Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983) User Reviews (60)

Cute cartoon "Carol"....

[Mister-6 · 8/10 · 25 October 2000]

You've probably seen every incarnation of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" to come down the pike - Lord knows, if humanity stopped making a new version every season, we'd still have enough to watch one a year for the remainder of man's time on Earth.

But when they star Mickey Mouse, you can forgive just one more.

"Mickey's Christmas Carol" tells the same tale yet again, only this time through the sensibilities of the mouse and his pals (Donald Duck, Jiminy Cricket, Goofy, Minnie Mouse, Daisy Duck, etc.). But how could you leave out the obvious casting of Scrooge McDuck. Want to guess which part HE plays?

As voiced by Disney stalwart Alan Young, Scrooge embodies greed, bitterness and eventual redemption all in one package, and even makes such expected lines as "Bah, HUMBUG" ring true.

If this cartoon has one flaw, it's that it doesn't have the same kind of irreverent spirit and sharp wit that so many of Disney's other movies and cartoon shorts have. Maybe it was a rush job?

Well, it still has the admitted high point of the Ghost of Christmas Present (best known as Willie the Giant from "Mickey and the Beanstalk") stomping through 19th century England and using lamp posts as flashlights and prying roofs off of houses to peek inside and expounding on "Pis-smashio" yogurt.

It still lets the meaning of the season shine through and gives you a warm glow in your heart...and isn't that what cartoons (especially Christmas cartoons) are supposed to do?

Eight stars for Mickey and company - and God bless us, everyone.

Worth digging up

[masterbrain_27 · 9/10 · 17 December 2004]

Mickey's Christmas Carol is not a full-length movie, which is to it's merit.

As with any adaption of a Christmas Carol, the less seen of annoying Tiny Tim, the better.

Carl Barks' Scrooge McDuck plays Ebenezer Scrooge as various other Disney Characters teach him to be kind and not miserly with the tried and true 3-celebrity ghosts formula.

The true entertainment isn't in the plot but in the nuances of the character behavior, for example, Scrooge's first encounter with the ghost of Jacob Marley.

Since it's a half-hour Christmas special, Mickey's Christmas Carol moves at a rather fast pace, free of songs or other distractions that may bore those with short attention spans.

All in all, I highly recommend this piece of work.

Highly enjoyable and well-done

[rebeljenn · 8/10 · 29 January 2006]

One of the Christmas programs that I always used to watch as a child at that time of year was Disney and Mickey Mouse's version of Dicken's classic, 'A Christmas Carol'. Disney characters are cast into the parts of the characters in this famous story. Goofy plays the ghost, Mickey plays the under-payed business partner, Scrooge McDuck plays Scrooge, Daisy Duck plays the love interest, among the cast of other characters. Think of this short (probably 30-minute) cartoon as the ultimate children's story of 'A Christmas Carol'. I have very fond memories of watching this, and it made me feel all Christmasy and anxious for Christmas. I wish that they would continue to show this and other Christmas programmes on the television nowdays. :( I remember the fear of seeing Scrooge almost cast into the never-ending grave, and the happiness when he learns the real spirit of Christmas. It really is a special Christmas film.

One of my favourites , conveying the true meaning of Christmas!

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 6 May 2009]

This is beautifully animated, and faithful to the much loved Dickens story. It is a bit short, but most of the Disney Christmas specials are barely over an hour, so I don't think it as an issue. Scrooge, great to hear Alan Young's voice again, is a miser who hates Christmas, much to the despair of his clerk Bob Cratchit, earnestly voiced by Wayne Allwine. He is visited by three spirits, after being warned by Jacob Marley, who convince him once and for all to change his ways! The animation is beautiful, as is the title song, an occurring motif in the mini-film. (It's only 25 minutes.)When Scrooge thinks Tiny Tim is dead, I had tears in my eyes, and that rarely happens. There are truly entertaining appearances from Jiminy Cricket, Goofy, Willy the Giant, Donald Duck and Toad from Wind in the Willows. Other than its length, I had no real quibble with the movie, so it is a 10/10. Bethany Cox

An animated masterpiece!

