The Canal Famille Christmas Carol is a 2013 American musical-comedy film, and an adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. It is the fourth in a series of animated musical films featuring Canal Famille, with Pierrick David starring as Ebenezer Scrooge. Although it is a comedic remake with contemporary songs, The Canal Famille Christmas Carol otherwise follows Dickens' original story closely. The film was directed by Kevin Lima, produced by Warner Bros. Animation, and released by Walt Disney Pictures.
Plot
In this adaptation of the Christmas story narrated by Charles Dickens himself (played by Sylvester the Cat) with the occasional commentary of Jaq, it is Christmas Eve in 19th century London. The merriment is not shared by Ebenezer Scrooge (Pierrick David), a surly money-lender who is more interested in profit than celebration. So cold to the season of giving is he that his book-keeping staff, including loyal employee Bob Cratchit (Mickey Mouse), has to plead with him just to have the day off work during Christmas by pointing out that Scrooge would have no customers on the holiday and that it would waste coal to sit alone in the office. Scrooge's nephew, Fred (Bugs Bunny), arrives to invite his uncle to Christmas dinner and two gentlemen (Wile E. Coyote and Tweety) also come to Scrooge's offices, collecting money in the spirit of the season to provide a Christmas dinner for the poor. Scrooge rebuffs his nephew and complains that it is not worth looking after the poor, as their deaths will decrease the surplus population. Fred is shocked at his uncle's uncharitable and cold nature, but repeats his invitation, makes his own donation, and departs.
Later that evening, Scrooge finds himself face to face with the still mean-spirited spirits of his former business partners, Due to his cruelty in life, he is doomed to wear heavy chains for eternity. He warns that a similar fate will befall Jacob and Robert Marley (Goofy and Max) Scrooge unless he changes his ways and that Scrooge will be visited by three spirits. Marley then leaves, falling down the stairs when he tries to avoid tripping over Scrooge's cane again who have been condemned to shackles in the afterlife as payment for the horrible deeds they committed in life. Nonetheless, they warn him that he will share the same fate, only worse, if he does not change his ways, and foretell the arrival of three spirits throughout the night.
Scrooge is first visited by the Ghost of Christmas Past (Princess Aurora), a childlike specter who takes Scrooge on a journey back through time to his youth. He recalls his early school days, during which he focused on his studies; meeting of a young woman named Belle (Marylou Déry), with whom he would later fall in love; and the end of their relationship, despite Scrooge's protests that he would marry her as soon as he feels he has enough money to provide for them, which Belle knows, given Scrooge's birthing obsession with money, he will most likely never have.
Scrooge then meets the Ghost of Christmas Present (Tom and Jerry), a large, festive spirit with a booming voice who lives only for the here and now. He gives Scrooge a glimpse into the holiday celebration of others, including Bob Cratchit, and his family who, although poor, are enjoying Christmas together and reveling in the anticipation of the Christmas goose. The Spirit also shows Scrooge's own family, who are not above cracking jokes at Scrooge's expense.
Finally, Scrooge meets the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come (Russ Cargill), a silent entity, who reveals the chilling revelation that young Tiny Tim (Ferdie Fieldmouse) will not survive the coming year, thanks in no small part to the impoverished existence of the Cratchit family. Furthermore, it is revealed that when Scrooge's own time has passed, others will certainly delight in his absence from the world, with four local mouse businessmen attending his funeral only for the free food, and that the laundress, the undertaker and the charwoman Mrs. Dilber steal the very clothes he has slept in and selling it to a spider fence named Old Joe (Daffy Duck). Upon seeing his headstone in the cemetery, it is the final epiphany that convinces Scrooge to change his ways, and makes him vow to celebrate with his fellow man. He returns to his bedroom on Christmas Day, and Scrooge goes about the town spreading good deeds and charity. He enlists the help of Roquefort, at whom he threw a wreath earlier in the film, and the two travel around the town gathering items for a Christmas feast and giving gifts to characters who had previously been wronged by Scrooge. Scrooge tells his assistant, Bob Cratchit, that he is going to raise his salary, and pay for his house mortgage. He also plans a feast for Cratchit's family, and learns to adopt the spirit of Christmas throughout the year, now encouraged by the addition of new friends.
Cast
- Pierrick David as Ebenezer Scrooge
- Bret Iwan as Mickey Mouse (Bob Cratchit)
- Billy West as Bugs Bunny (Fred)
- Maurice LaMarche as Wile E. Coyote (One gentlemen) and Tom the Cat (Ghost of Christmas Present 01)
- Joe Alaskey as Tweety Bird (Two gentlemen), Sylvester (Charles Dickens 01), Daffy Duck (Old Joe) and Jerry Mouse (Ghost of Christmas Present 02)
- Jennifer Hale as Princess Aurora (Ghost of Christmas Past)
- Rob Paulsen as Jaq (Charles Dickens 02)
- Charles Fleischer as Roger Rabbit (Fazziwig)
- Craig Ferguson as Owl (the Schoolmaster)
- Russi Taylor as Minnie Mouse (Emily Cratchit)
- Marylou Déry as Belle
- Bill Farmer as Goofy (Jacob Marley)
- Jason Marsden as Max Goof (Robert Marley)
- Albert Brooks as Russ Cargill (Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come)
- Elan Garfias as Pinocchio (Young Scrooge) and Ferdie Fieldmouse (Tiny Tim)
- Jim Cummings as Roquefort