Sandcastles (1972)

Network: CBS 
Airdate: October 17th, 1972 

I’m a sucker for romance. And the soapier the better, I say. I was surprised to find out earlier this week that I actually do have soapy limits, and Sandcastles comes pretty darn close to pushing the boundary that separates sentimental melodrama from overwrought hysteria. But by the end of it all, I was a gooey mess of snot and tears, so, you know, job well done!

Bonnie Bedelia is Jenna, an overly romantic orchestral musician living in Los Angeles. She spends way too much time fantasizing about an angelic blonde man, who she believes is her destiny and one true love. Unfortunately, she’s concocted this guy in her head. But… On the other side of California, near San Francisco, lives a drifter named Michael (Jan-Michael Vincent), an angelic looking blonde man, who has no idea that he’s someone’s great love. He’s a drifter, living mostly wherever he can find a job that will put a roof over his head, but will also allow him the freedom to roam if he so chooses. Currently, he’s hooked up with a good-natured restaurateur named Alexis (Herschel Bernardi), aka Papa Bear, an eccentric and thoughtful man who has come to love Michael as the son he never had. But Michael’s wayward spirit gets the best of him and after Alexis raises some much needed money for his business, he gives $20,000 to Michael to deposit at the bank. For reasons even unknown to Michael, he hits the road with the money, but quickly has a change of heart and calls Alexis’ wife Sarah (Mariette Hartley) to let her know he’s coming home with the cash.

Unfortunately, the ride he hitches out of town just happens to be with a slimy opportunistic alcoholic named Frank (Gary Crosby). This leads to a horrible car accident that creates an intersection between everyone’s lives. Jenna, who happened to be on her way to Frisco is the woman who holds a dying Michael in her arms. But his ghost soon returns to the beach near Alexis’ restaurant, because this is where he’d spend his days building gorgeous sculptures in the sand, and he soon starts a relationship with Jenna. Drawn to her own fantasy world and the (now literally) angelic Michael, she refuses to recover the money that Frank still has in his car. She knows that if she helps Michael fulfill his responsibilities to Alexis, he’ll be able to make that last journey, leaving her forever.

Directed by Ted Post (Do Not Fold, Spindle or Mutilate, The Baby), Sandcastles is more famous for its filming technique than it is for the story. It was the first small screen film to employ the single camera videotape method. In an attempt to save money, the film was shot with a Norelco, in Malibu and at the CBS Studio Center. However, the equipment was too new and expensive, and the process too time consuming and faulty. Eventually the video was transferred to film, giving Sandcastles a bit of off-putting effect for some viewers, who commented that the aesthetics lent itself more towards episodic television than a movie. Nevertheless, the overall eeriness of the story and the beautiful locales make Sandcastles a truly wonderful time capsule.

Shot in twelve days, with much of the story unfolding amongst crashing beach waves, Post joked in an interview about the difficulty of getting the sea to “act” on command. He must have gotten the ocean to listen though because he caught some exquisite footage and produced a moving portrait of haunted people, ghostly love and learning to let go.

Still, Sandcastles doesn’t just tug at the heartstrings, it wants to yank those suckers right out of your chest, and there are a few overly syrupy and talky moments throughout the film, where everyone only speaks of love. But, dammit, it works. Maybe it’s because Michael is so emblematic of the times – a leftover from the hippie movement whose universal dream of peace and love dies when he does. At the same time Jenna continues to believe (and rightly so as it turns out) that love doesn’t have to end, coincidences can mean something greater, and moving on doesn’t mean leaving anything behind.

Bedelia is wonderful in the role as Jenna. Her fantasies and idealism keep her from venturing out into the real world, and the actress captures that sweet innocence of the romantic daydreamer, almost achingly so. It doesn’t hurt that Vincent is at his loveliest as well, with a thick blonde mane and a tummy you could bounce a quarter off of. **Swoon**

But this is really Bernardi’s film. Alexis is thoroughly tormented by Michael’s disappearance, but refuses to believe he’s stolen the money outright. Alexis can’t come to terms with this alleged betrayal of his “adopted” son, and, then his death, and he nearly comes to deadly blows with Frank (and definitely beats the crap out of him!). The loss and anger is palpable, and carries the film from outright melodrama to tragedy. Despite his roaming nature, Michael has a profound ripple effect, impacting everyone’s lives. I think I'm getting misty again...

