Mickey’s Christmas Carol Retro Review
The Walt Disney combines Mickey Mouse and friends with a literary classic in “Mickey’s A Christmas Carol.” Mickey Mouse plays Bob Cratchit and Scrooge McDuck plays Ebenezer Scrooge in this very short take on the story made famous by Charles Dickens. This version also features Goofy as the Ghost of Jacob Marley; Jiminy Crickett as the Ghost of Christmas Past; Willie the Giant as the Ghost of Christmas Present; Pete as the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come; Donald Duck as Scrooge’s nephew, Fred; as well as several other classic Disney characters filling out supporting roles.
This is an excellent way to translate this story for kids. It’s not as lengthy as the Muppets’ version and is fully animated, which makes this version easier for younger children to sit through and understand. Plus, it introduces children to some characters they might not see very often. Classic Disney fans can introduce their children to “Pinocchio,” “Fun and Fancy Free,” and “The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad” due to the appearance of important characters from those films in the supporting roles.
This is a nice swan song for Clarence Nash who voices Donald Duck in this special from the 1980s. Nash was the original voice of Donald in the first appearance where he spoke; all the way back in 1938. This is the last time Nash would voice the character as he passed away in 1985. It’s not the biggest performance from Donald, but it’s a good one and a nice way for him to say goodbye to the role.
This is my second favorite version of “A Christmas Carol.” It doesn’t have quite the charm as the Muppets’ version now that I’m an adult, but it was a lot of fun watching this with my son. My 5-year-old laughed hysterically at Goofy as a ghost. It’s not one I watch by myself anymore, but it was a lot of fun to share with my kids. It’s fun for the whole family.
Ranking: 5 stars out of 5
What did you think of “Mickey’s Christmas Carol?”