[TalesfromTheCryptfan · 17 December 2003]

Scrooge Mcduck ( voiced by Alan Young) is the most rotten richman in town, he's as sour as a grapefruit but has no feeling about others. He is haunted by his former partner Jacob Marley ( played by Goofy) and 3 spirits ( Jimminy Cricket, Willy The Giant from " Fun and Fancy Free" and Pete) show him about his past, present and future so he can change his ways.

A highly entertaining, well done and nicely drawn animated short. It's quite a memorable short, it's also shown on the made-for-video christmas movie " House of Mouse: It snowed at the House of Mouse".

10/10.

The one Walt would have been proud of.

[pieter_bond · 10/10 · 29 July 2008]

This is a true gem. Call it Disney's "It's a Wonderful Life". A short fantastic story by Charles Dickens with a great message for all of us during the holidays. First of all i want to thank the screenwriters who successfully adapted the story into a Disney setting: Mickey Mouse as Bob Cratchit, Jiminy Cricket as one of the Christmas ghosts, etc. Great job ! The drawings are perfect again. These could have been easily made by Disney's Nine Old Men. Look at those houses, the ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. All beautiful ! And above all there is this heartwarming story with some touching scenes. (Tiny Tim's Funeral)

10/10 Truly, the best Disney short and probably the one that Walt would have been proud of.

A Disney Christmas Classic

[travisimo · 10/10 · 12 December 2003]

This short film holds a special place in my heart as I remember watching it every Christmas on ABC. Then my parents bought the movie, and we would play it every year while we were decorating the Christmas tree.

Now, I get to watch it again on the 'Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse' DVD, and it's as good as ever! The use of classic and obscure Disney characters in this timeless Charles Dickens story is fantastic! Major characters like Mickey, Goofy, Donald, Daisy, and Jiminy Cricket fit in nicely to their roles, as does the rare characters (Scrooge McDuck, Pegleg Pete, The Giant, and the cast of Mr. Toad).

For Disney fans, animation fans, and Christmas fans, this movie is a great addition to your collection. For me this is truly a magnificent Christmas classic, and will be a favorite of mine for years and years to come!

My IMDb Rating: 9/10. My Yahoo! Grade: A (Outstanding)

Disney meets Dickens

[Horst_In_Translation · 8/10 · 30 September 2013]

The result is a thing of beauty and I have absolutely no idea how this one lost the animated short film category to "Sundae in New York" 30 years ago. It features all the famous characters, from Scrooge over Donald to Micky and Goofy and some of the lesser known ones too like Grandma Duck. They're all turned into characters from the famous Dickens story and of course the final result brings all the heart you had hoped for. The Christmas past scenes with Isabelle (Daisy who for once is not Donald's but Scrooge's sweetheart) and, especially, Tiny Tim with his crutches (and the teddy in the end) were truly moving. The scene at his house was a perfect display of how you really don't need much financially if you're surrounded by the ones you love. But also the humor doesn't come too short. You can always count on Goofy when it comes to that. I laughed so hard when Scrooge told the ghost of his old partner how he had class by doing such horrible things and Goofy at first laughs flattered, but then realizes what's going on and goes like "NO!". The voice acting is top-notch. Alan Young makes a good scrooge, but the highlight is definitely the supporting cast. Wayne Allwine's Mickey has always been a thing of beauty. Always has been, always will be. And the film has historic value as well as this was Clarence Nash's very last performance as everybody's favorite Duck (shut up, Daffy) almost 50 years after Nash voiced Donald the very first time.

So all in all, this one delivers everything you can hope for (including the sweetest ending) in an animated short-film. It's having its 30th anniversary this year and is still a much better watch than most of the Christmas-related stuff they're releasing these days, especially during the holidays. Show it to your children and you will not regret it.

well made distillation of the original material

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 21 December 2014]

Ebenezer Scrooge (Scrooge McDuck) is a miserly greedy duck. His clerk Bob Cratchit (Mickey Mouse) is overworked and underpaid. His nephew Fred (Donald Duck) invites him to Christmas dinner. He is visited by the ghost of his former business partner Jacob Marley (Goofy) who tells him about the approaching 3 spirits. The Ghost of Christmas Past (Jiminy Cricket) shows him the past and the origins of his miserable ways when he foreclose on Isabelle (Daisy Duck) for being an hour late rather than marrying her. The Ghost of Christmas Present (Willie the Giant) shows him the hardship faced by Bob Cratchit and his family. Then the Ghost of Christmas Future shows him the funeral of little Tiny Tim.

