The Right to Be Happy is an American silent film from 1916 that draws inspiration from Charles Dickens' 1843 Novella, A Christmas Carol. This film was Universal's first attempt at making a Feature film based on Dickens' novella. Throughout the silent era, it stood as the first and only feature film adaptation of by an American or foreign film company. The movie was directed by Rupert Julian and supported by a cast of Universal Bluebird players, including Rupert Julian, Claire McDowell, and Harry Carter.

Plot

The story unfolds on Christmas Eve, where we meet Ebenezer Scrooge, an elderly miser and curmudgeon. He lives in a London mansion that once belonged to his former business partner, Jacob Marley. Seven years earlier, Marley passed away on this very night, and Scrooge inherited the house. However, since the day of Marley's burial, Scrooge has not devoted a single moment to thinking about him. Instead, he has commemorated the occasion by continuing his regular business pursuits, showing no regard for his late partner.