Parent reviews for A Christmas Carol (1984)

One of the better tellings of this story. George C. Scott makes a very goog Scrooge.

I started watching this movie as an annual tradition with my family as a young child and it has become a staple in my life even at age 32. I have watched this movie every year at Christmas time. My wife was not raised on this version, but agrees that it is the best one out there. I can't find a single flaw in this movie. The performances by all are great. The scenery and music is very well done. It is truly a heartfelt story of redemption about Scrooge learning of all the great things he has missed out on in his life and vowing to become a better person for the rest of his days. The portions of the movie that involve Jacob Marley and The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come are very frightening. Additionally, there is a scene that some may find frightening at the end of The Ghost of Christmas Present with two malnourished, dirty children dressed in rags. Among those, there are other scenes that some children may find disturbing due to their dark nature. However, they are simply revealing real life situations that those of us who have lived privileged lives have not experienced. The seedy underbelly of the black market and a tunnel where homeless families live and struggle to keep warm and fed, to name a couple. I am very excited to get to start watching it with my children when they are old enough. I would suggest watching it with your spouse before showing it to your children so you can gauge when it will be appropriate to show them.

Has everything to do with Christmas and belief!!! Best for kids young and old

marley

Great movie, we have watched it every year since I was a little kid. I am 20 now and still enjoy watching this every Christmas Eve with my family. There is one curse word used about sixteen minutes into the movie. Not bad for an 80s movie. Jacob Marley is awesome.

My dad introduced this film to me at a young age, and we've been watching it every year for 20 years. Scrooge's redemption makes for a great story; his reformed self, the kind Cratchits, the cheerful Fred, and others, make for great role models. The messages they bring are wonderful, as well. The film has a definite Renaissance feel that adds to its charm and faithfulness to the original story. If your kids are like me, they will be enchanted by the music and eager to add classics like "The Sussex Carol" and "I Saw Three Ships" to their Christmas repetoire. Cautions: it's a ghost story, and things get bleaker the further we go. (Past is pretty harmless; Present less so; Future is downright creepy). Be aware of a scene built around two zombie-like children, lots of lightning and creepy metallic wails, and semi-frequent pipe organ blasts in early scenes. Also be aware that Marley lets out a couple of blood-curdling screams and looks very foreboding. One scene features a homeless family; this warrants discussion of Scrooge's reaction, as well as what ours should be. One other note: Tiny Tim is an archetype/stereotype of disability for Dickensian novels. This is okay for the time period, but families should, in my opinion, discuss what's true and not true where this is concerned, as well as that people with disabilities, poor people, etc. are not a "surplus." Overall, the film's too chilly for your Tiny Tims and Tessies. But for everyone else, it's a beautiful, thought-provoking flick and the version I recommend as most faithful to Dickens, 100%.

Absolutely love this movie!!