Michael's sandcastles and sculptures are an overt metaphor. The ocean constantly destroys them, and he has to keep rebuilding them, much in the same way everyone has to rebuild their lives after Michael's death. The overall message about enjoying life and beauty in the moment because they could disappear in the blink of an eye is timeless, and Sandcastles tells this story well.

The USA World Premiere Movie Project: Our Mother's Murder (1997)

This review was written in conjunction with The Daily Grindhouse's year-long tribute to the USA World Premiere Movie.

It wasn’t planned, I swear. When I was choosing what USA movies I’d like to review this month, Murder on Shadow Mountain and Our Mother’s Murder simply looked like good choices (I must be drawn to the word "murder" and I’m not quite sure what that says about me!). If you read my review of Shadow you know it ended up being a bit of a disappointment. Luckily, I was already familiar with Our Mother’s Murder, which is one of the few TV movies I loved so much that I stood next to the VCR while copying it, so I could cut out the commercials. Dedication, people. Dedication. It’s not an easy movie to watch, because of the harrowing content and because it’s so damn heart wrenching. And, frankly, it’s perfect.

Like Shadow, Our Mother’s Murder (aka Daughters) is also based on a true story. Unlike Shadow, it’s utterly fantastic (OK, I’ll stop beating up Shadow now). This TVM tells the tragic tale of of Anne Scripps, a beautiful heiress who was brutally murdered by the hands of her abusive husband. The story is told through her daughter Alex (Holly Marie Combs in an excellent performance), who is desperate but powerless to keep her mother safe.

The film, which originally aired on July 16th, 1997, charts the whirlwind romance of Anne (Roxanne Hart, also excellent in the role) and her much younger lover, Scott Douglas (James Wilder, again, amazing performance). The couple was married ten months after they met, and afterwards, Scott begins to reveal a far darker side. It quickly escalates to physical abuse and even attempted murder, but is, as so often is the case, only looked at as a domestic disturbance. Anne, who was brought up in a very conservative lifestyle and is already embarrassed by her first divorce, and has a child with Scott (and because she's terrified), finds herself very reluctant to divorce him. At one point, she even agrees to a temporary reconciliation in the hopes that he won’t run off with their little girl. Scott goes from remorseful to violent in much the same way car chases in action films go from zero to sixty. His moods are sometimes unexpected and always terrifying. Anne’s grown up daughters, Alex and her sister Annie (Sarah Chalke… again… fantastic) watch helplessly as the danger escalates. The film’s title gives the ending away, so for much of the film it is simply an excruciating waiting game as we watch this disgusting man build up to murder.

Told without a hint of sensationalism, Our Mother’s Murder is almost too good. The film elegantly captures the idyllic life of two beautiful young teenagers with privileged backgrounds. Their innocent romances with boys and their strong bond with their mother belies the horrors that are about to happen. Our Mother’s Murder is about how abuse affects everyone, and each girl responds differently. Alex becomes a protective adult figure for her own naïve mother, and Annie finds herself drinking too much and getting involved with her own set of abusive boyfriends. They are relatable and their plight is moving.

Wilder’s performance is grotesque, horrifying and pathetic. In short, perfectly played. Scott is hateful but complex, and he’s not just a cardboard cutout bad guy. Wilder takes Scott to several different levels, and yet, we’ll never understand why he is the way he is. Anne is unfortunately the perfect victim because she is too ashamed to walk away. In one telling scene, Scott practically drags Anne out of a party and to their car. And while one couple follows them, they do nothing to stop what is an obviously dangerous situation. Anne's friend says, “She waved me off. She is probably embarrassed.” Just a few moments later, Scott tries to push her out of a moving car.

Truth be told, I can barely watch the entire film, I find it so real and heartbreaking. At the same time this is a film I feel everyone should see. It's not just a TV movie I love, it's an important story that is beautifully played and all to relevant. And unfortunately, the story doesn't end here. If you want to know more about Anne and what  happened to her children, start with the wikipedia page. Utterly tragic.

