“Indiana Jones” and “The Lord of the Rings” star John Rhys-Davies believes a great, enduring story — like Tolkien’s classic trilogy — has two elements: right vs. wrong.
“A good story,” the 80-year-old actor told The Christian Post, “is one that challenges us with the fundamental conflict between right and wrong, and shows us the redemptive power of change.”
This is precisely what drew the veteran actor to narrate “SCROOGE: A Christmas Carol,” the audio drama from screenwriter P.G. Cuschieri and creator-producer Mark Ramsey that reimagines Charles Dickens’ classic tale for the holiday season.
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Presented by Hope Media Group and Compassion International, the four-part adaptation brings Dickens’ timeless message of transformation and compassion to life with an all-star cast that includes Sean Astin, Rhys-Davies’ “Rings” co-star, as the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge.
For Rhys-Davies, whose career spans several decades, “Scrooge” reveals the potential for goodness within every individual, even when burdened by past mistakes.
“I suppose the whole thing is about that time of year when we reassess ourselves and reassess our lives, when we see how we failed, and yet, there is hope. It affirms hope, and it affirms the possibility that we can change,” he said.
After a stellar debut in 2023 — garnering accolades like Christian Music Broadcasters’ “Podcast of the Year” and an Ambie nomination for “Best Performance in Audio Fiction” — the reimagined Christmas Carol is set to hit podcast platforms on Nov. 22.
The podcast’s immersive format is enhanced by soundscapes, capturing the iconic clank of Marley’s chains, the eerie footsteps of Christmas spirits and the poignant moments that mark Scrooge’s internal struggle.
“It’s got all the great trappings of a gothic story: the clatter, the heavy foot beats on the floor, the clunk of chains, the chains that we have built in our own lives, the chains that we will have to carry,” Rhys-Davies said. “And these are the chains that you will carry unless you change. And that change, of course, involves other people, our relations with other people, our willingness to be compassionate, to see where there is a need and meet that need. And the story really works, because it is about redemption. It is about hope, the belief that no matter how bad we were this year or last year, there’s still the chance that we can be saved.”
The actor, who played the dwarf Gimli in “The Lord of the Rings,” told CP that both Scrooge and Gimli’s journeys underscore the timeless themes of transformation, redemption and the human heart’s capacity to overcome prejudice and embrace compassion.
“In some ways, the most human character of all is Gimli, the dwarf,” he contended. “He is the most human of us. He has some of our vices. He is hostile, aggressive, xenophobic and distrustful. He is a bigot. He is, in his mind justified: ‘Never trust an elf.’ But he also has virtues that we aspire to, the capacity for friendship, for being protective, for knowing the difference between right and wrong, for being willing to be courageous.”
In A Christmas Carol, Scrooge’s path is one of gradually opening his heart to the needs of others, evolving from a miser into a man of warmth and generosity.
This change, catalyzed by encounters with the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come, is, in Rhys-Davies’ view, not so different from Gimli’s transformation in “The Lord of the Rings.”
“Gimli, too, carries his own chains,” he said, referencing Scrooge’s haunting visions of the chains forged from selfishness and cruelty. “He begins as someone who mistrusts others — particularly the Elves — but through friendship, courage, and his own sense of honor, he ultimately breaks free of his own shackles … the parallel is there in the end.”
Rhys-Davies — who told CP that through his work, he aims to “defend the values of Western European Christian civilization, because they are the great and glorious life of mankind” — said that the story of Ebenezer Scrooge is one that reminds listeners of the essence of what it means to be human while providing the Gospel message.
“None of us are good enough; we all are not kind enough or generous enough,” he said. “We all make snap judgments. We all say hurtful things. But there is a chance that next year or now, actually, this day, this night, after that night’s experience, there is still the chance that I will get out of bed and be a human being, be a decent man, that we can, through love, be changed.”
This year, The World’s Biggest Small Group “In A Christmas Carol,” is also releasing the free companion piece, SCROOGE: A five-Day Devotional based on the story. The study invites people to reflect on choosing joy, embracing contentment and extending mercy. Created for families, the devotional also includes activities for children.
Watch the trailer for Scrooge below.
Leah M. Klett is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: leah.klett@christianpost.com
