Scrooged

Scrooged is a 1988 American Christmas fantasy black comedy film directed by Richard Donner and written by Mitch Glazer and Michael O'Donoghue. Inspired by Charles Dickens' 1843 novella A Christmas Carol, the film is a metafictional 20th century retelling that follows Bill Murray as Frank Cross, a cynical and selfish television executive who, while prepping for a live broadcast adaptation of A Christmas Carol, is visited on Christmas Eve by a succession of ghosts intent on helping him regain his Christmas spirit. The supporting cast includes Karen Allen, John Forsythe, Bobcat Goldthwait, Carol Kane, Robert Mitchum, Michael J. Pollard, and Alfre Woodard.

On December 23, Frank Cross, the ruthless and cynical president of IBC television, is preoccupied with ensuring the success of his extravagant live broadcast of A Christmas Carol scheduled for Christmas Eve. He launches a violent, fear-mongering advertisement for the show, and fires meek executive Eliot Loudermilk for questioning its content.

That night, Frank is visited by the ghost of his mentor Lew Heyward, who died an unloved miser and regrets not performing good deeds while alive. Lew warns a terrified Frank that he will soon be visited by three ghosts to help him avoid the same fate. Frank's phone then mysteriously dials Claire Phillips, his ex-girlfriend. Claire visits Frank at his office, but he is too preoccupied with production issues to give her his attention. Meanwhile, Frank's erratic behavior leads his boss, Preston Rhinelander, to assign Brice Cummings, an ambitious acquaintance, to assist with the production. Frank deduces that Brice wants to replace him.