As an angry and bitter child adopted by the Brewster family from the local orphanage, Benjamin is raised with nurturing love and affection. In the family business, he learns how to follow the trade of his caretaker as a carpentry craftsman and becomes quite an innovative young businessman. Surrounded by a home filled with joy and peace, Benjamin grows up into a fine young man with the admiration of the Brewster daughter, Helen (Susan Hogan). This idyllic situation should turn into love, marriage and family, but the ugly eye of greed seems to entice Benjamin more towards career, success, money and power and as he energetically pursues his goal, the plans of marriage into the Brewster family are replaced by ambition. However, during an episode with the Ghost of the Future, he discovers that his success is not honored by the townsfolk who despise him and his miserly practices of lending money on time, and when the opportunity arises, he repossesses their goods and leaves them destitute in this hopeless Depression Era.
Fortunately, the Ghosts reveal his sinful ways and the destruction they have left in their path. So Slade decides to begin a new life of giving beginning this Christmas Day by returning all of the repossessed goods back to their families, and especially to his one loyal business employee, Thatcher (R. H. Thompson) with a gift of life for his little disabled son.
An American Christmas Carol is a truly heartwarming story reminding us of the tradition of sharing, and perhaps brings to mind that we should honor life by giving to our loved ones, and especially the poor and needy not only at Christmas time, but throughout the year. The only feature is an enjoyable "New Interview with Henry Winkler" where he describes the making of the movie. This story provides a good moral lesson, and would be inspiration to families at this generous and loving time of year.
