlife, as Marley has been. Marley
tells Scrooge that three spirits will visit him during the next three
nights, regardless of Scrooge's reluctance, and to expect the first ghost
at one o'clock.
At one o'clock, Scrooge is visited by the angel-like Ghost of Christmas
Past, who takes him back in time to his childhood and early adult life.
They visit his lonely school days in boarding school, where his friends
were all going home for Christmas but he is not allowed, because his
father treated him badly after his mother died. Scrooge's sister, Fran,
the mother of Scrooge's nephew, comes to Scrooge's school and their father
is a lot nicer, agreeing that he could come home for Christmas. The ghost
shows Scrooge as an employee of Albert Fezziwig, who had a benevolent
heart and acted as a second father to Scrooge. Fezziwig throws a Christmas
party, Scrooge attends and meets a young woman named Belle, with whom he
falls in love and gets engaged. However, the Ghost shows Scrooge why Belle
left him: he chose money over her. A tearful Scrooge extinguishes the
Ghost as he finds himself back in bed.
Scrooge meets the serious Ghost of Christmas Present, which shows Scrooge
the joys and wonder of Christmas Day. Scrooge and the Ghost visit
Cratchit's house, learning his family is content with their small dinner.
Scrooge takes pity on Cratchit's ill son, Tiny Tim. The Ghost ages, while
commenting that Tiny Tim will not survive until next Christmas if nothing
will change. Before the Ghost disappears, he warns Scrooge about the evils
of "Ignorance" and "Want", who manifest themselves before Scrooge as two
wretched children.
The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come arrives, appearing as a tall, silent,
black cloaked figure, and takes Scrooge into the future. At the stock
exchange, Scrooge's acquaintances discuss the death of an unnamed
colleague, one of whom says that he only plans to attend the funeral if
lunch is provided while another man says he doesn't wear black gloves (one
of the clothes of mourning) or eat lunches so there's no reason for him to
be there and none of these associates expect anyone else to attend either,
given how unpleasant a person the deceased was. In a den, Scrooge sees a
charwoman Mrs. Dilber, a laundress Mrs. Riggs, and the local undertaker
trading several of the man's stolen possessions to a rag-and-bone man
named Old Joe. A young couple, who owed the man money, are relieved he is
dead, as they have more time to pay off their debt. The Ghost transports
Scrooge to Cratchit's house, discovering Tiny Tim has died and the
Crachits are mourning him. The Ghost escorts Scrooge to a cemetery, where
the Ghost points out the man's grave, revealing Scrooge was the man who
died. Realizing this, Scrooge vows to change his ways just as the Ghost
closes it eyes and lifts it head. The grave opens, and Scrooge sees his
dead self lying in a coffin. He falls into the grave, then clings to his
own dead body as he falls through the earth into Hell, suddenly finding
himself in his bedroom. Scrooge finds the ghosts had visited him all in
one night instead of three. Finding it is Christmas Day, a gleeful Scrooge
decides to surprise Bob's family with a turkey dinner, and ventures out
among the citizens of London to spread happiness in the city. He visits
Fred's house and has Christmas dinner with the family, followed by
dancing. The following day, he gives Cratchit a raise and becomes like "a
second father" to Tiny Tim, who escapes death. Scrooge and Tiny Tim and
the Cratchits celebrate Christmas. |
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