The Man Who Invented Christmas

The Man Who Invented Christmas

Starring Dan Stevens, Christopher Plummer, Jonathan Pryce, Simon Callow

Directed by Bharat Nalluri

The Story:
In October 1843, writer Charles Dickens (Dan Stevens) is going through a writer's block crisis: his last three books were flops, and trying to live off the success of "Oliver Twist" is wearing thin.  He's got a longsuffering wife, four kids (with a fifth coming soon), and a lot of expensive home remodeling to take care of, as well as caring for his father John (Jonathan Pryce).

When his publishers reject his latest idea - a ghost story revolving around Christmas - he takes it upon himself to write and publish it himself, in only six weeks.  As he almost goes mad trying to find out a story, he begins creating characters based off people around him, especially a crotchety old man at a cemetery who utters "Humbug" a lot.  This character - whom he names Ebenezer Scrooge (Christopher Plummer) - will help him write the most beloved Christmas classic in history, a story that has more parallels to Dickens' own life as well.

The Synopsis:
Christmas is my favorite holiday, and even if you don't enjoy the holiday, you've for sure heard of "A Christmas Carol."  It's been parodied numerous times on different television shows, made into countless plays (from elementary schools to Broadway), and made, re-made, and re-re-re-made into movies from 1938 all the way to the present.  Pretty much everyone has heard the name of Ebenezer Scrooge, and everyone can associate at least one person they know with the grumpy, greedy gent.  It's a beloved Christmas classic, one that's shaped the holiday for decades, and almost never came to be.

Again, although the film is based on the true story of how Charles Dickens wrote his book, I doubt there's a lot of historical accuracy put into the picture, but it still doesn't deter from the heart of it.  I'm sure most of the events happened, but I'm not entirely sure Dickens saw his characters as real humans that he interacted with on a daily basis (if so, he probably would've been institutionalized).  Still, from a writer's perspective, that's the best way to make a story come alive - by acting like the characters are real people.

The film is a feel-good holiday movie that won't garner any major awards, but will leave you with a smile on your face.  It's heartwarming and heartfelt, with a highly capable cast (most of whom have appeared in one version of "A Christmas Carol" or another, as well as several Shakespearean plays), the beautiful scenic London in the mid-1800s, and a story that - as "Beauty and the Beast" can attest - is as old as time.

Charles Dickens was an international star after the success of "Oliver Twist," but his last three books failed to nab an audience.  His house was expanding in every sense of the word - his wife is pregnant with their fifth child, his father and mother just moved in, and the house was experiencing renovations - and he needed some income as soon as possible.  After hearing a story from his Irish nanny, he felt the inspiration: a ghost story taking place during Christmas.  However, his publishers weren't too keen on the idea (one even suggesting that Christmas is a "minor holiday"), and sets out to publish the book himself.  He has a deadline - six weeks until Christmas - and it looks like he'd need a Christmas miracle to achieve it.

One night he stumbles upon a funeral for a man, and only one person is there.  He's a grumpy older man who utters "humbug" as he casually strolls away, seemingly uncaring about the fate of the person that's been buried.  This becomes his muse, his inspiration, and ultimately his biggest obstacle.  He brings the man to life, naming him Ebenezer Scrooge, who appears to him and dictates his story.  Along the way, he draws inspiration from other people around him (from an old waiter named Marley to a sickly young relative that was the inspiration for Tiny Tim), and he seems to really hit things off: until he can't come up with an ending.  This is where Scrooge comes in, taunting the author and messing with his mind, making him relive the tortures of his past and making him see that everyone has a chance at redemption.

The film is, at its essence, a two-man play.  Dan Stevens (best known for playing Beast in "Beauty and the Beast") plays Charles Dickens as evenly as possible: he's charismatic and friendly, but frugal and oftentimes greedy.  He lashes out at people who interrupt him, but delights his children with his eccentric performances.  He's under pressure, and with the weight of the world on his shoulders, he oftentimes cracks.  Still, even in those darkest times, Stevens portrays Dickens as a wholly likable man that you really enjoy seeing.  His heart is in the right place, but his past is marred with scars.  His father was imprisoned and he was left alone to work as essentially a child slave at a shoe-blacking factory, and has been estranged with him ever since (this is where the third character, played by Jonathan Pryce, really shines in his smaller parts as Dickens father). 

The second character is Scrooge himself, played by Oscar winner Christopher Plummer.  While most Scrooge characters are over-the-top and flamboyant, Plummer gives Scrooge a nuanced performance, focusing on his loneliness and greed in subtle ways while also gleefully knit-picking Dickens' talent.  Yet there's more of Dickens in Scrooge than he is willing to admit, and the two travel to the past in order to face the future together.  Plummer is always the consummate professional, and again he delivers a solid performance here.

To top it off, the setting and costume designs are absolutely beautiful, reminiscent of what it would've been like to live in London in 1843.  It gives an heir of classic beauty and sophistication, as well as igniting your own imagination. 

The Summary:
Although it's been said...many times, many ways..."The Man Who Invented Christmas" is the untold story of how the world's most beloved Christmas classic came into being, with terrific performances and a humorous story.

The Score: A-