Tom and Jerry: A Christmas Carol



Tom and Jerry: A Christmas Carol is an animated television special starring Tom and Jerry, produced by Warner Bros. Pictures loosely based on Charles Dickens classic novel, "A Christmas Carol".

For transcript of the film, see Tom and Jerry: A Christmas Carol/Transcript

Synopsis
Tom Cat is a selfish and greedy, holiday-hating feline who demands that Jerry Mouse work on Christmas Day until he is visited by three ghosts of Christmas to show him the true meaning of the holidays.

Plot
The story begins on Christmas Eve with Ebenezer Scrooge (Tom Cat) trudging through the snow to his counting house to catch his overworked and underpaid employee Bob Cratchit (Jerry Mouse) trying to get some coal for the stove, but the cat stops him by hitting him repeatedly with a shovel, and makes him get back to work. After dismissing collectors for the poor, the cat finally closes up his workhouse and tells Bob to be back the next day on Christmas Day.

When Scrooge returns home to his manor, Scrooge is visited by the ghost of his old partner Jacob Marley (Butch Cat, who was brutally beaten to death by a dog last Christmas Eve). Upon seeing Jacob's ghost, Scrooge screams in horror and hides in a vase, trembling and shaking. Jacob's ghost laments on being condemned and bound to heavy chains and shackles in the afterlife for all eternity as punishment for his selfishness, deceit, dishonesty and greed and the horrible deeds he commited throughout his life, and warns Scrooge that the same fate will be sealed, only worse, if he does not change his ways and clean up his act. Before he departs, he also foretells the arrival of the three ghosts throughout the night.

When the clock strikes one, Scrooge is first visited by the Spirit of Christmas Past (Flounder) who takes him on a journey back through time to his kittenhood. Upon his visit, he recalls spending Chistmas alone as a kitten as he had been thrown out on the street by his owner. Scrooge sheds tears, remembering how lonely he was at Christmas. The Spirit shows Scrooge a Christmas party where familiar characters, including Droopy Dog, Screwey Squirrel, and Barney Bear are seen, and where he met and fell in love with and became engaged to a beautiful female cat named Belle (Toodles Galore) in later life. Eventually, Belle ends the relationship, due to Scrooge's love for money.

The clock strikes two and Scrooge then meets the Ghost of Christmas Present (Spike Bulldog), dressed in a festive green robe and a wreath. The bulldog-like spirit gives the cat a glance into the holiday celebration of others. Then the Spirit takes Scrooge to Bob Cratchit's home, and they watch as Bob, his son Tiny Tim (Tuffy Mouse), his wife Emily Cratchit (Cherie Mouse) and her son and daughter, despite being poor, are enjoying Christmas together. The Cratchit Family gather for a Christmas dinner of Christmas pudding, goose, pieces of cheese and chestnuts. Suddenly, Tiny Tim starts violently hacking and coughing which shows that he has a very serious illness and Bob runs to his side. Emily and her son and daughter are concerned, and Scrooge watches the scene in genuine concern. Scrooge gulps and asks the Spirit if Tiny Tim will live, but the Spirit sadly shakes his head, stating that the little grey mouse will not survive to see another Christmas if the shadows remain unaltered as he begins to depart.

Finally, Scrooge finds himself face-to-face with the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come; silent, faceless, cloaked figure. Scrooge is taken to the cemetery where Bob, Emily and her son and daughter are standing in front of a small grave, weeping for Tiny Tim's passing. The Spirit then leads Scrooge to his lonely grave, finally convincing the frightened Scrooge to change his ways as he desperately pleads for another chance.

The next morning, it is Christmas Day, Scrooge springs from his bed and he pays a visit to Bob and tells him that he is giving him a raise and inviting him and his wife Emily to Christmas dinner. Bob then looks to his wife, and then he smiles, shaking Scrooge's paw. The film ends as Tiny Tim observes, "God bless us, everyone!"

Cast

 * Tom Cat as Ebenezer Scrooge - Voiced by Richard Kind
 * Jerry Mouse as Bob Cratchit - Voiced by Stephanie Nadolny
 * Cherie Mouse as Emily Cratchit - Voiced by Kari Wahlgren
 * Cherie's unnamed niece and nephew as Peter and Martha Cratchit
 * Tuffy Mouse as Tiny Tim Voiced by Kath Soucie
 * Butch Cat as Jacob Marley - Voiced by Joey D'Auria
 * Flounder as The Ghost of Christmas Past) - voiced by Ben Schwartz
 * Spike Bulldog as The of Christmas Present - Voiced by Rick Zieff
 * Spirit of Christmas Yet to Come
 * Toodles Galore as Belle - Voiced by Alicyn Packard
 * Droopy Dog - Voiced by Jeff Bergmen

Trivia

 * Droopy Dog, Barney Bear and Screwey Squirrel a cameo appearance in the movie during no the Christmas party in the visit to the Christmas past
 * Butch Cat's first DTV film appearance since Tom and Jerry: A Nutcracker Tale
 * this film is loosely based on the book "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens
 * Flounder appears from The Little Mermaid as the Ghost of Christmas Past