“A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens is without a doubt the most beloved Christmas story of all time next to, of course, the Bible telling of the birth of Jesus.

But since the 1938 film that starred the English actor and comedian Reginald Owen, one of the most evil businessmen in history has been etched for us as Ebenezer Scrooge.

Here, in Susan Coyne’s screenplay, taken from Les Standiford’s book and directed by Bharat Nalluri, “Old Scrooge” is played like never before by the late and great Christopher Plummer. Even sliding in and out as a side player in Coyne’s movie, Plummer shines every time he speaks.

“The Man Who Invented Christmas” is, of course, the original author, Dickens, played here by Dan Stevens, the royal, handsome blonde fellow in “Downton Abby” who has since died in a car crash.

In this fanciful film, Stevens is Dickens as the suffering writer in a time of crisis during the author’s career after the international success of his “Oliver Twist.”

Stevens is an able actor but is allowed multiple moments of Sturm und Drang that go too long.

At this point in the portrayed life of the great writer, three of his books following “Twist” were duds and failures.

Now, our new Dickens, facing a monster writer’s block and screaming “My light’s gone out,” has only six weeks to bring his book to his publishers at a time when they — and no one else in England — were interested in Christmas.

Tumbling around in his den, Dickens alienates his family, except for his father Jonathan Pryce (gorgeous performance), who arrives for dinner and borrows money to buy a new vest.

As our artist struggles to develop a new story, Dickens is near a hysterical faint.

Bless Stevens — he worked up a mighty sweat in a complicated, uneven script.

All the other players, Irish and British, were perfectly cast and delightful.

Charles Dickens (Dan Stevens)

Kate Dickens (Morfydd Clark)

Ghost of Jacob Marley (Donald Sumpter)

William Makepeace Thackeray (Miles Jupp)

Tara, Ghost of Christmas Past (Anna Murphy)

Mrs. Dickens (Ger Ryan)

Henry Dickens/Tiny Tim (Pearse Kearney)

Charles Dickens as boy (Ely Solan)

“The Man Who Invented Christmas” is a nice try penned by talented writers, but let’s give George C. Scott and Mr. Dickens another look this holiday season. Have a Merry Christmas.

J.P. Devine of Waterville is a former stage and screen actor.

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