Literally billions of filmic adaptations of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol have been produced over the decades. Of these adaptations, most critics consider 1951's Scrooge (with Alastair Sim) to be the best and most definitive. However, in this reviewer's oh-so-humble opinion, director Clive Donner's 1984 made-for-television rendering of the classic holiday tale surpasses the 1951 version in just about every aspect. Benefitting from top-notch performances right down the line and sharp screenwriting, not to mention surprisingly strong filmmaking technique for a TV movie, 1984's A Christmas Carol is a masterpiece of Christmastime cinema.