i have just finish watch patrick stewart carol and and be mightily disappoint . a more joyless production i have never see while mr. magoo christmas carol be a masterpiece compare to this ( actually it be far superior to most carol and a favorite of mine ) and and mr. magoo a far good actor . i have get lot of bone to pick with him for his adaptation and but here be just a few . i know he be play scrooge on stage and it a hit and but something be very wrong with this tv version . in both the 1951 alister sim version and the 1984 george c. scott version and the ghost of christmas present be a strong and jovial presence who roundly tell scrooge what be what . i just watch the 1984 version this morning and and edward woodward portrayal of this ghost be bold and forceful and unforgettable . he do not mince word and scrooge get the point . stewart chosen actor look like he would raid eva gabor closet to get dress for his part and and he act like a henpecked husband who be afraid he would get decked if he speak above a whisper . i could barely hear his line and and he have no personality . in fact and none of the actor in this thing have any personality . richard e. grant be charmless and so be tiny tim while the ghost of christmas yet to come looked like a 7 foot tall jawa while and bad of all and i do not care a fig about stewart scrooge and whether he be redeem or not . there be nothing he do during those two hour to make me care while no spark of emotion and no regret in his eye and nothing . i have always like patrick stewart and but i do not think this be a role suit to him . he doesn not have that inate warmth that a scrooge need and to force you to care about him and and he doesn not have a mobile enough face . it seem frozen in a perpetual glare and even when he be supposedly happy . the only warmth i get from the entire production be at the very end and when cratchit family be on scrooge doorstep . a great waste of 2 hour time and except that some of the special effect be quite good .