Credits: Warner Bros. DVD; 2003
Curious 4-year-old Caillou learns about the spirit of the holidays and how children around the world celebrate. Great family viewing that includes pre-schoolers in the fun.
Call Me Claus
Cast: Whoopi Goldberg, Nigel Hawthorne, Brian Mitchell, Victor Garber, Frankie Faison
Credits: Director: Peter Werner; Writers: Paul Mooney, Sara Bernstein, Gregory Bernstein; TV, 2001
Santa Claus is due for retirement after 200 years and sets his sights on Whoopi as his replacement. Silly family fun.
Carol for Another Christmas
Cast: Sterling Hayden, Peter Fonda, Richard Harris, Ben Gazzara, Steve Lawrence, Peter Sellers
Credits: Producer/Director: Joseph L. Mankiewicz; Writer: Rod Serling; ABC; 1964
Another television special based on A Christmas Carol. In this version, a man cannot get over the death of his son during WWII. The visit of three spirits helps him come to terms with his grief.
Case of the Christmas Caper
Cast: Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Elizabeth Olsen, Arturo Gil
Credits: Director: Michael Kruzan, Writer: Michael Kruzan, 1995
Ashley Olsen and Mary-Kate Olsen star in this direct-to-video release featuring a Christmas mystery.
A Charlie Brown Christmas
Cast: (voices) Peter Robbins, Tracy Stratford, Christopher Shea, Chris Doran, Bill Melendez
Credits: Producers: Bill Melendez and Lee Mendelson; Writer: Charles M. Schulz; United Features Syndicate; 1965
In 1965 the Sunday comics came to television with the classic A Charlie Brown Christmas featuring the entire cast of the Peanuts comic strip. As written and drawn by Charles M. Schulz, the genius of Peanuts was in Schulz’ close attention to human nature, having his pre-adolescent cast of characters sometimes speak as children and at other times speak as adults, never knowing for sure which type of insight would be shared when. By the mid-1960s the commercialism of Christmas was a major sin, and in this show, that phrase is repeated a few more times than necessary, making it the dominant theme. However, to me, the smaller, less vocalized themes that run throughout this emotional half-hour cartoon strike deeper to the heart and create a far more profound meaning. Seldom has so much passion come from a simple animated short, but A Charlie Brown Christmas is one of the most important cinematic explorations of the meaning of Christmas featured in this volume.
The short opens with our cast of characters, children one and all, skating on the local pond, snow falling and covering the surrounding trees and greenery. Charlie Brown, Schulz’ alter-ego, leaves his home with friend Linus to join the others. “There must be something wrong with me, Linus. Christmas is coming; I’m not happy. I don’t feel the way I’m supposed to feel,” Charlie Brown complains, leaning on a wall. Charlie Brown admits he loves to get presents, send and receive cards, decorate trees—“but I’m still not happy, and I always wind up feeling depressed.” Linus tries to talk some sense into his friend: “Charlie Brown, you’re the only person I know who can take a wonderful season like Christmas and turn it into a problem.” But a problem it is for Charlie Brown.
The next day Charlie Brown checks his mailbox to find not a single Christmas card has been sent him, making him even more depressed. “I know nobody likes me, but why do we have to have a holiday season to emphasize it!” Passing Violet on the street, Charlie Brown says, “Thanks for the Christmas card you sent me.” The young girl sticks up her nose at Charlie and declares, “I didn’t send you a Christmas card, Charlie Brown!” To which Charlie responds, “Don’t you know sarcasm when you hear it!”
Even by 1965 it has come to light that the Christmas season is a very depressing time for many people, that the holidays fail to live up to expectations, or the joy they induced when we were children. Charlie Brown embodies this type of thinking—nothing is lonelier than enthusiastically checking the mailbox, hoping to receive a card or two, and finding nothing there. Not being included, not getting any cards, not being invited to holiday activities only seems to validate the fact that the individual is unloved or that he/she is truly alone. Being a child, Charlie Brown cannot verbalize nor fully understand what is wrong. All he understands is that he is supposed to be happy at Christmas time, and he is not.
