A Christmas Carol (TV Mini Series)
Chapter Three: A Bag of Gravel (2019)
Guy Pearce: Ebenezer Scrooge
Photos
Quotes
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Ebenezer Scrooge : [after witnessing Tiny Tim drowning and getting saved, Scrooge and the Ghost of Christmas Future are outside the Cratchit's house] Wait. My sister said that you are the one who decides. Are you deciding now? Is it in your power to change things, because if it is...
[the Ghost of Christmas Future has Scrooge against a wall, his gnarled hand on the miser's head in conversation]
Ebenezer Scrooge : Me? I can change things? How?
[the Ghost of Christmas Future stares]
Ebenezer Scrooge : You mean, if I had my time again? Well then, give it to me. I-I know I don't deserve a second chance, but I understand now what it is I must..
[the Ghost of Christmas Future lets go of Scrooge's head, and Scrooge sits down, and examines Belinda's ice skates. He sees Tiny Tim beside him. He puts down the ice skate]
Ebenezer Scrooge : Tim, you'll catch your death.
[Tim stares at him]
Ebenezer Scrooge : Or is it death that has caught you?
[Scrooge looks at the Ghost of Christmas Future]
Ebenezer Scrooge : Is he dead?
[the Ghost of Christmas Future stares back at him]
Ebenezer Scrooge : Between life and death?
[Tim suddenly disappears]
Ebenezer Scrooge : Tim? TIM!
[Scrooge is on his feet and he runs into the Cratchit house in desperation]
Ebenezer Scrooge : If you can hear me you must live! You must stay awake, Tim-for your mother!
Mary Cratchit : [She strokes Tim's forehead] Hang in there, little man.
Ebenezer Scrooge : [He gets pushed around by the Ghost of Christmas Future] I don't care about the rules!
[Scrooge gets thrown around, finally landing on the same frozen lake Tim drowned in, just as Tiny Tim dies]
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Mary Cratchit : [Scrooge leaves the Cratchit home after his announcement] I do not know what has happened to you, and I don't care.
[Scrooge turns to face her]
Mary Cratchit : Your five hundred pounds will be welcome, but it will not buy you forgiveness.
Ebenezer Scrooge : [He agrees] Nor shall forgiveness ever be earned, or expected or wanted. My business now is the future. I will just be the best I can be.
[He comes closer to her, deeply honest and grateful]
Ebenezer Scrooge : For the spirits, and the bright light and the mirror, I thank you.
[Mary Cratchit nods cordially, and Scrooge nods back respectfully before leaving. Mary closes the door, a small smile on her face. Scrooge wraps his scarf around his neck, at peace for the very first time]
Ebenezer Scrooge : Sleep well, Jacob.
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Ebenezer Scrooge : [He is giving his announcement] Item three, regarding children-item three-Belinda, the pond where you love to go skating is no longer in use. It has been rendered unusable.
[He comes over to Tiny Tim and kneels at eye level with him]
Ebenezer Scrooge : Tim, you will not go skating. You will read your book, and you will learn to fly instead.
Tiny Tim : [He chuckles in disbelief] Is this what happens when someone drinks laudanum?
Ebenezer Scrooge : [He laughs lightly] No. No, this is what happens when someone finally understands...
[Tim looks at him intently. Scrooge gets emotional]
Ebenezer Scrooge : Is made to understand what it is to be human.
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Ghost of Christmas Past : [He's just finished showing Scrooge his past] The sun measures my allocation. My time with you is done.
[He turns to go]
Ebenezer Scrooge : So-so am I forgiven?
Ghost of Christmas Past : [He turns back to Scrooge, angry. He raises his voice] How many times must you be told? It's not about your forgiveness!
Ebenezer Scrooge : [He shouts back, obviously frustrated] WELL, WHAT IS IT, THEN? How am I supposed to find what I'm supposed to find or feel what you want me to feel if-if I don't know what it is?
Ghost of Christmas Past : [He still is angry] It is now midday. The second spirit will come when the clock strikes midnight.
[He turns to go again, still furious]
Ghost of Christmas Past : The second spirit will search the blizzard for your heart. And if it only finds rocks and ice, EBenezer Scrooge be Damned!
[He leaves Scrooge alone in his apartment]
Ebenezer Scrooge : [He runs after, but it's no use] Wait, wait! Wait, tell me what to expect!
[We hear him offscreen as a desperate echo as the Ghost of Christmas Past walks back to his bonfire, ignoring him]
Ebenezer Scrooge : No, tell me what is expected of me! My-my thoughts are my own, but my soul is beyond my control! spirit, tell me how to change it!
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Lottie : [We hear her younger self, offscreen] Ebby, go wait outside. Our father has left us.
[We hear a more mature voice, offscreen]
Lottie : At last.
[She walks into Scrooge's bedroom, and looks straight at him]
Ebenezer Scrooge : [He is shell-shocked] Lottie!
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Old Lady : [She sees Scrooge slip on black ice and land hard on his back] Oh, you poor man! Are you all right?
Ebenezer Scrooge : [He looks around in realization] I am more than all right. I can feel.
[He starts to sit up]
Ebenezer Scrooge : And I can feel that I can feel.
Old Lady : [She's confused] Feel what?
Ebenezer Scrooge : [He starts to stand, hand on his bum as he grimaces in discomfort] At the moment, a pain in my ass. Oh, ouch! Yes.
Old Lady : [She looks apologetic] I was meaning to sprinkle it on the ice earlier, but with it being Christmas, I forgot.
Ebenezer Scrooge : [He eyes the bag of gravel she has] Yes... yes.
[He takes a couple of fragments of gravel]
Ebenezer Scrooge : Everything in life is a lesson, if you care to learn. The sprinkling of gravel on ice is an action taken by a person for the benefit of others, without expectation of any reward of any kind.
[He comes to a realization]
Ebenezer Scrooge : A whole new philosophy on human nature, encapsulated in a handful of gravel.
[He turns away slightly, deep in thought]
Old Lady : [She is concerned] Did you hit your head?
[Scrooge snaps out of his thoughts and faces her looking contrite]
Ebenezer Scrooge : Forgive me.
[He grabs her bag of gravel and runs to the pond]