Now that I'm depressed, let's change gears. I can hardly believe that Bill L. Norton, who also helmed Gargoyles, directed Our Mothers Murder. Not because I don’t totally adore both films, because I do, but wow. That’s versatility! And trust me, after this tragic film, Gargoyles makes a nice pick-me-up companion. Hey, it's how I roll...

TV Spot Tuesday: SOAP!

When SOAP premiered on ABC on September 13th, 1977, I was not allowed to watch it. I remember it came on fairly late at night (9:30 on Tuesdays), and I must have been getting ready for bed at that time. Still, to this day I have no idea if I wasn't allowed to watch it because of its time slot or because of its content. A few years later, when SOAP went into syndication, our local channel showed it nightly at around 7 pm or so. I was older and wiser, being all of nine or ten at the time, so I guess my parents thought it might be alright to let this kid give this incredibly smart series a go.

I have no idea what Bert is talking about, but I bet it's funny!

As a kid, I loved it mostly because Burt Campbell (Richard Mulligan) was insane and adorable. From believing he could make himself invisible, to alien abductions to becoming sheriff (!) of Dunn's River, Connecticut, it was virtually impossible for me not to grin when he was on screen. However, while Burt may have been the original draw for my young-person-brain, I was also getting into some rather heady stuff. Alongside all the infidelity, prison breakouts and baby possession, SOAP worked mostly because it understood the connection melodrama has to raw human emotion. Jody Campbell's (Billy Crystal) struggle to become not just a father, but recognized, respected and accepted as a gay man who is a father, wasn't without its bumps in the road, but was told with a lot of heart and introduced issues that many of us had probably never considered. There was also Danny's (Ted Wass) awakening to racial intolerance when he dated Polly (Lynne Moody), and the ongoing hilarious, but also heartbreaking tale of Chester and Jessica's I-love-you-I-hate-you-saga. Oh, and then there's the episode where Benson leaves. Tissues please.

Jimmy Baio = adorbs

But nothing was as tragic and as haunting for me as the death of Elaine (Dinah Manoff). In her agonizingly shocking and sad final scene, she dies in Danny's arms not long after he realized that he really did love her. To this day, I still get choked up when I think about it.

More tissues, please

And that was the beauty of SOAP, which ran for four glorious seasons. They understood how to walk the fine line of outrageous stories told with simple but very real feelings. I know most people think of SOAP as a spoof of the daytime drama, but it was really an all out glorious tribute, all done with a big smile and bunch of hearty laughs. That's good television, indeed.

Did you know there is an upcoming book about SOAP? Visit Soap! The Sitcom That Broke all the Rules for the deets.

Here are some SOAP promos:

Peter's Murder (aka an good excuse to look at Robert Urich):

A look at Elaine and Danny:  

Worlds Without End are Ending

Who knew that Friday, January 13th, 2012 was going to be so unlucky for Amanda By Night? I guess I did last April when ABC announced it was cancelling two long time soaps, All My Children and my story, One Life to Live. Since then I’ve watched my show get cancelled, get picked up by a production company named Prospect Park as part of an interesting online venture and then dropped again, when they couldn’t secure the right financing (and guild deals, apparently). Now it’s completed its run and I am beyond words.

OK, I'm not completely beyond words... I'd just like to say that the actors, writers and crew of One Life to Live have risen to an extremely difficult challenge. The last few weeks have been nothing short of sheer brilliance, and the cliffhanger ending was fantastic. While I know they had to leave some stories open because they thought they'd go online, I love the choices they made and I'm looking forward to watching some of the characters move over to General Hospital.

That said, I still have a few bones to pick with the world of television programming...

