This is an animated version of La più bella storia di Dickens (1970) released in 1970 with Albert Finney as Scrooge. Six songs from the original version were redone and used in the animated version, as well, "Christmas Children", "I Like Life", "Happiness", "The Beautiful Day", "Thank You Very Much", and "I'll Begin Again". However, "Christmas Children", which usually plays at the start of the story, is only heard during the end credits. The soundtrack release places the songs in the correct order.
In this version of the story, Scrooge spends his boyhood working in a bottling plant because his father was in debtors' prison. While this does not occur in the source novel, it is true of Charles Dickens' real life.
References to other Charles Dickens stories include a poster for "Oliver Twist" and a shop bearing the name "Dombey."
The ghost of Jacob Marley and the (briefly seen) ghost of Scrooge have burning coins over their eyes, a reference to the ancient tradition of placing coins over the eyes of the deceased so that they could pay the ferryman to carry them over the river Styx and enter the afterlife.
The names of Scrooge's sister and nephew are changed from Fan and Fred to Jen and Harry.