Lucy, the bane of Charlie’s existence, is also the girl who runs the neighborhood psychiatric help booth—five cents a session. Unable to figure out his problem, Charlie goes to Lucy for help. Turning her sign from “Out” to “The Doctor is Real In,” Charlie Brown mutters, “I am in sad shape.” Lucy, always the professional, asks for payment in advance before they begin. After plunking his nickel into the can, Lucy gets ecstatic: “Oh how I love that beautiful sound of cold hard cash... that beautiful sound... that beautiful sound!!!” Charlie Brown reminds her he is feeling depressed. Smiling and looking for the easy answer, Lucy tells Charlie Brown: “As they say on TV, the mere fact that you realize you need help indicates that you’re not too far gone.” Lucy tells Charlie they must find the root of his fear, and when she mentions the term meaning fear of everything, Charlie screams, “That’s it!” Soon Lucy confesses she herself feels Christmas depression. “I never get what I want. I always get a bunch of stupid toys or a bike or clothes...” Charlie asks her what he really wants for Christmas; and, without missing a beat Lucy whispers, “Real estate!” Interestingly, Lucy and Charlie are depressed for vastly different reasons. Charlie wants to connect with people and feel the joy that he sees in others. Lucy, on the other hand, is selfishly concerned about the presents she gets versus the presents she wants, her depression being based upon materialistic deprivation. But both children feel disappointed and let down. Lucy, wiser than expected, suggests “involvement” as a cure for Charlie Brown, asking him to be the director of the children’s Christmas play (of course she plants the idea that Charlie cast her as Christmas Queen). Charlie, immediately excited, accepts the important position.
However, Charlie is still depressed by the commercialism of Christmas he sees all around him. Even his dog Snoopy has his dog house decorated with garish lights and tinsel, entering it in a Christmas Decorating Contest. Charlie’s sister Sally asks the older Charlie to write her letter to Santa Claus as she dictates what she wants. “Please note the size and color and send as many items as possible. Don’t make it too complicated on yourself—just send money, tens and twenties!” Seeing that his baby sister has gone commercial makes Charlie even sadder.
Traveling to the auditorium for the Christmas play’s first rehearsal, Charlie sees the entire cast of kids playing music and dancing on the stage, each child in his/her own world. When Lucy announces Charlie Brown as the new director, the kids don’t seem enthused: “We’re doomed!” and “It will be the worst Christmas play ever” are heard. However, when Charlie enters, he receives a round of applause, except for Snoopy who boos him (at least he’s being honest): “Man’s best friend,” Charlie utters in disgust. When Charlie introduces himself and gives his cast basic directions, he finds none of the cast are paying attention, instead each has gone back to dancing and playing music, each child lost within his/her own selfish universe. Soon all the children are fighting over their parts, wondering whether their curly hair will turn straight, worrying about memorizing their lines. When Linus asks Lucy to give him a reason why he has to memorize his lines, she makes a fist and says, “I’ll give you five reasons why!” Linus then concludes that Christmas is not becoming too commercial, only too dangerous. Lucy then reminds Charlie of making her the Christmas Queen. “You won’t let all this beauty go to waste.” But Charlie is concerned with having the play express the true meaning of Christmas. Lucy interrupts. “We all know that Christmas is a big commercial racket. It’s all run by a big Eastern Syndicate, you know.” Charlie Brown concludes this play needs a tree to set the mood. Lucy tells Charlie to get the biggest aluminum tree and then paint it pink. The cast yells to Charlie, “Do something right for a change.”
Linus and Charlie go to the tree lot, scanning the grounds for the perfect tree. Literally trees of every color and size can be found, all except basic green. Soon Charlie sees a dwarf twig of a tree, an evergreen, one that is non-gimmicky. “Seems to need a home,” Charlie declares picking it up with pride. Linus warns him, “It does not seem to fit the modern spirit,” as needles immediately begin to fall whenever the tree is touched. “Besides, I think it needs me,” Charlie declares, making up his mind to keep it.