I understand that television is a business. It’s all about the bottom dollar and deciding what kind of shows will reap the greatest financial rewards. It’s always been like that, but inside of that world of cold, conglomerate business-making there has been an artistic venture residing within. People who want to make great entertainment come in and do what they can with what they’ve got. It’s part of why I love made for television movies so much. Filmmakers were lucky if they were given two weeks to shoot something, and because of small budgets, they concentrated on characters, stories and mood. While the TVM genre became less fiscally rewarding, soaps kept up that tradition by putting together one hour shows, five days a week, all year. It’s amazing to think of how such a large group of people assemble everyday to rehearse, block and film dozens of pages of scripts. Of course they too were all about characters and ambiance. I know melodrama has become less cool over the years, but what’s disparaging is how cold (no pun intended) some people have become towards the daytime genre. I think people have lost respect for the work these people do, and it’s really sad. Sometimes I feel like we’ve become a world who either wants the cruddiest low budget reality programming (technically, the new soap opera) or extravagant effects-laden shows. Somewhere, we forgot about the middle.


I say that knowing that’s not completely true, and I know that with the advent of cable, there are simply too many options and audiences become fractured. In the end, all network television is in decline. But that doesn’t make it any less upsetting to see One Life to Live disappear from my daily viewing habits (and the only current programming I follow aside from Hot in Cleveland).

Soaps are a fantastic venue for escapism. I started watching One Life to Live 30 years ago, and I haven’t regretted an hour I set aside for my daytime drama. One of the reasons the show worked for me was because it had a great sense of humor about itself and the writers never seemed afraid to go there. Characters went back in time, they went to heaven (and came back), they discovered an entire city beneath the most palatial Llanview mansion, Llanfair and they had hilarious characters who often summed up the over-the-top situations with quirky one liners. They also had some incredibly intense and moving drama, such as when Megan died of lupus (I will never get over her death), or when they almost executed Todd Manning for a crime he didn’t commit. They had characters of all kinds of ages finding love in the afternoon. It was a beautiful, fantastic and wonderful ride, and I’m so happy I got to visit Llanview for the last three decades.


But the end of the show doesn’t just mean that I will be wondering how to fill that hour in my day, it also stands for the ongoing, and somewhat brutal, death of the genre. Since ABC announced they were cancelling One Life to Live, I’ve become a member of several Facebook groups (and yes, I am even part of a letter writing campaign), and there are thousands of us gathered together, wondering if it is possible to save our soaps. With SoapNet going bye-bye in the near future (another boneheaded business decision, as far as I am concerned) there isn’t much of an outlet for these shows, which I had once assumed would eventually move to cable. It’s a scary time for people like me, who love this kind of storytelling. It feels like no one is listening, and those channels I once held dear to me have become nothing but strangers, who I pass by on my remote as I look for better entertainment.

Sounds kind of melodramatic, don’t it? Well, I think I’m allowed to mourn to loss of my friend here today and I can’t think of any better fashion than to say there is no more love in the afternoon. Goodbye One Life to Live, I will always love you and I will never ever forget you.

Remembering Peter Falk - Griffin and Phoenix: A Love Story (1976)

Network: ABC
Original Air Date: February 27th, 1976

Anyone who reads my blog is probably aware that I have a deep love for Peter Falk. You can only imagine how crestfallen I was when he passed away in 2011. But who am I kidding? We were all crestfallen. Falk was such a wonderful actor and if you were born in the 70s or later, chances are he was a mainstay in your life. Of course, he was best known as the disheveled Lt. Columbo, but he was one of the few actors who was lucky and talented enough to move through his famous television series, which he would eternally be identified with, while portraying several other characters on both the big and small screen. Undoubtedly Columbo would become Falk’s trademark, but it was his portrayal as Geoffrey Griffin in Griffin and Phoenix which had the greatest impact for me.


I remember watching Griffin and Phoenix with my father when I was about 10 years old. It was playing on the Afternoon Movie on our local channel (good old KVVU, which is now a Fox affiliate). Although I was too young to really understand what was happening, the ending was moving enough that I carried the image of it with me through my life. I didn’t see it again until 2005, and I watched it three times in one week. In fact, I can remember the last time I saw it because it was February 14th. Despite a maudlin premise, I thought it would be a great Valentine’s Day film choice because it is a simply exquisite and romantic experience.


