How The Grinch Stole Christmas is an excellent academic study into how a screenwriter can adapt a children’s book into a great, fully fleshed out feature length screenplay. By including a sympathetic origin story for the Grinch and infusing little Cindy Lou-Who with agency and a quest for meaning, How The Grinch Stole Christmas became a surprisingly meaningful and entertaining holiday flick.

OPENING IMAGE

We open on Christmas in Who-ville as the Whos trim a giant Christmas tree. Special time is taken to describe the visuals of the Whos — upturned nose, hair sticking up, “comically distorted.” From the get-go, we are in for a Seussical fun jaunt.

INCITING INCIDENT

We meet Cindy Lou-Who and her extra Christmas-loving father, Lou Lou-Who. We won’t quite dive in to her story yet. First, we jump right in to Dr. Seuss’ storybook narration. “Every Who, Down in Who-ville, liked Christmas a lot…but the Grinch, who lived just north of Who-ville, did NOT!”

A few teen Whos, including Cindy’s older brothers Stu Lou-Who and Drew Lou-Who, climb up a mountain toward “Old Whoville Dump,” hoping for a little mistletoe time and scoffing at the idea of the legendary Grinch.

But they should have listened to their elders. From within his home, he turns multiple cranks and levers, launching monsters (?) and sprinklers at the terrified teens, sending them fleeing back down the mountain.

Meet: The Grinch and his “scraggly little dog, Max.”

While chewing an onion with his “craggy, moldy teeth,” The Grinch reminisces that the teens have done him a favor by reminding him that it is the Christmas Season…and he has mischief to manage. He grabs his cloak and laughs maniacally.

Down in Who-ville, Cindy questions whether the Whos — and the Lou-Whos — aren’t actually…overdoing it a bit in the Christmas department. Meanwhile, her brothers are discovered to be reporting that they saw the Grinch. Altogether, the Lou-Who children are ousting themselves as…other.

The Grinch sneaks into Who-ville and begins causing mayhem, tripping Whos, tacking their hands together, and switching their holiday mail into the wrong mailboxes.

And that’s where he runs into none other than little Cindy Lou-Who. She stumbles onto a conveyor belt and into danger. The Grinch ignores her cries for help — indeed changes a child’s letter to Santa from asking for a puppy to asking for “debilitating illness” — but at the last minute, is swayed to do the right thing.

Cindy Lou-Who continues to grumble at everyone’s fixation on presents and further rebels by deciding to do her school paper on the one topic that Who-ville must not speak: The Grinch himself.

FUN AND GAMES

Now, How The Grinch Stole Christmas is a family film, but it does have some rather mature jokes. The Grinch is certainly naughty, but it’s subtle enough that they just might be able to slide them over especially young children’s heads. Like these little bits of violence and urine.

Cindy Lou-Who, determined on her quest, follows some breadcrumbs to the home of two Old Biddies to get some information about the Grinch. Forty years earlier on Christmas Eve, a strange wind blew into Whoville as the baby Whos arrived in floating baskets. The Baby Grinch flew in unexpected (whilst the Biddies were at a swingers party, by the way — talk about a joke that’ll go over kids’ heads), and was of course green…and strange…but the Biddies raised him as one of their own.

Unfortunately, the rest of Who-Ville was not quite as kind. Teased for being green and furry, humiliated in front of Young May-Who, he was never quite the same.

His love for Martha never faded — and she was fascinated by him as well. Competition with other boys and a misunderstanding left the Grinch feeling brokenhearted and rejected; he fled and the Biddies never saw him again (except for an odd incident where he bombed a stand-up comedy routine).

The screenplay brims with throw away jokes and oddities like this. The stand-up routine is so random. The Biddies throw in so many blink-and-you’ll-miss-them jokes (May-Who had to have her tonsils removed twice…and why did someone ever think that up?).

With understanding about an injustice that needs to be righted, Cindy Lou-Who decides to do something drastic. While her father stumbles over a boot-licking nomination for the Mayor (and one of the Grinch’s childhood bullies) as Holiday Cheermeister, Cindy Lou-Who interrupts and publicly nominates the Grinch instead.

She argues her point by quoting the Book of Who: “No matter how different a Who may appear He’ll always be welcomed with Holiday Cheer.” She then asked if the Whos really believe this or if it’s all a bunch of Who-ey.

Believing the Grinch will never show, the mayor has no choice but to concede. Cindy Lou-Who climbs Mt. Crumpit and enters into the lair of the Grinch himself. She is uncannily immune to his bravado and postering. She calmly invites him to be the Holiday Cheermeister.

Once he learns he won the title over the mayor — and that Martha will be there — he’s got something to think about. But he can’t let Cindy Lou-Who have the satisfaction (his heart is no bigger than a winky bean after all), so he boots her out of his lair.

MIDPOINT

But the Grinch, with some help from Max, does finally decide to make an appearance. Unfortunately, it does not go well. Cheermeister duties are forcefully thrust upon him (like being ‘Fudge Judge’ — punishment for a creature who enjoys eating raw onions and glass bottles), the mayor slips in a cruel joke about shaving the Grinch (harkening back to childhood traumas), and then, the nail on the coffin, the mayor proposes to Martha.

She hesitates and before she can answer, the Grinch can’t take it anymore. He grabs the mic and begins ousting everyone’s secrets, gleaned from years of rummaging through their trash. He then manages to destroy the town square, evade police, and flee back to his cave.

But he knew the worst was yet to come, for tomorrow was Christmas and all the Whos would be joyful and celebratory. He decides to do something about that.

BAD TO WORSE

Of course we know exactly what happens. The Grinch sneaks into Whoville and steals Christmas — every gift, every decoration, every roast beast. He also takes the opportunity to exact some revenge on the mayor.

When robbing the Lou-Who home, the Grinch is startled to find a sleepy Cindy Lou-Who, thinking she’s talking to Santa, who asks him not to forget the Grinch.

The next morning, the Whos awake to find that Christmas has been ruined and the mayor knows exactly who to blame: Cindy and the entire Lou-Who family.

ALL IS LOST

But finally, Lou Lou-Who takes a stand and asserts that he is proud of his daughter and that he’s glad the Grinch stole all the presents “because that’s not what Christmas is really all about, gifts and contests and fancy lights.” He realizes this is what Cindy’s been trying to tell them all along. “Christmas is about being together with our families and loved ones. And that’s all. Everything else is…superfluous. And that means unnecessary.”

The Grinch, gleefully waiting for Whoville misery, realizes the town is just as euphoric as ever, having realized the true meaning of Christmas.

And somehow, the Grinch realizes the meaning of Christmas as well, and his heart grows three sizes. He realizes he wants to return the presents.

But the sled full of stolen Christmas starts to slide off the wrong end of Mt. Crumpit — and worse, little Cindy Lou-Who is atop it.

FINALE

Overcome by protectiveness for the young child who defended him and helped him find the true meaning of Christmas, the Grinch digs deep, lifts from the legs, and manages to lift the sled back to safety. He and Cindy Lou-Who and faithful Max careen back down to Whoville where the Grinch admits he did something wrong and apologizes.

To the mayor’s dismay, that is enough. Officer Who-Lihan forgives the Grinch.

Martha finally rejects the mayor’s engagement proposal and publicly takes the Grinch’s arm, the Biddies reunite with their long-lost son, and all of Whoville — including the Grinch — celebrate Christmas.