A Carol Christmas
| A Carol Christmasplay | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Written by | Tom Amundsen |
| Directed by | Matthew Irmas |
| Starring |
Tori Spelling Dinah Manoff William Shatner Gary Coleman |
| Theme music composer | Roger Bellon |
| Original language(s) | English |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) |
Robert Halmi, Jr. Larry Levinson Albert T. Dickerson III |
| Cinematography | Geza Sinkovics |
| Editor(s) |
Jennifer Jean Cacavas Thomas A. Krueger |
| Running time | 120 minutes |
| Production company(s) |
Larry Levinson Productions Hallmark Entertainment |
| Distributor | Hallmark Channel |
| Release | |
| Original network | Hallmark Channel |
| Original release | December 7, 2003 (USA) |
A Carol Christmas is a TV movie starring Tori Spelling, Dinah Manoff, William Shatner and Gary Coleman. It premiered on the Hallmark Channel in 2003. The film is an adaptation of the Charles Dickens story of a similar name.
Plot
Spelling plays Carol Cartman, a conceited sensationalist talk show host. She is cynical, selfish, and generally treats her employees with cold contempt. She has been molded this way by her late Aunt Marla (Dinah Manoff). On Christmas Eve, she is haunted by her Aunt who warns her of the mistake she made and the terrible fate awaiting her if she doesn't change. In the tradition of the original story, she is visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past (Gary Coleman), Present (William Shatner) and Future (James Cromwell, uncredited). She is shown how she will die alone, unloved and a fallen-from-stardom has-been if she doesn't change. At the end, she becomes a warm, caring person vowing to make amends. She goes on to her television show and makes a touching speech to her audience about the importance of Christmas and giving. At the very end, the three Christmas Spirits reappear outside Carol's sister's house, where Carol decided to go after all for the holidays, and comment on their work at transforming Carol Cartman, a twist not seen in any adaptation of A Christmas Carol up to then, and which would be repeated three years later, at the end of Bah, Humduck! A Looney Tunes Christmas.
Cast
- Tori Spelling as Carol who is based on Ebeneezer Scrooge
- Dinah Manoff as Aunt Marla who is based on Jacob Marley
- William Shatner as Dr. Bob/The Ghost of Christmas Present
- Gary Coleman as The Ghost of Christmas Past
- James Cromwell as The Ghost of Christmas Future (uncredited)
- Michael Landes as Jimmy
- Paula Trickey as Beth who is based on Fred who was Scrooge's nephew and here Beth is Carol's sister and has two kids.
- Nina Siemaszko as Roberta is based on Bob Cratchit
- Jason Brooks as John who is based on Belle
- Holmes Osborne as Hal
- Holliston Coleman as Lily that based on Tiny Tim
- Gage Golightly as Young Carol