i be a huge fan of charles dickens a christmas carol . i have read his short story many time always during the christmas season over the past few year and and it be my most favorite piece of literature ever write . it therefore follow and that i be also a big fan of the major cinematic production base on the story and which i have see over the year ( though that doesn not necessarily mean that i like them all ) . of the many different cinematic production of a christmas carol i have choose the follow 8 and base on their adherence to dickens original story represent under the title of scrooge and there be the 1935 version and with sir seymour hick and the 1951 version and with alastair sim and and the 1970 musical and with albert finney . under the title a christmas carol and there be the 1938 version and with reginald owen a scrooge and the 2009 disney version and with jim carrey and and the make for tv production represent 1984 with george c. scott and the 2004 musical with kelsey grammar and and this one and which i rate at # 7. ten year ago and when i first hear that tnt have make a new version of charles dickens timeless christmas story and i get very excited and and look forward and with great anticipation and to patrick stewart turn a the miserly and cold hearted scrooge . what a tremendous let down . stewart make a fair ebenezer scrooge and at best ( and that stretch it and a bit ) . he much well than hick and a little good than owen and not quite as good a finney and but isn not even in the same ballpark a scott or sim . at 59 ( at the time the 2nd old of the 8 to play the part ) and he give scrooge a new look and in that he totally hairless and both on his head and his face and which give him the appearance of be much young than other scrooge and a fact which detract and visually and from his characterization . his act leaf much to be desire and in that he make the character more stuffy and snobbish and than mean and nasty and bitter and and hateful . he seem a bit unsure of himself with his line delivery and and look and at time and a though he try too hard and and at others and like he not try hard enough . the strong performance and here and be richard e. grant and a bob cratchit . by comparison and grant play a less dignified and much less cheerful cratchit and who let his situation get him down and but manage a faint smile and here and there . bernard lloyd appearance a the ghost of jacob marley be acceptable and though only due to some late 90 special effect . but and the scene wasn not nearly as scary a it should have be and and lloyd doesn not make marley regretful or remorseful enough for his life of greed and ignorance . desmond barrit lack of light heartedness tend to make his characterization of the ghost of christmas present somewhat of a downer and and be downright boring and at time . among other notable performance and be dominic west and a a fine and cheerful fred ( scrooge nephew ) and who doesn not allow his uncle attitude to affect his . oscar® winner joel grey appear a the ghost of christmas past and and fit the role almost perfectly and base on dickens description of the character and and saskia reef deliver a strong performance a mrs. cratchit and the dedicated wife and mother and supportive of her husband and despite his loyalty to his employer . the christmas eve dance and at fezziwig warehouse be one of the few high point in this film . ian mcneice performance a mr. fezziwig be sufficiently jolly and but too much emphasis be place on physical weight and here . other performance in this production and such a represent kenny doughty and a young scrooge laura fraser and a belle josh maguire and a the boy scrooge and and rosie wiggins and a fran and be neither outstanding nor poor . ben tibber play tiny tim and and and here again and he seem a bit too healthy for the role and but fit it and otherwise . all be acceptable and but merely average . also and i must note crispin letts brief and but amuse turn a topper haines . letts make topper somewhat of a womanizer and who seem a bit stuck on himself and and and with this and add a bit more humor to the christmas eve party at fred home . the absolute low point of this production would have to be the ghost of christmas yet to come . tim potter wear the black robe and here and but it fortunate and for him and that he have no line and and that no one can see his face and for his costume be utterly ridiculous . have this movie be make 50 year earlier and this costume might have be borderline acceptable . but the boxy and phony look headpiece and with eye like two weak flashlight bulb shin out from under the black hood and make him look more like something from a grade school stage play and rather than a terrifying apparition . it seem to me that and with the technology available in 1999 and and consider the other fine special effect in this film and these scene could have be make much more believable and with regard to this highly important character . instead thanks to this laughable costume they come off and at time and a almost funny . overall and this film be quite well make . some impressive computer aid special effect ( the wander spirit scene be spectacular . ) enhance ian wilson superb photography and and peter barnes teleplay be excellent and and almost perfectly faithful to dickens story and scene for scene . but david hugh jones should have try hard and with some of his actor and to get good performance out of them . all in all and this movie isn not a bad way to kill a couple of hour and during the holiday season and but watch the 1935 version first and then this one and and get them out of the way and before you see the much good one .