Charles Dickens is one of the most well-known authors of all time, whether you read his books in school or for pleasure; David Copperfield, A Christmas Carol, Great Expectations, Oliver Twist, and A Tale of Two Cities are all timeless classics. Dickens' titles have long been beloved, so it makes sense to adapt his pieces to the screen, in one way or another. There have been almost countless adaptations of Dickens' works, with A Christmas Carol alone having been adapted 57 times and counting.
In the beginning, all the Dickens adaptations were done by the book, literally. The stories did not divulge from the text in many ways and sometimes, as in Shakespearean adaptations, had the same dialogue. However, as time passed and adaptations changed, the Dickens adaptations did as well. They began to stray further from the original text and use the book as a guide for the plot even while taking it in a completely different direction. This is not at all a bad thing as it exposes new viewers to the stories of yesteryear in the best way possible. The films listed below (only some of the masterful Dickens adaptations) have a great mix of the two styles of Dickens adaptations, picking the best from both pools.
6 Oliver Twist (1974)
Many of Dickens' novels are widely adaptable due to their detailed exposition and complicated characters, so his novels have obviously been adapted many times in several different ways. While The Christmas Carol has understandably been adapted into a cartoon numerous times, due to it being Christmas-related and arguably more kid-friendly, not much else of Dickens' work has. This particular version of Dickens' Oliver Twist is the first animated adaptation of the novel, and is thus quite different from the films that come before it. Oliver Twist was also made into the Oscar-winning musical Oliver! and the great, almost nightmarish David Lean film Oliver Twist, which may be one of the bleakest adaptations of Dickens to date.
5 The Personal History of David Copperfield
Searchlight Pictures
David Copperfield was Dickens' first novel to be adapted into a film. This is not that film (that would be a 1913 film), and this isn't the most important adaptation of David Copperfield (that would be David Lean's masterful 1940s version), but this is the most fun and modernized take on Dickens' classic novel. The Personal History of David Copperfield was created by Armando Iannucci (Veep, The Thick of It), so of course it's going to be funny and fantastic.
This wildly imaginative update adds a bit more modern comedy and casting. The movie takes the characters from Dickens' original novel, but adds Dev Patel as the titular character, who is absolutely stunning here, along with some dirty humor and delightful ensemble cast of character actors to create one of the more purely fun and entertaining Dickens adaptations.
4 Scrooge (1970)
Scrooge is definitely a different take on the original Christmas Carol story. It takes the ever-angry Scrooge and makes him sing; makes sense right? Maybe this take on the story doesn't work for all audiences, but it was definitely a very fun deviation from the original story by adding show-stopping musical numbers, and there is oddly something about Dickens' work which lends itself to the musical format (Oliver! and A Muppet's Christmas Carol do this, as well). It showed audiences that a well-known story can be edited to appeal to newer audiences and allow them to enjoy an age-old story as well. Plus, Albert Finney is wonderful as Scrooge.
3 Great Expectations
This version of Great Expectations was a three-part, excellent modern miniseries that gave the story a bit more room than a film would have. Not only did this adaptation have a star-studded cast (featuring Gillian Anderson and Douglas Booth), but it was also well-awarded and widely revered. As they had more time than in a film, they were able to examine the vibrant visuals that come with a Dickens story, bringing to life his typically detailed and meticulous worlds.
This story is very close to the actual book, but to some fans' chagrin they did change the ending a bit (no spoilers though). The show earned four Emmy Awards for its artistic visuals and production design that captivated viewers all over the world. While the show may not be everyone's cup of tea it is without a doubt one of the most visually pleasing Dickens adaptations we've ever seen.
2 Scrooged
Starring comedic genius Bill Murray, Scrooged is definitely a more modern take on A Christmas Carol. Scrooge is played by Murray in this universe as Frank Cross, a harsh TV executive who is a cynical, cruel nihilist. The film is absolutely hilarious and has taken its place in the Christmas-time film arena as a dark alternative to Christmas movies.
In fact, Scrooged is heralded as an anti-It's A Wonderful Life-type Christmas film. It's a Christmas story for everyone who kind of hates Christmas. Even though it is a bit anti-Christmas at times, Scrooged stays true to the original A Christmas Carol plot and has every ghost visit Frank, in a bit of a different way. This allows the film to divulge from the original text while still staying true to its more modernized story. It's a genuinely creepy, funny good time with a wonderful Murray performance.
1 A Christmas Carol
The 1951 version of A Christmas Carol arguably made the most impact in the world of Dickens adaptations. The original paved the way for many other Dickens adaptations and particularly the slew of A Christmas Carol adaptations that followed this one. It's difficult to name every single Christmas Carol adaptation, especially when you also include the ones that tweaked the original story to differentiate themselves.
This version stays true to the original novel in the best way possible, and also features the great Alastair Sim in the most widely lauded and acclaimed performance of Scrooge to date. This version from director Brian Desmond Hurst also has pretty great special effects for the time period, specifically for the ghosts who visit Scrooge. While it may not be everyone's favorite Christmas Carol adaptation, it is arguably the best for the time period and commitment to the original book, with outstanding acting.