Peter Falk is Griffin, and he’s just been given a very short time to live. After a misguided attempt to reconnect with his ex-wife and kids, he heads to LA to spend his last days as quietly as possible. Sara Phoenix is 34 going on spinster, and she aimlessly travels from place to place after each failed romance. She is diagnosed with a terminal form of cancer, and she also finds herself heading to LA to… well, I don’t think she knows exactly what she’s doing just yet. She ends up meeting Griffin at the community college in a death and dying class. Phoenix is hesitant to get involved with Griffin although it’s obvious they are attracted to each other. After some pursuit, she finally gives in, but both have decided to keep their disease a secret.


Griffin and Phoenix is a romantic comedy which sounds like it has no romance or comedy in it at all, and that’s the magic of this film, which takes on death and makes it seem a little less scary (at least for a while). Aside from Clayburgh and Falk’s exceptional performances, credit should also be given to producers Tony Thomas and Paul Junger Witt who not only worked on several other made for TV movies together (including the famous tearjerker Brian’s Song), but also collaborated on SOAP which always managed to move the audience from hysterical laughter to tears. I’m not saying Griffin and Phoenix is exactly hysterical, but there are plenty of laugh out loud moments sandwiched inside the sad story. This was screenwriter John Hill’s first film, and despite being an uncredited writer on Close Encounters of the Third Kind, his career has fluctuated to varying and odd degrees. Hill also wrote Heatbeeps (!) and Steel Justice, along with a few scripts for television series like Quantum Leap and Diagnosis Murder. His story really comes from the heart, touching on some incredibly poignant and realistic moments.


Peter Falk is simply stunning as Griffin. The fact that he didn’t instantly become a romantic lead after this film shows that even in the edgier 70s, Hollywood was still hesitant to hire unlikely but capable actors in the romance genre. He doesn’t miss a beat as the sensitive and perceptive love interest, and dare I say it? He’s damn sexy in the part too. Falk’s Griffin is haunted by his future, but he’s also led by a passion to make his last days worthwhile to himself. He looks for the little, and often childish, joys in life, such as flying a kite or jumping a train, and he teaches Phoenix to revel in those minor details of happiness instead of wallowing in her own ill fated destiny. Clayburgh is wonderful in the part of Phoenix. Her small screen work often gets overshadowed by her immense theatrical achievements, but she was nominated for an Emmy for her appearance in the excellent tele-film Hustling, and probably should have been nominated here as well. I can only imagine how the original audience perceived Falk in this film, who had already been playing Columbo for five years when it premiered. Griffin and Phoenix was successful enough that it enjoyed a theatrical run overseas under the title is Today is Forever (with a little nudity added to the proceedings!), but mostly it seems this film has been forgotten about. Some attention was brought to it when the story was remade in 2006 with Amanda Peet and Dermot Mulroney. I have no problem with either of those actors, but Griffin and Phoenix is such a holy grail to me, that I was insulted by the fact that someone would remake this movie (without giving much of a nod to the 1976 version) yet the original film remains in limbo, waiting for some kind of DVD release.


Griffin and Phoenix is a film I think about often although I find it very hard to watch now. I’m not sure what made me pull out my old VHS copy in early 2005, and although I found the film to be extremely moving, I can’t pinpoint exactly what compelled me to watch it three times in one week. But just a few months after that peaceful Valentine’s Day my world was turned upside down when both of my parents passed away from cancer about three months apart. I instantly connected with Griffin and Phoenix on a level that I had never expected to, and both Clayburgh and Falk became symbols of my parents, who were also able to finally get in touch with their carefree side when they met. The fact that both actors died fairly close together has only deepened my emotion for this film. Griffin and Phoenix is a truly beautiful movie that deserves a much larger audience.

One of my favorite scenes from Griffin and Phoenix:

Come Get Your Rankin-and-Bass-On!

Hey guys, with Christmas right around the corner (I know, I can't believe it either), I thought I'd re-post a link to a review I contributed to the beyond awesome Christmas TV History blog. I wrote about my all time favorite Rankin and Bass special, Nestor, the Long Eared Christmas Donkey. I actually gave the film its annual spin the other night, and it's still one of the sweetest and most moving films I have ever seen.

And now it's your turn. What is your favorite Rankin and Bass special? I know almost everyone will say Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer, but please leave a comment and share a little Rankin and Bass love!

