A Christmas Carol | 1910 | Drama | Fantasy | Holiday | Silent Film | Short Film

Title: A Christmas Carol Year: 1910 Runtime: Approx. 13 minutes Studio: Edison Manufacturing Company Country: United States Language: Silent with English intertitles Director: J. Searle Dawley Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Holiday, Silent Film, Short --- Overview: This early silent adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic tale is one of the earliest surviving versions and a notable entry in both film and holiday history. Produced by the Edison Company, it distills the beloved story into a compact narrative, relying heavily on expressive performances and theatrical staging to convey its moral message. --- Plot Summary: Ebenezer Scrooge, the miserly old man who values money above all else, receives ghostly visits from his deceased partner Jacob Marley and the Spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Future. Each spirit reveals moments that challenge Scrooge to confront the consequences of his greed and isolation. In the end, he awakens on Christmas morning a changed man, embracing generosity and compassion. --- Notable Features: A faithful condensation of Dickens’ novella using tableaux-style scenes and ghostly superimpositions for the spirit visitations. Marc McDermott stars as Scrooge, delivering a performance that communicates transformation with remarkable clarity despite the lack of spoken dialogue. Innovative effects (for 1910) to represent the ghosts, including double exposure and theatrical lighting. A strong example of early American narrative cinema, where moral storytelling and literature adaptations were becoming a staple. --- Historical Significance: Among the first cinematic versions of Dickens’ holiday classic. Highlights the Edison Company’s transition from short actuality films to narrative-driven productions. Showcases how early filmmakers tackled complex themes in a limited runtime, using emerging techniques of visual storytelling. --- Curated Hashtags: #AChristmasCarol1910 #EdisonStudios #SilentFilm #CharlesDickens #Scrooge #GhostOfChristmasPast #ClassicHolidayFilm #EarlyCinema #VictorianGhostStory #ChristmasClassic #SilentEra #MarcMcDermott #VintageFantasy #AmericanFilmHistory #JSDawley