As Charlie proudly places the new tree on the piano, the cast and crew are not impressed: “Boy, are you stupid, Charlie Brown,” “What kind of tree is that,” “I told you he’d goof it up,” etc. “Rats,” Charlie Brown responds, walking away as the entire cast and crew points and laughs at him for being such a bonehead and getting such a disappointing tree. “I guess I really don’t know what Christmas is all about. Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about,” he screams in utter frustration. Then, quietly, friend Linus speaks up, “Sure Charlie Brown, I can tell you what Christmas is all about... lights, please!” Then in his quivering little voice, the blanket-toting dignified child speaks up and recites the story of the birth of Jesus on the original Christmas day, ending with “Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth, peace and good will toward all men. That’s what Christmas is about, Charlie Brown!”
Without saying a word, Charlie Brown, smiling, picks up his pathetic little tree and walks out into the snowy night and quietly looks up at the shiny stars, hearing the words of Linus echo in his head. The other children are following close behind. “Linus is right. I won’t let all this commercialism ruin my Christmas... I’ll take this little tree home and decorate it. I’ll show them it will work in our play.” He grabs one red Christmas bulb from Snoopy’s “First Place” winning dog house; the bulb bends the tree’s main branch and it touches the ground. “I killed it! Everything I touch gets ruined!” Charlie screams and walks off. The other kids look at the sorry tree and declare all it needs is a little love; and using the decorations from Snoopy’s dog house, they have Charlie’s tree beautifully decorated in a flash. When Charlie Brown returns, all the children smile at him and shout, “Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown,” as he also joins in to sing “Hark the Herald Angels Sing,” a tribute to the glory of Christmas.
In just 25 minutes, A Charlie Brown Christmas has reminded us of what Christmas is really all about, cutting through the selfish commercialism of receiving presents and the dime-store psychology involving depression which still focuses on “me.” Instead, it takes an impassioned, unrehearsed recital from Linus to remind everyone of the glory of Christmas and the beauty to be found in even the most pathetic and barren Christmas tree. As the children now understand and accept Charlie Brown into their fold, they all join in to sing the praises of the Christ child and of the wish of good will toward all men. For this rare moment, all the inhabitants of the world of Charles Schulz speak in harmony with one voice, and if that isn’t a Christmas miracle, then nothing is.
The Cheaters
Cast: Joseph Schildkraut, Billie Burke, Eugene Pallette, Ona Munson, Raymond Walburn
Credits: Producer/Director: Joseph Kane; Writer: Frances Hyland; Republic; 1945
After finally tracking down this rare holiday film, I must say I’m surprised it hasn’t become a holiday staple. All the right conditions are there for Christmas immortality: falling snow, warm little cottage, help for those less fortunate, spoiled rich kids learning a much-needed lesson, homey Christmas tree, a love story, marvelous performances by a well-known list of character actors, good reviews and a happy ending. But unfortunately this film has remained virtually unknown to modern audiences.
As the film begins, Christmas is almost upon us and J.C. Pidgeon (Eugene Pallette) is lectured by his secretary for being close to bankruptcy due to the extravagant spending of his empty-headed wife Clara (Billie Burke). His good-for-nothing brother-in-law Willie (Raymond Walburn) is waiting outside to hit him up for money, as well as a summons server J.C. is trying to avoid. But good news arrives in the form of a letter from his son Reggie (David Holt), who announces that Uncle Henry (who’s loaded) is close to death. Pidgeon and Willie cheer right up and go out to buy a diamond bracelet for Clara for Christmas. They figure to be in the money soon.
