When one thinks of iconic Christmas tales, several come to mind. Near the top of the list for many people is the enduring classicA Christmas Carol. Charles Dickens’s tale of Ebenezer Scrooge’s transformation from greedy cynic to generous giver is a hallmark of the holidays. Since its original 1843 publication,A Christmas Carolhas been adaptedcountless times for film, TV, stage, and virtually every medium. Ask any viewer, and they’ll likely have a particular adaptation that stands out above all. But there’s one that doesn’t get talked about nearly enough, and it absolutely should.
In 1983, Disney releasedMickey’s Christmas Carol. This featurette retells the famous carol using characters from theMickey Mouseuniverseand other Disney properties. At just 26 minutes, it gets the point across much quicker than many movies that came before or after it.
It seems like every year, fans see a new retelling ofA Christmas Carolthat puts some new or unique spin on things. While that can keep things fresh, this formula never needed reinvention. Faithfully sticking to the original story is enough.Mickey’s Christmas Caroldid just that, which is why it still holds up 40 years later. Let’s look at why that is and why this special deserves more respect than it receives.
The Iconic Christmas Carol Story With a Disney Cast
Everyone knows the story ofA Christmas Carol, but here’s a quick refresher for those who may have forgotten. Spoilers ahead. Our story centers on Ebenezer Scrooge, a greedy miser concerned only with enriching himself. On Christmas Eve, the ghost of Scrooge’s deceased business partner, Jacob Marley, visits to inform him that three spirits will soon show him the error of his ways.
That night, the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future show Scrooge just how much his greed hurts others. He changes his ways and devotes his time and money to helping others. It’s the quintessential Christmas story of character redemption. The simple, easy-to-adapt formula has madeA Christmas Carollive on for nearly 200 years.
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When people think of Disney’s retelling of the story, many would think of the 2009 motion-capture movie led by Jim Carrey. Others might go toThe Muppet Christmas Carol, possibly the gold standard for comedic adaptations.Mickey’s Christmas Caroldoesn’t seem particularly memorable compared to Disney’s other titles, so why might that be?
Released in 1983,Mickey’s Christmas Carolcasts Disney characters in the famous roles. Obviously, Scrooge McDuck is Ebenezer Scrooge. He was named after and directly based on Dickens' protagonist. Mickey Mouse is Bob Cratchit, Scrooge’s loyal yet long-suffering clerk. Donald Duck is Fred, the nephew of Scrooge, while Goofy rounds out the core cast as Jacob Marley. Leave it to Disney to get each role nailed down.
The eternally optimistic Mickey Mouse inhabits the jovial demeanor of Cratchit, who’s willing to take Scrooge’s abuse as he just wants to provide for his family. As Scrooge McDuck’s nephew, Donald was a natural choice for Fred. The one character who plays against type is Goofy as Marley, though watching the notably slapstick-prone Goofy share his ominous warnings and attempt to scare Scrooge brings a nice levity to the scene.
The cast isn’t limited to the Mickey Mouse universe. Jiminy Cricket is the Ghost of Christmas Past, an appropriate performance for the character widely recognized as Disney’s conscience. In an unusual choice, Ratty, Moley, and Mr. Toad ofThe Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toadappear as two beggars and Scrooge’s first boss, Mr. Fezziwig, respectively. It’s always good to see faces from Disney’s lesser-known animated properties pop up again. Even Pete, the oldestDisney characterand eternal foe of Mickey Mouse plays flawlessly to type as the volatile Ghost of Christmas Future who condemns Scrooge to Hell.
Why Isn’t Mickey’s Christmas Carol More Well-Known?
So why has this special seemingly fallen into obscurity? It tells one of the world’s most recognizable stories with everyone’s favorite Disney ensemble. One factor could be the running time. At just under half an hour, they could have rushed the story to fit everything into the shorter runtime. It doesn’t feel that way, and despite the first ghost not arriving until nearly the halfway mark, everything is given enough time to develop and play out. Would it stick out better in the minds of audiences if it had been feature-length? It’s possible, as movies are typically more memorable than shorts.
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Disney has produced hundreds, maybe thousands, of projects over its century in operation. It’s just not possible to remember every singleDisney movie. In particular, there are so manyMickey Mousefilms and shorts dating back to the company’s earliest days. Outside of Disney, there have also been nearly as manyChristmas Carolreworkings. Did this one get lost in the shuffle compared to the numerous otherMickey MouseandChristmas Carolstories? It’s likely a combination of both factors.
Whatever the reason,Mickey’s Christmas Caroldeserves to have its day in the limelight once again for telling a beautiful story with compelling characters in under 30 minutes. This year marks 40 years since its release, so what better time for new audiences to rediscover this classic?
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