Ebbies Weihnachtsgeschichte

This version of "A Christmas Carol" starring La Lucci as Ebenezer Scrooge (aka "Ebbie") is surprisingly well done and well acted. The movie is brought up to date by its setting; a department store rather than a moneylending house. The supporting cast does an excellent job in showing the true meaning of Christmas and how it is never too late to change your life. I scour the TV Guide and watch it every Christmas. Would someone please get this out on DVD?

A modern day retelling of the classic story Scrooge tells the tale with a female in the lead by the name of "Ebbie". Ebbie Scrooge is the head of a major department store. She is a very cold and sometimes cruel woman who focuses only on her work and nothing else. Christmas time and we see that Ebbie hates the holiday. People wish her "Merry Christmas" to which she doesn't respond, the bonuses she gives are dirt cheap and she even fires an employee on Christmas Eve. In true Scrooge fashion, Ebbie is met by three ghosts (Past, Present,Future). They show her what has happened in her life to make her the way she is, and what will happen to her if she continues down the same path.

I really enjoyed Ebbie, so much to the fact that I think this is close to being the best modern day adaptation of the Scrooge story out there. It has a lot of charm with it's back-story of why Ebbie is the way she is. Seeing Ebbie in the past as this innocent young woman who had a caring sister/loving boyfriend makes it sad to see her throw it all away for her career. The movie is told at a very good pace, it isn't ever slow or boring. Susan Lucci does do a great job as Ebbie, and I really liked Wendy Crewson in the supporting role of Roberta Cratchet. She of course has the role of Bob Cratchit from the classic tale. Jeffrey DeMunn does so well as Jake Marley too!

Ebbie is a holiday movie that really should be seen by all. Unfortunately if you don't catch Ebbie on TV, you most likely won't get a chance to see it as it's not been released on DVD. It's one of my favourite films to see at Christmas.

8/10

I watched this movie last night on Lifetime and really enjoyed it. This is a classic tale that has been re-tooled for the modern audience. Whether you like Susan Lucci or the other actors is irrelevant as the focus should be on the story which is a great reminder that we all need to be kinder to one another every day and not just once a year. This movie is right up there with "The House Without A Christmas Tree" as one of my favorite holiday flicks. I thought Susan Lucci and the entire cast did an excellent job bringing this treasure to life. I hope that it will be released on DVD at some point so that it can be enjoyed by everyone. It is so easy to forget what is important in life and this film is a great wake-up call.

I've seen many versions of A CHRISTMAS CAROL and can find something good about each of them. My least favorite version (of those I've watched) is SCROOGED, because I find it too hyperkinetic and not all together. Even that one has redeeming qualities. EBBIE is something new and different. Not only is Dicken's timely-for-all-times tale brought into contemporary times, but SCROOGE is a woman--and played by one of my favorite soap opera characters, Susan Lucci. All of the technical aspects (e.g. the way Jake Marley communicates with God by cell-phone when dealing with getting Ebbie in the right spirit; the way that the familiar death scene [once portrayed by a neglected tombstone with Scrooge's name on it] is portrayed by the flat-line signal sound of a heart monitor in a lonely hospital room) sends out the clear message that this fine old Christmas tale hits home these days just as it did in the mid 1800's.

Before Ms. Scrooge, there was this film, one of only two that I am aware of with a female Scrooge.

Susan Lucci was just perfect in the role of Elizabeth (Ebbie) Scrooge, but it was the Christmas Ghosts that really stole the show.

George Kaczender (Christmas on Division Street) has another hit with this film that is based on Dickens' novel.

Wendy Crewson (Santa Clause, Santa Clause 2, The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause) plays Roberta 'Robbie' Cratchet, a single mom with two children, including Tiny Tim.

Jennifer Clement and Nicole Parker were fantastically cute as the Ghosts of Christmas Past. They had a "Dreamgirls" look at first, then switched to an "I Dream of Genie" look. It was certainly a different twist.

Lorena Gale (Premonition, Slither) was the Ghost of Christmas present and was so funny in that role.

Molly Parker from "Deadwood" was the sister/niece.

This was an interesting and light version that was really enjoyable.