An American Christmas Carol, actor Henry Winkler[Blu-ray]

This movie has become a must watch at Christmas for our family.

A great movie to watch at Christmas

While I was looking up this movie recently, I found a lot of negativity from critics. It was more or less from the time of release. I understand that anytime you try and tackle a classic story someone will get bent out of shape. But there are so many variations of this story, why get upset with just this one? Did they not like a tv star taking on their beloved classic? Or do they just prefer to hate everything that the audiences love? I'm not sure but I really do love this story.This was a tv movie back in 1979 if I am reading correctly. I would have been 8 or 9 when this came out. So I do not really remember it much and probably didn't watch it at all after that. Of course I loved Happy Days but when you are a kid you want to see your favorite characters AS your favorite characters, and the Fonz was both alive and well in a tv show and an animated show, during those formative years. I have only recently found this again. I streamed it at first about four years ago and watched it every year since. I finally found it on Blu Ray and I am very happy with the purchase. The video could probably be better, especially for blu ray but it seemed like all they did was port over the dvd version without rescanning or remasterring. Regardless, it's still a joy to own. I think because it was on tv they may have used videotape and not film which would severely limit their ability to do a better remaster.While the concept is pure Dickens, the story is embedded in a purely American aesthetic that can be easily identified with by anyone who has ever lived through lean times. And that includes pretty much everyone. It's of course a tale of the rise and fall of a great man that ends with their redemption. It is a great variation of the original and, to me, is fun to watch and to be enthralled by. Even though Winkler has pretty much been typecast his whole life because of a singular roll, doesn't mean he plays that same character all of the time. His well-honed acting abilities shine through giving the production a very sincere and earnest quality that never seems pretentious or overbearing.For all of those who love the original Dickens tale, no matter who is your favorite actor portraying Scrooge, you will thoroughly enjoy this retelling using a new character with similarly crooked past. And of course both characters end up becoming better people at the end. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and I know that you will too. Just remember this tale does not replace Scrooge's story it simply lives alongside of it. I highly recommend.

My father and I use to watch this together every year and i have purchased it and started the same tradition with my own children. If your a Christmas move buff like myself you must have this as part of your must watch list. You won't be disappointed.

When I was a kid, I walked through my living room and my dad had a show on TV. All I saw on my way though was a bicycle scene, with bicycles coming around a corner. I asked Dad what he was watching and he said "another version of a Christmas Carol." I did not see any more of it that day, or ever again. Years ago that image of the bicycles came back to me. I spent a lot of time searching "Ebenezer on a bicycle," "Scrooge on a bicycle," "Christmas past scene at a park," and I never got a hit. This became a yearly tradition where I would search it and not find it. I even did a search on IMBD back when there was a forum there, and no one could help me (though I vaguely remember one person suggesting I try the Henry Winkler version, but I could not stream or get a copy of it back then). Just recently we have tried some streaming with a Roku and Prime (with satellite internet everything is hard) so I did a Prime search. I saw this Henry Winkler version and it was the right time period, so I rented it. Low and behold, there was SLADE on a bicycle. It wasn't Ebenezer Scrooge on a bicycle, it was Benedict Slade. The mystery is finally solved.Henry did a great job and they did a great job aging him. I don't think a businessman would have really let his hair get so unkempt, but I let that go. What I really didn't like was that Helen's hair was not styled for the period at the Christmas party. She looked like she was from the 70's but dressed in older period clothes. Her hair should have been up, pulled back, and then hanging down just in the back since she was a young woman, but not big and fluffy. No one did big and fluffy hair back then. It just bothered me. The chicken landing on the table with a thud was funny, and I liked the full-circle ending. I really liked how he handles the orphans when they come for donations, and how he rejects his family for his own gain, thus really showing his greed and his final turning point on his road to wealth and power at the sake of others. Using the quarry and the need for jobs connected it to the correct time period. It was good!

I saw this movie on TV a few times over the last several years, and was happily surprised to find it for sale on Amazon. I think it is a very good movie, and would recommend anyone who likes any of the Scrooge/ Christmas Carol movies. Mr. Winkler is a good actor and makes the movie a quality show. We sat down and watched it almost as soon as it was out of the package!

The choice to place this in New England in the Depression is perfect so of course the Scrooge like character would repo people's stuff. And there would be hope that a factory would reopen. That the march of progress would displace a furniture maker tied to old methods with factory production. The addition of an adoptive father works nicely as well.On the other hand, Winkler's performance is overdone in places. He's cold and nasty in the just right amount but no effort to age his voice. The makeup reflects the TV budget and he ages far too much for the amount of time (whereas the woman he lost in his youth ages little).All things considered, this is a favorite of mine. Different enough from the original to not be easily compared (Winkler is no George C. Scott or Alastair Sim but Slade is different enough from Scrooge).

I never knew Henry Winkler was in this movie he does a good job too

Beaucoup plus agréable à regarder que les anciènnes versions européennes.

Can't play it because it's region 1. But I have been after this version since watching it. It's a great twist and I live Henry Winker in the role.Why can't we have more on region 2. All the best ones always come out on region 1.

An excellent movie with a different twist to the traditional Christmas Carol. Henry Winkler is suburb, and R.H. Thompson is perfect for the role of his assistant. Always a fine actor. The story is set in the '30's Depression and strikes home to anyone who grew up the stories about "the hard times". The movie doesn't try imitate Alister Sim's version, but is along the same theme. The sets and props, lifestyle of the times is very well done. It is one of my favourite annual shows to watch, and much superior to the silly ones that get played over and over.

Although this is a different take on a classic it still remains true to the original. I watched this with pleasure but don't expect it to be just like the original, watch with an open mind and you will enjoy.

Filmed here in 🇨🇦 Canada it was released in 1979 staring “ The Fonz” from “ Happy Days”This version of “ a Christmas Carol” is really nice. It captures the feel of Canada in the early twentieth century and has a very real vibe to it. Good supporting cast too