For such a short running time, this is a well made version of Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol'. It is snappy and quick. It's the essential highlights. It doesn't add anything new but it's done with great sincerity. It's a nice distillation of the original material that the kids will be able to follow.

Lovely but to short

[Merkal · 8/10 · 22 December 2002]

After seeing the impressing TV movie A Christmas Carol from Clive Donner with George C. Scott as Scrooge I wish Disney made their version into a full classic. With today's DTV releases there's a market for it. Because this version is so wonderful, Scrooge McDuck is Ebenezer Scrooge and Mickey makes a fine Bob Cratchit. The spirits are good chooses casting Willie the Giant as Ghost of Christmas Present, Ghost of Christmas Past (Jiminy Cricket) and Pete as Ghost of Christmas Future

With animation by people as Mark Henn, Glen Keane, Randy Cartwright. It's my opinion that this short deserves a remake into a full DTV sequel.

Charming Disney featurette

[Foux_du_Fafa · 7/10 · 20 December 2009]

Over a quarter of a century before a motion-capture Jim Carey muttered "Bah Humbug" for the house that Walt built, Mickey and numerous classic characters from the Disney stable got dolled in their best Victorian attire for an adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic Yuletide tale: "Mickey's Christmas Carol". A sort of cartoon costume drama, Mickey plays the underpaid Bob Cratchitt to Scrooge McDuck's Ebeneezer Scrooge (what clichéd yet inspired casting!). The usual chain of events follows, complete with a whole range of Disney characters from Donald Duck to Jiminy Cricket playing the roles.

This featurette is by all means a charming holiday piece that can appeal to young and old alike. The animation and art direction, although relatively unspectacular given its unambitious nature, are quite stellar considering the fact that the animators working on this special, the future creators of "The Little Mermaid" et al, were essentially newcomers.

That is not to say "Mickey's Christmas Carol" is without fault. One slight issue is that the film does not seem to always know whether it wants to be a fun piece of nostalgia or a genuinely involving and inspiring adaptation, and it does become a "Where's Waldo" of Disney characters at times. This can be charming, but equally, some of the castings do seem a bit off; I can't help but think Goofy ended up in the role of Jacob Marley simply due to the fact that they felt that he needed a part. Also, at only around 25 minutes, the story progression does seem a bit hurried. The concept may have been a bit stretched as a feature film, but between five and ten minutes extra on the running time would have fleshed some of the rushed flashback scenes out.

Still, this gets a recommendation, either as a fun Disney Christmas special or as an introduction to Dickens for children.

The Best Christmas Carol

[BabelAlexandria · 10/10 · 26 December 2020]

A family classic, which we've watched every Christmas season since about 2016. It's very upbeat, compared to the "live-action" Disney version, and compactly fit into a 30-minute made for tv special, which I definitely saw at least once as a child in the 1980s. To me, in fact, it's the canonical version of the tale. We have an animation cell from it, which I originally thought was Mickey=Bob Cratchet in Scrooge's office at the beginning, but later realized is from the final scene at his home, when Scrooge brings gifts for Tiny Tim and the rest of his family.

No acid rain, drug addiction, international terrorism or freeway killers in this one

[CuriosityKilledShawn · 7/10 · 20 December 2007]

Scrooge McDuck rather fittingly plays Ebeneezer Scrooge in this Disney version of a story that TV writers have been milking for years. To me, the only good movies based on Charles Dickens' classic novel are this one, Scrooged and Muppet's Christmas Carol. Though I do remember seeing something as a kid called The Stingiest Man in Town that was very similar. Or did I dream that?

