A Christmas Carol is a 2000 British crime fantasy television film, written by Peter Bowker, that first broadcast on ITV on 20 December 2000.[1] The film is a modern adaptation of Charles Dickens' 1843 novella of the same name, and stars Ross Kemp in the role of Eddie Scrooge, a cruel and unscrupulous loan shark who brings misery to the residents of a poor housing estate, before he is haunted by ghosts one Christmas Eve.
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The film was one of a number of projects offered to Kemp as part of his "golden handcuffs" deal with ITV, following his departure from EastEnders.[2] 9.41 million viewers watched the film on its debut Wednesday night broadcast.[3] The film is also regularly repeated on ITV3 during the buildup to Christmas each year. The film has never been released on DVD.
Jacob Marley, a criminal and associate of predatory loan shark Eddie Scrooge, is murdered at the beginning of December. On Christmas Eve, approximately two weeks after Marley's murder, Bob Cratchit, one of Scrooge's debtors, assists Scrooge on collecting debts from his miserable neighbours in an inner-city estate. Scrooge declines an invitation to Christmas dinner from his nephew Dave, a police officer. That night, Scrooge is visited by the ghost of Marley, who tells him to expect three other ghosts, who will try to help change Scrooge's behaviour and stop him from suffering the same terrible afterlife as that of Marley. Later that night, the first ghost, Scrooge's late father, shows him visions of his past, including his troubled upbringing, his entry into crime and meeting his ex-girlfriend Bella, a nurse who split from Scrooge upon noticing the misery he causes to his debtors.
Scrooge rudely dismisses his father and finds the next morning that he is living the same Christmas Eve all over again, and is able to predict the events of the day. Scrooge changes nothing about the day. That night, after Scrooge wakes from a nightmare about the night of Marley's murder, Marley's ghost reappears, standing in for the second ghost, and shows Scrooge visions of the present Christmas, including the festivities of his debtors, who are nonetheless happy. Bob's son Tim spends the day in hospital suffering from cystic fibrosis. Two teenagers living rough on the estate die from hypothermia, and they both appear before Scrooge and Marley.
Scrooge once again wakes up on Christmas Eve, and half-heartedly attempts to change events to impress Bella. Scrooge tries to save the teenagers, but one of them dies because the ambulances required a police escort due to local crime. That night, when confronted once again by Marley's ghost, Scrooge confesses to Marley that he is partially responsible for his murder: at the time of his murder, Marley was making a move on the territory of a crook named Stiles, who Scrooge told where to meet Marley without realising what Stiles' intention was. Scrooge concedes that he does not enjoy his life and Marley vanishes.
Attempting to escape the haunting, Scrooge meets the third ghost, a child whom Scrooge recognizes but he is unsure who it is. The boy takes Scrooge to the near future, where Tim dies and the Cratchits split apart in grief. Scrooge's belongings are flogged outside his home following his death, which is celebrated by his debtors. Scrooge vows to change his ways if he is allowed to return to the present, which he is.
Awakening for the last time, once again on Christmas Eve, Scrooge saves the sick teenagers, cancels all his debts and anonymously gives his money to those he tormented, including the Cratchits. He reveals the identity of Marley's killer and spends Christmas with Dave and his family. Scrooge tells Bella about his hauntings and, despite her disbelief, she takes him back. Years later, Scrooge and Bella are ice-skating with their son, who had previously appeared to Scrooge as the third ghost.
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