A Christmas Carol (1954): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1954, A Christmas Carol is a family, music and tv movie film directed by Ralph Levy, running about 60 minutes. “One of the most beloved and retold of all Christmas stories.” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. A Christmas Carol was written in London by Charles Dickens in 1843. Since that time it has been the subject of countless adaptations for theatrical productions, radio, film, television, and even the opera! This musical version, adapted by Maxwell Anderson for the television show Shower of Stars, features Fredric March (The Man in the Grey Flannel Suit) as the misanthropic Ebenezer Scrooge, who's redemption comes after a ghostly night-time journey through his Christmas Past, Present and Future, and March received an Emmy nomination for his portrayal. The great Basil Rathbone (The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes) co-stars as the ghost of Scrooge's dead partner Jacob Marley, in what many consider to be the best and most chilling portrayal of Marley ever.

Who’s in it. A Christmas Carol stars William Lundigan as Host, Mary Costa as Co-host, Fredric March as Ebenezer Scrooge and Basil Rathbone as Marley's Ghost, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 5.6/10, A Christmas Carol has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

Where to watch. In US you can rent or buy it from Amazon Video. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch A Christmas Carol page.

If you liked it. Fans of A Christmas Carol tend to enjoy Spirited Away, Back to the Future, The Lion King and Coco.