When Pidgeon arrives home, he finds his wife and her large staff busily wrapping gifts for everyone they know. Daughter Therese (Ruth Terry) has arrived home with ideas garnered from the wealthy mother of her boyfriend Stephen (Robert Livingston). They must not display their wealth, and she insists the Christmas tree be in the library rather than in front of the window. Since Stephen is to spend the holidays with them, she also talks her parents into taking in a charity case (and pretending they have always done so) to impress Stephen and his mother. This shallow family can’t even select a person to help without thinking of their own comfort—they don’t want anyone too depressing. Into this confusion saunters daughter Angela (Ann Gillis), a spoiled brat with a bad attitude and little respect for her family.
A chauffeur is sent to pick up the charity case, Mr. Anthony Marschon (Joseph Schildkraut), a John Barrymore look-alike who’s down on his luck since a car hit him and he ended up with a limp. He can no longer find work on the stage and has been without a job since the mattress factory where he worked as nightwatchman burned down.
Mr. M (as he is called in the newspaper where the family picked out his name by chance) happily settles in with the family, charming everyone including butler MacFarland (Robert Greig) who prepares him a special alcohol-filled drink each morning and night (for the pain, you know).
Things are going along quite well until Reggie shows up with the announcement that Uncle Henry has left all his money, five million dollars, to an actress, Florence Watson (Ona Munson), he saw on stage many years ago as Little Eva in Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Pidgeon calls the lawyer, who is executor of the will, and gets him to agree to only search for the woman for a week, promising him a hefty payday for the favor. If the woman is not found the money will go to Pidgeon. He figures if they find the woman and hide her with them, like Poe’s purloined letter, nobody would look for her right under their nose. Marschon has been quietly sitting in a chair, hidden from the family, but makes his presence known by offering to help find the woman. Reggie, another spoiled brat, insults the actor who grandly exits the room. We’re a little suspect of Marschon ourselves. Does he really want to help or is he working an angle? Pidgeon insists Reggie apologize to Marschon, who listens outside the door. As he walks away Angela, sitting in an armchair, gives him a wink.
The next day Marschon and Willie easily find Florence Watson. Florence, a struggling actress now middle-aged, faces a slew of overdue bills. She thinks the Pidgeons are nuts when Willie tells her she is a cousin and they want her to spend the holidays with them. She recognizes Marschon and is enchanted by meeting this actor she holds in high regard. He makes no bones about being a charity case taken in by the Pidgeons. Florence knows she’s not related, but rather than facing bill collectors and eviction, she gladly packs a bag and heads for a warm bed and a life of luxury.
The next morning panic erupts when the newspaper runs a story about Henry Pidgeon and the mysterious showgirl to whom he left his fortune. Pidgeon decides to pack up the family, servants, presents, Christmas dinner and all and move to a country house where there are no radios, newspapers or nosy neighbors. He borrows the keys to a country house owned by one of his clients who now lives overseas, and the entire family and their assorted guests head for Christmas in the country.
We see a beautiful snow-covered house, the perfect place for a holiday gathering. The family is quite enchanted, but their peace is shattered when they find that all the servants have quit and they are left to fend for themselves. Florence convinces them it will be a wonderful Christmas and sends the men out for wood and persuades Clara to help her cook.
The country and Florence’s goodwill and charming personality melt the spoiled family, and we begin to see the humanity underneath the Pidgeons. Angela and Reggie good-naturedly argue as they decorate a tree they cut down themselves, comfortably hanging popcorn and cranberry strands. Willie happily pops corn over a fire. Pidgeon dozes by the fire. Therese and Stephen flirt and string popcorn, and Clara proudly enters with a plate of freshly baked cookies. Marschon and Florence watch the family from an outsider’s vantage point and realize they quite like the Pidgeons, and so do we.
A detective looking for Florence follows a lead to Pidgeon’s office where he tells Pidgeon’s secretary Mattie (Norma Varden), “To you it’s Christmas Eve, to us it’s Tuesday.” They follow the trail to the cottage but Pidgeon and Marschon give them a story and they leave, although they are convinced the Pidgeons are hiding something.
Florence finds Marschon in the cellar where he has found a stash of booze and is happily getting soused. She tries to talk him into giving up drinking and to begin to teach acting. He bitterly laughs and Florence leaves.