Happy Holidays!

Black History Month: Voyage of The Yes (1973)

Network: CBS
Original Air Date: January 16th, 1973

I had no idea that when I picked up my copy of the Voyage of the Yes that I was going to be watching a movie with two of my favorite studly funny guys who are in this month’s poll. I knew Mike Evans, most famous for playing Lionel Jefferson #1 on The Jeffersons was in it, but lo and behold, was that Scoey Mitchell I just laid my eyes on? Yes, it is. Scoey’s part is small but very important to this story about how complex and simple real friendship is.

Mike Evans is Orlando B. Parker. He’s from the Chicago slums but does his best to keep away from the nastier elements of his hood. Unfortunately, his uncle named Pretty (Scoey Mitchell) is doing his best to drag Orlando down to his level. During an argument, Orlando accidentally kills Pretty – and it ain’t pretty… I know, I’ve got a million of ‘em… and he goes on the run.

Pretty is about become less Pretty very soon!
Desi Arnez Jr. is Cal Maxwell. He’s the rich Beverly Hills type kid with a badass convertible and a sweet little boat. He is going off to college in the fall and wants to spend the end of his break sailing to Hawaii but his parents (played by the wonderful Beverly Garland and Skip Homeier) insist he bring someone. But Cal is a solitary kind of guy.

Luckily, Cal runs into Orlando, and asks him to go on his trip. No one knows much about Orlando, and they are especially unaware of the murder charges awaiting him if the law ever catches up to him. Essentially, Orlando is a really good guy, but this accident makes him do a lot of stupid things when he’s out at sea with Cal. It’s obvious he wants to punish himself, but because he’s young and a little immature, he ends up becoming a hazard to both himself and his shipmate. They wind up stranded because of his self-destructive behavior, and without gas, food and water, time is running out fast. It is here, which is the bulk of the film, we watch two men work together and form an intensely deep relationship that surpasses color and background.

Studs of the high seas!
Voyage of the Yes is one of the most quietly profound movies I have seen in a long time. It was originally intended to be a pilot and I think it would have made a compelling series, as we watched these men travel to various ports. As it stands, this film is a character study that embraces our many differences and commonalities. And like any good human drama, we get a decent shark attack as well! What was so interesting about the whole set up was that it is reminiscent of another shark-irific TV movie aptly titled Shark Kill, which came out three years later in 1976. In that film we’ve got a white and a Hispanic fighting the odds of nature and learning to understand each other along the way. The only difference was the pair in Shark Kill weren't even afforded the luxury of a boat, they were just floating around the ocean! The theme of man against shark was of course never better than in Jaws, but both Shark Kill and Voyage of the Yes do remarkable jobs getting inside their characters (granted, the shark scene in Voyage is only a small part of the film, albeit significant). These are small but effective films and something I wish we'd see more of today.

The quiet before the storm
Mike Evans is the standout. Taking Evans and Desi Jr. out of their comedic elements was a bold move, and the payoff is grand. Evans portrayal of Orlando is sensitive and heartfelt. It’s a little harder to like Cal at the beginning because he’s so remote, but that’s the point. Throughout their journey, Cal opens up and becomes a much more rounded character while Orlando comes to terms with what he’s done. This film makes great use of the Simon and Garfunkel song El Condor Pasa and the poignant and haunting ending has stuck with me for days.

I can’t say enough good things about this movie, but I’ll leave it simply at see this movie! It’s available through Amazon (DVD and Download) and it’s affordable too!

Christmas in July: The Gathering (1977)

Christmas in July is contagious! At some point a few months ago, Joanna Wilson from the awesome Christmas TV Companion blog and I talked about doing the guest blog thing (it's so 2010) and how could I resist? Joanna's got crazy keen eyes for detail, she's passionate about Christmas specials and she's a great writer too! And Santa came early this year as you'll see because Joanna brings a first to Made for TV Mayhem: Location photos! Check out what these places looked like then and how they look now. Too cool! Thanks Joanna for taking the time to do this! As for the rest of you, enjoy! And after you stop by her blog, check out her book also called The Christmas TV Companion (and then check back here later this weekend because I'll be posting a review of it!).



