After seeing Pendragon Theatre’s production of “Mr. Toad’s Christmas Carol” this past weekend, it got me thinking, what’s my favorite adaptation of the ghost story?

It’s “Scrooged,” and I’m putting that as the best Christmas movie of all time.

If you haven’t seen the movie, here’s a brief synopsis. It’s a modern retelling of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” So instead of the main character working in a counting house in mid-1800s England, Bill Murray’s Frank Cross is the president of the IBC television network in New York City, which broadcasts specials like “The Night the Reindeer Died” starring Lee Majors.

This was a real turning point in Murray’s career. Before “Scrooged,” he was normally the standout character in an ensemble, think “Ghostbusters” or “Stripes.” Yes, he was the main character in those films, but he could rely on guys like Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and John Candy to help carry the movies along. In “Scrooged,” Murray had to act in a film full of cameos rather than co-stars. This type of leading-manism eventually led to movies like “Groundhog Day,” “Lost in Translation” and “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.”

Speaking of cameos, “Scrooged” has a lot to offer. David Johansen of New York Dolls fame plays the Ghost of Christmas Past, taking the form of a wise-cracking New York City taxi driver. John Forsythe comes in early as the surprisingly scary Lew Hayward, the character based on Marley from the original text. The guy has rats crawling out of his skull, Bacardi leaking from bullet holes in his chest, and at one point his arm gets completely ripped off, similar to Marley’s jaw falling off.

The movie also adds to the original story in meaningful ways. Yes, it might seem cliche for every film to have a love interest, but I think it truly works in this situation. In Dickens’ story, you see Scrooge dump his girlfriend in pursuit of money and greed, and then they part ways. In “Scrooged,” the old flame plays a pivotal role in Murray’s character development, coming back into his life. Playing the love interest, you’ve got Karen Allen, who’s just a peach in everything — “Animal House,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “The Sandlot.” Nobody has a better smile than this woman.

Now, I’ve heard some critics say the movie has an undercurrent of mean-spiritedness…DUH!!! That’s the whole point. It’s about a mean, crotchety dude who changes his ways after realizing how terrible he’s been to people. In fact, I think it’s safe to say this is one of the most believable character transitions in film history because we see all the pieces that lead up to his change. Much better than Michael Corleone’s transformation from straight-as-an-arrow war hero to a full blown gangster after one punch to the face from a crooked cop.

Another criticism I hear is that the film’s tone is odd, jumping from laughs, to scares to heartfelt moments. Again…DUH!!! Dickens classified the original novella as a ghost story. When Andy Williams sings about “scary ghost stories” in “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” this is what he’s talking about. And if the movie stars Bill Murray, especially at this point in his career, yeah, I expect some laughs.

The ending speech is without a doubt the best part of the movie. Murray delivers this hopeful monologue in such a way that it sounds like it was right off the cuff. He stutters, repeats and rambles all the while overcome by a powerful sense of joy. He almost comes off crazy, just like how the original story intended. People didn’t know this type of Ebenezer Scrooge. They thought he had lost his mind.

Murray explains that “for a couple of hours out of the whole year, we are the people that we always hoped we would be,” but we can feel that way every day if we try hard enough.

This scene always gets me choked up. I believe what he’s saying. It makes me want to be the person I always hoped I would. I want to be Christmas Griff all year ’round.