As usual with Disney animation, this 25-minute short is wonderfully detailed and cosy. But I feel that it may not have as much lasting power other feature length movies. It's just not long enough. The story feels very rushed but it's no less effective. Originally produced to precede the re-release of The Rescuers in 1983 I reckon that Mickey's Christmas Carol is a classic in it's own way, even if it only familiar to Disney fans instead of the average kid who has been raised on Toy Story and Dinosaur.

I do believe that it could have been a feature length film but as a big fan of Scrooge McDuck I can just turn to Duck Tales if I want more of him. This was also his second screen appearance after appearing in a Donald Duck short years before. He's an underrated Disney character and deserves a comeback.

A Rush Job

[ApeLieUproar · 5/10 · 26 December 2011]

I agree with Roger Ebert, that MICKEY's Christmas CAROL felt like a "forced march" through the famous Dickens novella. Watching it with the running time (26 min.) in mind, the viewer might wonder how the story will be told. Somehow it is, but it's a rush job. The animation was fine but the adaptation is too short and misses out on too many key developments and nuances in the story.

This was before animation experienced a renaissance in the late 80's so perhaps there wasn't much of a budget to do a full-length feature, but still, it's disappointing. I wish Disney had waited to do it proper, with Scrooge McDuck or without (and I don't count the Zemeckis-directed version).

Charming re-telling of a classic

[Vartiainen · 8/10 · 19 March 2017]

In this Disney short film adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic, the role of Ebenezer Scrooge is played by none other than Scrooge McDuck. Makes sense, really. The film is only 26 minutes long, but yet it manages to pack in all the essentials elements of a Christmas Carol, as well as a lot of good humour, touching drama and excellent Christmas spirit. Frankly it amazes me that they manage to juggle all these differing elements so skilfully. The film can go from joyous joke cracking to an honestly scary moment and from there straight to plucking your heartstrings.

The voice acting and animation are both superb Disney quality. The film is colourful and has aged barely any at all. It's also rather interesting to see Scrooge and Mickey, playing the role of Bob Cratchit, sharing a screen together. All in all the film is called Mickey's Christmas Carol and the character cast leans more towards Mickey and his supporting characters. They probably went with Scrooge because, well, he's named after the original character. There's really no other possible choice.

When a film works, it just works. This film isn't very long, but what it lacks in runtime, it more than makes up in charm, heart and sheer quality. Easily recommended.

Very nice cartoon short of A Christmas Carol.

[OllieSuave-007 · 9/10 · 26 October 2013]

This is a very nice adaptation from Disney of the classic "A Christmas Carol." It stars Mickey, Donald and Daisy as some of the main Carol characters, playing Bob Cratchit, Nephew Fred and Belle. Ebenezer Scrooge is voiced by Mister Ed actor Alan Young, and Scrooge will take on a more significant future role as "Scrooge McDuck" in the cartoon show, Ducktales.

This classic Charles Dicken's story is portrayed very well in this cartoon, very touching and moving about gruff Ebenezer trying to mend his ways after being visited by the Christmas ghosts of the Past, Present and Future. The spirit of Christmas and goodwill is thoroughly emphasized in this movie and you could definitely see a special Disney touch to this feature.

I'm sure the kids and the entire family will enjoy watching this cartoon short during Christmas time.

Grade A

Brilliant Version of the Play

[Michael_Elliott · 12 December 2009]

Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983)

**** (out of 4)

Disney kept Mickey Mouse off the big screen for nearly three decades but they certainly picked the right story to bring him back in. This wonderful adaptation of the classic story has Mickey playing Bob Cratchit, the poor worker whose boss Scrooge is about to get a lesson on treating people the right way. In my opinion this is Disney greatest moment and also one of the greatest shorts ever made. Even though the film only runs 20-minutes, there's enough heart and spirit to carry a dozen feature films. I've loved this movie since first seeing it as a child and I'm pretty sure I could watch this once a day and not tire of it. What amazes me most and always has is that the animators got all the right characters in the story being played by the right Disney character. Goofy as Marley, Willie the Giant and Jiminy Cricket as a couple of the ghosts, Donald Duck as the nephew and of course Mickey and Minnie. The entire story is a very familiar one but it's given so much life by these Disney characters that one really could argue that this is the very best version of the story, which has had several good adaptations over the past hundred years. I loved all the animation, the music and of course the ending is incredibly touching and funny.