That evening the quaintness of the isolated setting is wearing thin as the family sits in front of the fire. Carolers singing “Silent Night” soften the faces of everyone and remind them of what the holiday actually means. Marschon turns away from the window. “Nothing will ever be quite the same for any of us after tonight,” he says. He launches into a frightening version of A Christmas Carol, pounding home the pathetic reason why Scrooge has no friends and why he was doomed to spend eternity wrapped in the chains of his wrongdoings. The actor digs deep into his soul as he brings the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Be to vivid life for the squirming Pidgeon family. Finally reaching the pinnacle of the story, he collapses in a drunken heap. Therese, Angela, Reggie and Clara all insist Pidgeon tell Florence the truth. He does and they earnestly beg her forgiveness. Rather than be annoyed, Florence can’t get over her good fortune, and they all happily make a toast with a frothy drink called Tom and Jerrys, which Willie has whipped up.
Christmas day Florence goes in search of Marschon, but all they find is a note telling them he is sorry for the way he acted and of the fondness he feels for Florence. She gets a ride to the nearest bar and finds him there. She tells him everything (including the fact that she and the Pidgeons are splitting the money) and convinces him to leave. They go to pay the check but between the two they have no money and laugh at the irony.
Director Joseph Kane was obviously trying for the zaniness of You Can’t Take it With You for this film and almost succeeds. The Pidgeons are neither as innocent nor as bizarre as the Sycamores of You Can’t Take it With You, but do manage to worm their way into your heart as they let their guard down and actually allow the veil of pretension to fall away.
Joseph Schildkraut, first billed, gives a marvelous performance as the down-on-his-luck actor. The Dickens
scene is indeed the work of a master craftsman as he mesmerizes the room with the Christmas tale. His character of Mr. Marschon is multi-layered as the broken actor wavers between the dream of a full life with the engaging Florence and the escape of the bottle. He seems to take a perverse delight in being the designated charity case of the Pidgeons. Schildkraut’s role is much more sympathetic than his role in The Shop Around the Corner where he played the sleazy Mr. Vadas.
Eugene Pallette’s name may not be recognizable to the majority of readers but his rotund, gruff personality is. The actor graced over 100 films including appearing as Friar Tuck with his friend Errol Flynn in The Adventures of Robin Hood. Pallette always brought a spark to each performance, and his J.C. Pidgeon is no exception. The character, for all his flaws, is really a warm person who only wants the best for his family.
Ona Munson as the down-to-earth Florence made a name for herself playing shady ladies such as Belle Watling in Gone With the Wind. Her performance as Florence is a sheer delight as the poor, under-educated Florence puts the upper-crust Pidgeon family to shame and shows them true class.
Rounding out the cast are fine performances by the always-remarkable Billie Burke in another stereotypical scatterbrained role and Ann Gillis as the little girl with a razor tongue, Angela. Gillis appeared as Becky Thatcher in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1938) and appeared as Gary Lockwood’s mother in 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968).
In its review Variety remarked, “Republic should hit the jackpot with this one. Aside from standout performances of Joseph Schildkraut and supporting cast, its story content and nifty direction by Joseph Kane, dualling as producer-director, and with such names as Billie Burke, Ona Munson, Ray Walburn and Eugene Pallette for additional cast hypo, it should bring many happy returns at the b.o.” Republic rereleased the film in 1949 as The Castaway.
Right now the only way to see this film is by scanning television listings hoping against hope some well-versed programmer realizes the delights of this little gem. Good luck, it’s worth the search.
The Christmas Box
Cast: Richard Thomas, Maureen O’Hara, Annette O’Toole
Credits: Producer: Erica Fox, Director: Marcus Cole; Writer: Greg Taylor; Based on the Novel by Richard Paul Evans; Television 1995
A widow takes in a young family that changes her life in this popular Christmas story that became a television film. Lovely story but lots of tears, so if you want a happy movie, save this one for a rainy day.