Based on the inspiring true story, The Man Who Invented Christmas tells the journey that led to the creation of Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim, and other classic characters from A Christmas Carol. Full of hope, adding this new film to our Advent collections will help us prepare heart, mind, and soul for the Christmas season.
Our current understanding of the Christmas season has been greatly influenced by A Christmas Carol, the novella published by Charles Dickens. In The Man Who Invented Christmas, Director Bharat Nalluri (Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day) and screenplay writer Susan Coyne tell the story of how the author, along with stingy Mr. Scrooge, discovers it is possible to change and become a more giving person; to understand the consequences of selfishness and as well as appreciate the blessings that come through transformation.
A Time article by Kate Samuelson Coyne sums up the lasting significance of this timeless and classic tale:
Before A Christmas Carol, you’d never ask questions about the meaning of Christmas, and we now ask it all the time, I think that’s because of what Dickens’ book suggests. It has this magical idea that in spite of all our differences, we can make something good happen — something which, in this day and age, it’s important to remind ourselves of.”
Writers often find the characters in their stories from inside of themselves or from people around them. As you watch The Man Who Invented Christmas, the following questions might offer some personal insights.
- How was a bit of Dickens in each of the characters?
- Where do I find a bit of these characters in myself?
- The wealthy gentlemen outside the opera remarked that “no one ever gave him anything.” What do you think of the man’s statement, is it accurate or a perception? How does this apply in your life?
- The Fezziwig’s were a generous couple who shared their good fortune with their employees. What did it really cost them to be benevolent and what was gained? What does it cost you?
this movie offers hope. No matter who we are, change is possible if we desire and embrace it.
Readily available online and from local libraries, this movie offers hope. No matter who we are, change is possible if we desire and embrace it. This movie lets us see that while we can’t change the past, we can learn from it. What is learned from the past it can be applied to the present. And, how we live the present will determine our future.