The film begins with Ebenezer Scrooge walking through the streets of London on the way to his office. The year is 1843 in London. He is a man of ill-repute and wants nothing to do with the men and women who pass him by and certainly doesn't want to give anything to the poor who are begging on the streets. We watch as he tells them that prisons and workhouses are the place for the poor. At work Scrooge is invited to dinner by his nephew Fred, and invitation which he denies and Ebenezer gives his employee Bob Cratchit Christmas Day off, though reluctantly and demands he be in early the following day to make up for it.
Scrooge goes to Christmas Eve dinner alone and makes his way back to his home where he sees the face of his dead business partner Jacob Marley on the door knocker. Scrooge is visited by the full apparition of Marley later in the evening when he's told he will be visited by three Spirits this night. Marley leaves after having told Scrooge that he's been condemned to walk the earth bound to chains he forged by the way he lived his life. Ebenezer attempts to hide, but just as promised the first of three Spirits arrives, The Spirit of Christmas Past.
The Spirit takes Scrooge to specific moments in his past where we see that Scrooge's mother died during childbirth and his father didn't want him after this. We watch as time flashes forward and Scrooge is seen in the employment of a Mr. Fezziwig a jolly man who is kind and treats his employees well. And Ebenezer even has a girlfriend, Alice. But we learn that Scrooge was soon lured away by Mr. Jorkin with the promise of great wealth. This turned him into a man more like Jorkin who was a bitter a cruel man who didn't see the world as anything more than a hard place. Scrooge then must watch as he sees himself a younger man walking away from his sister Fan after she dies and does not take care of her son, Fred which she asked of him. And Scrooge sees his now fiance Alice break off their engagement as his love of money is greater than his love of her. He and Jacob Marley take over Fezziwig's business and become rich partners, but while Marley is on his death bed Scrooge won't visit him until after business hours.
Scrooge is then visited by The Spirit of Christmas Present. He's taken to the Cratchit house where he learns that Bob's son, Tiny Tim, is dying of tuberculosis. The family celebrates but won't toast Scrooge. He then visits Fred, his nephew's home where he is festively dancing. Then he watches as his former love, Alice is working in a poorhouse taking care of the sick. The Spirit of Christmas Present leaves after having shown Scrooge two children of Man: ignorance and want.
The Spirit of Christmas Yet to Come then appears and Scrooge knows who he is though he says nothing. Ebenezer sees Tiny Tim being mourned by his family, he watches as his hired home staff is pawning off possessions of a dead man. Scrooge realizes the deceased person is in fact him. Scrooge begs the Spirit to have mercy on him and he pleads that he will change his ways and be a good man. Scrooge is then transported back into his bed where he's awoken from his nightmare visits from the Spirits.
He sees that it is Christmas Day and he gets busy in the streets of London. He gives money to the pour, buys a turkey for the Cratchits Christmas meal and is seen dancing with people at a party. The next day Cratchit arrives late to work where Scrooge pretends to be about to fire him. But in fact he gives him a raise and declares that he would like to help Cratchit to raise his family if he'll allow him to do so. Ebenezer has been transformed into a happy man that seeks to spread cheer in the world. He's been redeemed and in so doing saves other, which we see when Tiny Tim no longer walks with a cane but runs towards Scrooge who he now calls uncle.
