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Rating:  -
A very unusual re-telling of a Charles Dickens classic, "Ebenezer" is a tale about Ebenezer Scrooge (played by Jack Palance), a mean-spirited crook living in the Old West. For him, just spitting out "Bah humbug" is not enough. The first thing this cigar-smoking, gun-toting Scrooge does in the made-for-TV production is cheat money out of a young, dashing cowboy Sam (Rick Schroder) before beating and kicking him out of the saloon.
This 1997 Western version of "A Christmas Carol," loosely based on the original book, is much different from any other adaptations you may have seen before, but "different" doesn't always mean "good." This Wild West re-telling of Scrooge is rather pointless, neither inspiring nor funny. This is not Alastair Sim's "Carol," not Blackadder's Christmas Carol, either.
As a drama "Ebenezer" never captures the spirit of its source material. What Scrooge does here, when young and old, is much worse than any other Scrooges in the film history, nothing you can forgive and forget simply because he becomes a "good" man. In short his spiritual transformation isn't credible enough.. Moreover, we are supposed to believe that Ebenezer is a deadly gunman in the town, but Jack Palance's portrayal of Scrooge just doesn't convince. The film's drama never becomes too serious, but it is seldom involving.
Still the film could have been better had the director treated the material in a more tongue-in-cheek manner. However, director Ken Jubenvill misses almost every opportunity to make the film more engaging and amusing, having Palance and other actors play their characters too straight. You need some wit or humor in this story, especially the part of the visitations of the first two Spirits, but even the veteran actor's performance is compromised by the heavy-handed direction.
Certainly "Ebenezer" is one of the most unique adaptations of "A Christmas Carol" - maybe too unique for its own good. After all, why does this has to be a Western?
Rating:  -
I recently obtained a new VHS packaging for EBENEZER, the 1997 production and western adaptation for A CHRISTMAS CAROL. One of the reasons
I wanted this one is the fact long time bad boy Jack Palance was playing the title role, and I wanted to see how the familiar story would turn
out as a western. I don't know why they don't bring this out on DVD, but I guess because maybe many other folks didn't like it. I personally found
Palance's Ebenezer a true genuine difference in this telling of the old Christmas Classic. It is superb; sometimes a bit hammy, but I guess the rest of the
cast decided to have some fun in their respective roles. It's a different and refreshing change to the old familiar story.
Rating:  -
I find it hard to believe anyone would belittle this movie, or give it less than four stars. As far as I'm concerned, anyone who gives this movie less than four stars, or disparages it, lacks enough appreciation for the arts of acting and cinema to be critiquing them. This is one of the most unique, innovative, and well-made versions of "A Christmas Carol" ever produced! There's a reason why Jack Palance was such a marketable actor, may he R.I.P.
Jack Palance stars as a wild, wild western version of Ebenezer Scrooge that makes all the other Ebenezers I've seen seem like saints by comparison. Truly a bad "hombre," he is a liar, a poker playing cheater, a thief, a whoremonger, and a cold-blooded killer!
This version of "A Christmas Carol" is a unique story which could stand on its own merit, with plenty of subtle and not-so subtle references to the original "Carol."
Although it's not quite as vulgar as the premium television series "Deadwood," it did remind me of it, due to its brutality and subtle obscenity, as well as its gold rush era, Western theme and flavor. Parental guidance suggested!
If you like Christmas movies, Jack Palance vehicles and/or Westerns, this is a must-see and a "might-as-well-buy," because you're probably going to watch it over and over again, and catch something new in it each time!
Rating: -
I love this movie. I don't like westerns, but I saw this on t.v. years ago and kept an eye out for it. When I did't find it in stores I went to the Amazon website. It is a good movie.
Rating: -
I saw first saw this movie on TV (don't remember date) and ordered it in VHS immediately after show. I have been trying to obtain on DVD format and finally it is here. I really like Jack Palance and have seen him in many Christmas movies in his later years. I probably have all of them. I watch Christmas movies year round and would recommend to those who just love Christmas Carol related movies and Christmas itself!! Still waiting for the Marlo Thomas version "It Happened One Christmas" to come out....I loved that one too!!
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