Plot
A cynically selfish TV executive gets haunted by three spirits bearing lessons on Christmas Eve.
Release Year: 1988
Rating: 6.8/10 (29,693 voted)
Critic's Score: 38/100
Director:
Richard Donner
Stars: Bill Murray, Karen Allen, John Forsythe
Storyline Frank Cross runs a US TV station which is planning a live adaptation of Dickens' Christmas Carol. Frank's childhood wasn't a particularly pleasant one, and so he doesn't really appreciate the Christmas spirit. With the help of the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future, Frank realises he must change.
Writers: Mitch Glazer, Michael O'Donoghue
Cast: Bill Murray
-
Frank Cross
Karen Allen
-
Claire Phillips
John Forsythe
-
Lew Hayward
John Glover
-
Brice Cummings
Bobcat Goldthwait
-
Eliot Loudermilk
David Johansen
-
Ghost of Christmas Past
Carol Kane
-
Ghost of Christmas Present
Robert Mitchum
-
Preston Rhinelander
Nicholas Phillips
-
Calvin Cooley
Michael J. Pollard
-
Herman
Alfre Woodard
-
Grace Cooley
Mabel King
-
Gramma
John Murray
-
James Cross
Jamie Farr
-
Jacob Marley
Robert Goulet
-
Himself
Taglines:
The spirits will move you in odd and hysterical ways.
Release Date: 23 November 1988
Filming Locations: New York City, New York, USA
Box Office Details
Budget: $32,000,000
(estimated)
Gross: $60,328,558
(USA)
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Did You Know?
Trivia:
When The Ghost of Christmas Present first appears in the movie, she says to Frank Cross, "I'm a little muddled." This is a direct quote from Glenda the Good Witch in
The Wizard of Oz when she first meets Dorothy in Munchkinland.
Goofs:
Revealing mistakes:
When Frank Cross first enters the Ghost of Christmas Past's cab, in many shots it is obvious that the Ghost is driving on the left side of the vehicle. However, when the Ghost parks his cab after arriving in 1955, he gets out of the right side of the cab, which wouldn't be logical for him to do unless he was driving a right-side driven vehicle.
Quotes: Ghost of Christmas Past:
Go back to Jersey, you moron!
User Review
A Personal Favorite
Rating:
This is my favorite "adaptation" of A Christmas Carol. It's also my
favorite Christmas movie. A lot of people say that Bill Murray's character
of Frank Cross is unlikeable. Would you prefer a warm and fuzzy Scrooge
for
the first half? Then there are those who say that the end is sappy. The
ending is what I like the most. And Murray's acting is much better than
other Scrooges, who usually overact. Murray manages to be over-the-top
with
his cruelty while still making his acting believable. Cross is truly
Scrooge-like, reveling in the death of an old woman caused by his
commercial
because it's free publicity. Another common comment is that Carol Kane
steals the scene as the Ghost of Christmas Present. Not true. The
chemistry between Murray and Kane ensures that they share the screen
perfectly. This is a wonderful movie. I can't understand why anyone would
say otherwise. Bobcat Goldthwait puts in a great performance as a
disgruntled employee fired on Christmas Eve. The best part is the end.
This movie has what has to be the happiest ending in the history of movies.
He understands the meaning of Christmas, gets a new lease on life, gets the
girl, the little boy talks, and everybody sings a song. Danny Elfman
provides the score, doing a brilliant job as always. A beautiful movie all
around. A+
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