Great animated Disney film!

[Movie Nuttball · 10/10 · 13 July 2005]

I thought that the characters were really funny and all had great personalities. The animation in My opinion was crisp, clean, and really clear. Not to mention beautiful! Most of the characters in this show are hilarious like the Looney Tunes characters that we all love. in My opinion these characters are the funnies and talented ever seen. In fact, The things that goes on in this series' cartoons are in My opinion nuts which that is what makes them hilarious! There are so many to like and laugh at and the silly things they do! If you like the original Looney Tunes and animated films then I strongly recommend that you watch this movie today!

Disney does it short, sweet and to the point.

[ryanward-45039 · 9/10 · 14 December 2022]

In 1983, Walt Disney Productions, becoming released a theatrical short film starring Mickey Mouse and other Disney characters with a character that didn't get much screen time before, Scrooge McDuck, in the Oscar nominated short film Mickey's Christmas Carol. It marked the first time in 30 years that Mickey Mouse landed on the big screen, and the shirt was released along with the re-release of The Rescuers (1977). Released in between The Fox And The Hound (1981) and The Back Cauldron (1985) this short resurrected classic characters from Disney and a few more years they became popular again. This would be placed in the transitional period between when the old animators of Disney were about to hang up the coat and the new animators started to rear the company into a new turn and help launch the Disney Renaissance. With the company also about to have a new leader, Micheal Eisner in the following year, it seemed that Mickey's Christmas Carol would be the last project made at the old Disney studios and the last to be released under Walt Disney Productions. It also made Scrooge McDuck become popular with the Disney crowd and he would soon be the star of DuckTales a few years later. Based on the character of Ebenezer Scrooge, sort of, he's the richest duck and of course swims in money, and is Donald's uncle. Created by legendary Disney artist Carl Barks, he would be perfect to play Ebenezer Scrooge in this short, along with Mickey Mouse as Bob Cratchit, Donald Duck as Scrooge's nephew Fred, and other characters such as Goofy as Jacob Marley, Jiminy Cricket as The Ghost of Christmas Past, Willie The Giant (from Fun And Fancy Free) as The Ghost of Christmas Present, and the evil Pete as the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. There's also cameos of Mr. Toad as fezziweg, as well as Mole and Rat from The Wind and the Willows segment from The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad as the charity collectors. I really loved Alan Young voicing Scrooge and he made that character, and all the other voice actors do well in this including relative newcomer Wayne Allwine as the third Mickey Mouse voice actor, and the original Donald Duck voice Clarence Nash in his last role as the squeaky duck. The kid who played Tiny Tim I'm not sure if he's around or still acting.

The story fellows the Charles Dickens story to a tree, and it's done with classic Disney characters in the iconic roles, and I admired each and every one of them, like it was sweet to see Mickey and Minnie to have kids of their own and Tiny Tim Mouse is really sweet and makes this movie worth watching. And if you are a fan of classic Disney or Disney on general, and you love A Christmas Carol, you will love this and it's one of the Christmas classics that is often watched every Christmas.

9/10.

Delightful Disney short..."I thought you'd be taller!"...

[Doylenf · 6/10 · 10 December 2007]

Charming Disney Christmas short has ALAN YOUNG voicing the Scrooge McDuck character as Ebenezer Scrooge in this colorful, well animated Disney short from the early '80s. One of the more subtle lines goes to McDuck when visited by The Ghost of Christmas Past (Jiminy Cricket): "I thought you'd be taller!"). Other familiar Disney characters take turns at playing roles, including Goofy as Jacob Marley's ghost and Mickey Mouse as Bob Cratchit.

The Victorian atmosphere of London is nicely displayed and all of the background work is up to the usual Disney professional standards. The music is pleasant and only the brief running time is a bit of a disappointment, since the story is so compressed and is over just as you begin to settle into it for enjoyment.

A "must see" for any Disney buff and well worth watching to get into that holiday mood.

It Works!

