Carol for Another Christmas

A rich industrialist whose isolationist worldview and suspicion of foreign aid are challenged by the visiting ghosts. He is stubborn, self-reliant to a fault, and increasingly unsettled as memories of the war and its costs surface. His arc moves from cynicism to a reluctant openness to international diplomacy and collective welfare.

Grudge’s nephew who advocates for international exchange and humanitarian aid. He serves as the moral foil to Grudge’s isolationism, pushing for engagement with the wider world. His arguments reflect a belief in shared responsibility and the value of dialogue.

The late son whose memory haunts Grudge, underscoring themes of guilt and the personal cost of war. Marley’s presence intensifies the pressure for Grudge to reassess his choices and embrace a more compassionate worldview.

A spectral guide showing the brutal aftermath of past wars, including war dead and the toll on ordinary people. He emphasizes that reconciliation and dialogue might prevent future bloodshed. His scenes connect history to present choices.

A gluttonous, satirical figure who exposes the suffering of the living—the displaced, the hungry, and the poor—while Grudge sits at the table. He challenges Grudge’s notions of charity and self-sufficiency, urging real action rather than rhetoric.

The ominous guide to a possible nuclear-dominated future, where a demagogue leads a self-interested crowd toward ruin. He starkly presents the consequences of inaction and the breakdown of communal life.

A flamboyant demagogue wearing a Santa-cowboy crown who embodies extreme individualism and mob mentality. He represents how self-interest and manipulation can drive society toward conflict and tyranny.

The Grudge household butler who becomes a symbol of decency and collective duty. He is beset by mob violence and ultimately killed, illustrating the erosion of civil discourse under collective irrationality.

The cook who grieves for Charles and bears witness to the human cost of neglect and fear. She embodies compassion amid hardship and underscores the personal stakes of political decisions.

A World War II-era WAVE driver who appears in Hiroshima, offering a human perspective on the devastation and the need for kindness across borders. Her presence anchors the wartime memory in the film’s broader pacifist message.

A medical professional in Hiroshima who witnesses the injuries of children; his perspective highlights the real human cost of war and the urgency of preventing further bloodshed.

A minor figure in the crowd scenes whose presence underscores the multitude of ordinary people affected by political decisions and war.