Mooviemike I'm going to start of by saying that the "Fonz" from Happy Days is my all-time favorite TV character from my all-time favorite show. I'll also put out there that i got to meet Henry Winkler in person a few years back. That being said i remember fondly back in 1979 watching An American Christmas when it premiered on TV. Henry Winkler was at the height of his popularity then and i couldn't wait to see him in a new Christmas movie around the holiday season. Myself being all of 12 years old at the time i loved Henry Winkler in his "Scrooge" type role and the depression era setting. As others have stated the story has been changed slightly for an American setting and the ending a little differently done. But for me those are strong points that separate this version from other versions. That's why it's called "An American Christmas Carol" and not just "A Christmas Carol" because of it's American spin on things. For those looking it's been released on Blu Ray and DVD and you can probably find it online or locally for a pretty reasonable price. For fans or someone looking for something new they haven't seen give "An American Christmas Carol" a shot. This reviewer gives two thumbs up for "The Fonz" and if you don't agree you can "Sit On It" ! (Just some Happy Days humor for you.....Happy Holidays !)

dwissba I have always loved the story A Christmas Carol though I have to admit its been done one too many times. However with this one staring Henry Winkler playing a Scroge type character and was a refreshing angle on an old story. It takes place in 1933 during the Great Depression and Mr. Slade (Scroge) is the only man in town who has any money and seems to be the most unhappy, which is typical of Scroge characters.He has a old warehouse filled with furniture, an old piano, wine glasses, books and other things he repossess from his customers who could not pay their debts to him. Anyway, he is approached by one of his employees asking if he would be willing to re-open an old rock quarry to bring some work to the town. Mr. Slade rips into his employee (Mr. Thatcher)and fires him. The story from here is pretty much the same as the English version with the ghosts of past, present and future coming to him and explaining he better change his ways. He does and at the end of the film he goes to Mr. Thatcher's house and hires him back and offers to send Mr. Thatcher's crippled son to a hospital to be cured.The only issue I have with this film is how Mr. Slade (Winkler) is portrayed. You never really feel that he was ever a good guy unlike scrooge who was friendly as a young man and then become an old mean hermit. Slade just always seemed willing to use people to get ahead even before he was an old man. In any case still an interesting take on a old story.

lvanett2 An American Christmas Carol takes place during the Depression, with Henry Winkler portraying the elderly miser Benedict Slade, a man who loves money and forsakes all else in pursuit of it. R.H. Thomson plays Thatcher, his kindhearted loyal assistant.While the story itself is a wonderful idea, especially by having it take place during the Depression, it's hard to watch Henry Winkler convincingly try to play a mean old man. His "Scrooge" (Slade) is harsh, but not harsh enough. He never yells, and even when he gets upset he doesn't become angry and explosive. His voice doesn't sound like that of an older man either but more like Fonzie with a slight case of laryngitis which doesn't help the believability. His makeup job is good but instead of looking worn, wrinkled and haggard, it looks more like he has a case of wind burn.Aside from that, the story is a very good adaptation and "modern-day" retelling, choosing not to mimic the Dickens characters but instead create new ones based upon them. Definitely worth watching in spite of the flaws noted.

scott88-4 While I love almost all of the "Christmas Carol" films, this one really has a special place in my heart. I saw this movie many years back when I was not really a fan of Christmas movies and never went out of my way to watch them. This film changed that. I enjoyed it so much that I now eagerly await every December as a time once again to enjoy some of the classic holiday shows from times past. "An American Christmas Carol" is easily one of my favorites. And, as a previous reviewer felt, the ending of the Winkler version may be the best of all of the versions, although I still love the Alistair Sims ending (standing on his head!) Excellent film. And it deserves a place in the "Christmas Film Hall Of Fame".