Network: ABC
Original Air Date: December 4th, 1977
Review by Joanna Wilson

The 1977 TV movie The Gathering directed by Randal Kleiser casts a long shadow. Not only has this movie endeared itself to many of the viewers that saw it when it was originally broadcast but it contains a stellar cast. It won an Emmy for Outstanding Special--Drama or Comedy as well being nominated for four others. For me, it has a personal connection as I live not far from the locations where they shot the film.


In this story, successful businessman Adam Thornton, played by Edward Asner, learns he has only months to live. In an effort to reconnect with the family he could previously never make time for, Adam organizes an unexpected Christmas reunion. Not wanting anyone’s pity, he doesn’t share his terminal condition or his motivations to redeem himself, although his wife Kate, played by Maureen Stapleton, from whom he is separated and his grown children can sense a change in him. Gathering together his family for the holiday at the last minute is its own struggle as is convincing them to spend it with the father they have mixed feelings for. But Adam needs to spend time with each of his family members to say what he needs to say before it is too late. The greatest reward is when his youngest son, Bud, played by Gregory Harrison, makes the journey from remote Canada. Adam now regrets throwing Bud out of his house over their conflicts about the Vietnam War. This Christmas film has the subtleties and complexity of emotion that some films overwrite or worse yet, force into their scripts. In addition to Asner, Stapleton and Harrison, this ensemble cast includes several other recognizable actors: Stephanie Zimbalist, Gail Strickland, Lawrence Pressman, Veronica Hamel and Bruce Davison among others.


There are two memorable scenes. The first is when the men in the family ask Adam to recite his favorite Christmas poem just as he used to do every Christmas Eve. Introducing the Victorian poem as one written by the popular British author, Rudyard Kipling, he entertains the men drinking in the kitchen. What many viewers may not know is that this poem “Christmas in the Workhouse” is not by Kipling but more accurately by George R. Sims who wrote the dramatic monologue contained in his “Dagonet Ballads” in 1879. The second memorable scene is the one where Adam and his like-minded son Tom decide to set off an entire box of fireworks after midnight early Christmas morning. The two adults shout and cheer as the explosions, lights and whistles fill the darkness of still night that results in neighborhood dogs barking and neighbors complaining. But the scene underscores Adam’s attitude and commitment to spend his last Christmas literally and symbolically as loudly as he wants.

There is also a scene where Adam’s grandchildren awaken their grandfather who is sleeping on the couch on Christmas morning. It’s a small detail, however, some may recognize that the two children use a Yogi Bear plush toy to wake up their grandfather. This toy was most probably chosen because this film was executive produced by Joseph Barbera--the same man as the TV animation giant from Hanna-Barbera Productions. But a children’s movie this is not.



Though this film’s story takes place in a quaint, snowy New England village, it was actually shot in Northeast Ohio. The house they used for the Thornton home is located in Hudson Ohio on the campus of The Western Reserve Academy. The outdoor footage used in the opening scenes of the film when Adam is walking with his doctor discussing the outcome of his terminal diagnosis is located in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. Thornton/Asner stands on a bridge looking over the railing at the river below before he walks along to the edge and down a staircase which leads to a beautiful waterfall. This is a popular destination for couples as well as shoppers right in downtown Chagrin Falls.

This touching holiday film is one that many viewers have missed in previous years. However, I saw it broadcast last Christmas on the Gospel Music Channel, which is a good sign that we can expect to see it again in December 2010.

Chagrin Falls Then:


Chagrin Falls Now:


The House Then:


The House Now:
Hey everybody, that's Joanna! Cool sunglasses!

It's Christmas in July People!

At least it is at Christmas TV Companion! Joanna asked me to do a guest blog on whatever Christmas treat I wanted and lo and behold, Nestor, the Long Eared Donkey instantly came to mind. My favorite of all Christmas Specials, this Rankin and Bass classic means the world to me and I was so thrilled to get to spread the long eared donkey love... and I don't care how dirty that sounds!

So please enjoy the linkage. Hopefully it will get your mind off the heat!