[Hitchcoc · 9/10 · 28 June 2019]

I resurrected this. I hadn't seen it in decades. As a great fan of Dickens' story, I a quite critical of film adaptations of it. This animated version, featuring a ton of recognizable Disney characters, does a nice job of telling the story and being true to the "actors." The animation is crisp and colorful. The writing stays true to the original. See this again.

Impressive but it also seems like a lost opportunity.

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 31 December 2014]

In 1983, the Disney company was at its lowest point--or darn close. The once-great studio appeared to be very stagnant and nearing the end of its run. Little did folks realize that a rebirth was awaiting in the mid-late 1980s--with great cartoons such as "The Great Mouse Detective", "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" and "The Little Mermaid". So, it is nice to see "Mickey's Christmas Carol"--as the artwork is just lovely and shows that the studio still had it. Because of this, it's a very impressive film--and worth seeing. Now this IS a qualified endorsement--as despite the great animation and the use of classic characters, the subject matter is dull stuff indeed. After all, there must have been about a bazillion different versions of Dickens' "A Christmas Carol". In fact, to me it's like a lost opportunity where Disney COULD have achieved greatness with this cartoon but because of the overly familiar subject matter it is just 'nice'. Nice wouldn't save the studio.

BEST MOVIE EVER

[yagmuraydin-78566 · 10/10 · 14 October 2023]

LITTERALLY THE BEST FILM I HAVE EVER SEEN. I ALWAYS REWATCH IT WITH MUM AND CHRISTMAS GETS BETTER FOR US. I HAVE REWATCHED IT COUNTLESS TIMES AINCE MY CHILDHOOD. I ALWAYS CRY AT THE END OF THE FILM, WHERE THERE IS A WARM FAMILY CHRISTMAS ATMOSPHERE, BECAUSE I HAVE NEVER FELT THAT KIND OF HAPPINESS. I LOVE THE SCENE WHICH MINNIE AND MICKEY GIVE PRESENTS TO EACHOTHER. I ALWAYS WANTED TO BUY A CHRISTMAS TREE BECAUSE OUR TREE IS LIKE A APPLE TREE AND IT IS BROKEN SINCE 2011. WHEN I TOLD MY THAT I WANTED A NEW CHRISTMAS TREE SHE TOLD ME THAT OUR HOUSE WAS NOT A ZOO AND THAT WE DIDNT NEED A TREE IN OUR HOUSE BECAUSE SHE IS NOT A FARMER ALTOUGHT SHE LOOKS LIKE A FARMER WHO TRIES TO RIDE A HORSE.

NOTE: MY MOMS VOICE IS JUST LIKE CLARA BELL.

Barebones but still good.

[JCX94 · 7/10 · 14 May 2020]

A very bare bones Christmas Carol but what can you expect when It's only 26 minutes. It was a bit weird having a Scottish Scrooge but I loved It. Alan Young did a great job as Scrooge McDuck. I wasn't really a fan of the Ghost's of Christmas past/present but future was alright.

Overall a pretty good Christmas Carol.

Adorable Christmas Special of Hand-Drawn Disney from the year 1983

[rebeccaajclarke · 10/10 · 16 November 2022]

I find the Hand-Drawn Disney Animated Adaptation of A Christmas Carol By Charles Dickens is very Adorable, Because the story is very simple, but very sweet, It has memorable characters like Mickey Mouse as Bob Cratchit, Minnie Mouse as Mrs. Emily Cratchit, Morty Fieldmouse as Tiny Tim, Donald Duck as Ebenezer Scrooge's Nephew Fred, Ratty and Mole from The Wind Of The Willows (1949) as The Collectors of The Charity, Goofy Goof as Jacob Marley, Daisy Duck as Isabelle/Belle, Mr. Toad from The Wind Of The Willows (1949) as Mr. Fezziwig, Jiminy Cricket from Pinocchio (1940) as The Ghost Of Christmas Past, Willie The Giant from Mickey and The Beanstalk (1947) as The Ghost Of Christmas Present, Peg-Leg Pete as The Ghost Of Christmas Yet To Come and Scrooge McDuck as Ebenezer Scrooge, I'm giving this a 10/10 and Merry Christmas.