When one hears the title A Christmas Caroldark and gritty aren't usually the words that come to mind. That's why we have the FX/BBC production to shed a little gloom and doom on the season to be merry and bright. Joking aside, this version is definitely unique and well-performed with more than a few curious touches.

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It's not your mom and dad's tale of a miser's redemption, but it does have several clever details and callbacks worth appreciating. Get ready to have a grey Christmas as we look at ten hidden details you might have missed in 2019's A Christmas Carol. 

Scrooge Foreshadows Marley's Appearance

When we're introduced to Guy Pearce's suave and misanthropic version of Ebeneezer Scrooge, we see him in his counting-house as we have often seen the character before. However, it's his eerie appearance as his candle-lit face appears behind the frosty glass on the door that gives us some seriously sinister vibes.

We suspect that this eerie appearance at the door is a type of foreshadowing for Marley's appearance at the knocker later in the story. It would make sense given that we're introduced to Scrooge's partner before the man himself, so why not strengthen that connection?

Tiny Tim is a Little Person

We're willing to admit that it took us until midway through the film to notice, but that's largely due to the incredible acting skills of 10-year-old performer Lenny Rush. Rush has a rare form of dwarfism that affects his growth, but it doesn't affect his portrayal of Tiny Tim in the least.

Mickey Might Have Been Referenced

We might be grasping at straws on this, but we've got some pretty solid evidence to back up our claim. When Cratchit is working for Scrooge at the beginning of the film, the offices are so frigid that the bottle of ink on the clerk's desk is frozen solid. This might be a clever visual, but it's one we've seen in only one other place before.

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When we see Cratchit holding up the frozen ink bottle, we're instantly reminded of Mickey Mouse in the same role and the same situation from Mickey's Christmas Carol. This is the only other version that pulls the stunt, so it might be possible this is an obvious reference to the lighter, Disneyfied version.

Scrooge and Marley's Relationship is Greater Explored

Stephen Graham in A Christmas Carol FX

This is a big one, but something we bet you didn't really think about until after the credits rolled. This version of Dickens' Christmas ghost story brings the relationship between Scrooge and Marley into focus. The original text and several other adaptations mention that they worked together for years, but this version is the only one that truly explores it.

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In other versions, the only time Marley is mentioned before his ghost appears is when Scrooge brings up the anniversary of his death. In this version, it's obvious the guy still misses his partner in crime, showing us that Scrooge did care for at least one other person in his miserable life.

The Purgatory Horses Might Reference Marley's Hearse

An image of Guy Pearce's Scrooge standing on a street in A Christmas Carol FX

Yet another element from the novel many versions leave out is the appearance of Marley's hearse shortly before his ghost appears in Scrooge's house. This version, though lacking a literal hearse, does have Marley dragged between places by a sleigh pulled by a pair of black horses.

It's through this omen of the deceased that Scrooge starts to really get uptight about the paranormal happenings he's experienced thus far, as if the coins off a dead man's eyes weren't enough. Not only that but as Marley points out, it's the interaction with the animals that gives us a sign that a part of Scrooge might yet be saved.

Marley is Literally the Knocker

This is more of a design choice than anything blatantly hidden, but it's one of the only instances we can think of where Marley isn't just taking the shape of the door knocker, but actually becomes the physical object himself. No ghostly glow, no special effects or CGI, but an actual iron knocker that looks like Marley's face.

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We really do have to applaud the filmmaker's on this one, despite being a small detail. In other versions, it's a weird projection or spectral effect, but this version presents a more tangible entity for Scrooge to be afraid of.

Christmas Past is a Corrupt Christmas Present

Andy Serkis in FX's A Christmas Carol from 2019.

No matter how you slice it, Andy Serkis as the Ghost of Christmas Past is the best part of the movie, but there's something very peculiar about his version of the character. Where most incarnations are light and spritely figures, Serkis' is like a broken Father Christmas, or more accurately, Christmas Present.

The robe, the crown of thorns and ivy, and the long beard are all trademarks of the original Ghost of Christmas Present. Since his dismal realm is "where Christmases go to die" perhaps this is a reflection of a forgotten holiday figure? Either way, it makes for a very chilling persona.

Christmas Yet to Come Actually Touches Scrooge

His undertaker-inspired appearance might be a step towards cliche, but this incarnation of the infamous Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come does something so unheard of and downright chilling, we have to give it a spot on our list.

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Where the spirit is normally a hooded phantom who has very little in ways of communication or interaction, this version gets up-close and personal. He literally touches and grabs Scrooge by the scruff and flings him into the truth. That's pretty intense to have a figure like that get physical.

Scrooge is Only 37 on His Tomb Stone

When we think of Ebeneezer Scrooge, we often think of a crotchety old man with spectacles and a big black top hat, right? Well, Guy Pearce's interpretation of the character is definitely the cold, graying businessman that's somewhat familiar, he's definitely significantly younger than we could have thought.

When we reach the iconic scene in the cemetery featured in dozens of other versions of the story, it's revealed that Scrooge is 37 years old at the time of his predicted death, which really seems odd given the grey-haired visage. We don't know if this was a mistake, a costuming error, or what, but we noticed.

Scrooge's Change is More Gradual than Instant

We're definitely sure this is one of the biggest issues people took with this film, but we do have to admit it's more realistic than the instant attitude adjustment the traditional Scrooge receives in every other version. One night of a scared straight program isn't enough to get him immediately cured, but it does change him for the better.

Though it's an obviously slow start to his new outlook on life, we do commend Scrooge for finally recognizing the value of life at the end of the film. He still has some kinks to work out, but then again who doesn't?

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