107 Minutes, Color, UK/USA, 1985
Written By: David Newman & Leslie Newman
Directed By: Jeannot Szwarc
Dramatis Personae:
David
Huddleston is Claus, artisan, toymaker, and
immortal giver of toys.
Dudley
Moore is Patch, Elf with big ideas but not a lot of common sense.
Judy
Cornwell is Anya, ClausÕs beloved and
doting wife.
John Barrad is Dooley, ClausÕs right-hand
Elf, mellow and warm toyshop administrator.
Anthony OÕDonnell is Puffy, proud Elven craftsman
and friendly rival to Patch.
Christian Fitzpatrick is Joe, streetwise homeless
kid who becomes ClausÕs best human friend.
Carrie Kei Heim is Cornelia, poor little rich girl
and friend of Joe.
John Lithgow is BZ, CorneliaÕs step-uncle
(now how does THAT work?) and the most unscrupulous toymaker in the history of
the skilled trades.
Burgess Meredith is The Ancient
Elf,
wise man and Elf with the worldÕs longest beard.
Jeffrey Kramer is Towzer, BZÕs sniveling
minion.
Commentary:
The Holiday Season is upon us once again, and
itÕs time for indulgences of all kinds. In my case, it is time to indulge in my
guiltiest of guilty pleasures: my deep and abiding love of Christmas specials.
I love them. Movies, TV specials, you name it. The cheesier the better. This is
the time of year I permit myself to get sappy, and so I go all out. Bring it
on! Bring on the stop-motion reindeer! Bring on Charlie BrownÕs pathetic tree!
Bring on the Muppets! Bring on the Grinch! How I adore them all. And how I adored
this movie when I was young. I was a precocious lad, obsessed with myth and
legend. I loved origin myths and origin stories, reading about how gods were
born and how worlds were made. And of course, to a child few figures of legend
loom larger than Santa Claus. So Santa Claus: The Movie was something of a
fascination for me: an attempt to give the Big Guy Himself an origin story, to
tie together all the traditions and myths and legends about him into some kind
of definitive backstory. Looking back on it, of course, Santa Claus: The
Movie isnÕt the quintessential Yuletide epic my book-addled ten-year-old brain
made it out to be. But itÕs still got a lot of heart, and thatÕs enough for me
this time of year.
Our story opens sometime in Medieval Europe. It
is Christmas Eve, and villagers gather in a great farmhouse to keep out of the
cold. A venerable old matriarch entertains the children with a story about the
Òvendegum,Ó the race of little people who live in a hidden city on the top of
the world. One of the older children and a few of the adults anxiously await
the arrival of someone else, and express concern that the weather may have
delayed them. But that concern is soon allayed by the arrival of a two-reindeer
sleigh, and a middle-aged couple bearing gifts. This couple is ÒUncle ClausÓ
and his wife Anya, who live just outside the village proper. Claus is a
woodcutter by trade, but a toymaker by vocation, and every Christmas he brings
the children his handcrafted toys. He asks no reward; the joy of giving is
enough for him, and he is beloved by all the children.
Their errand done, Claus and Anya depart for
the next farmhouse. Unfortunately they never get there; the weather becomes
progressively worse, and Claus loses the road. His reindeer, Donner and Blitzen,
collapse from exhaustion, and Claus and Anya soon follow.
But all is not lost, for when they awaken, the
storm has passed, and the night sky is clear. By the light of the Aurora
Borealis, a strange sight is revealed to them: a hidden city appears, and from
it emerge dozens of little men. Claus realizes that these are the Vendegum of
his peopleÕs legends – though, as the One Called Dooley remarks, Òwe
prefer to be called Elves.Ó The Elves greet Claus and Anya warmly, and lead
them back to their village. The Elves, it seems, have been waiting for Claus
for a long time. They are toymakers by trade, having practiced their craft in
secret for time immemorial, and they have been waiting for someone like Claus:
someone who can finally bring their toys to the human world where they can be
played with by children. When Claus protests that he canÕt possibly live long
enough to deliver so many toys to so many children, Dooley tells him that he
and Anya are now immortal, just as the Elves are.
As Claus and Anya settle into their new home,
Claus befriends Patch, who proves to be a smart and ambitious craftsman, with
all kinds of ideas far ahead of their time (a clock that wakes you up in the
morning? Go on with you!), and meets the other reindeer the Elves have been
tending. With ClausÕs own, this means a team of eight to pull his great sleigh.
When Christmas rolls around again, Claus is met by the Ancient Elf, who imparts
to him the full nature of his chosen task. He is the fulfillment of an Elven
prophecy: an artisan and friend of children, who will bear the gifts of the
Elves to children all over the world. With his mission comes magical powers:
the power to slow time, so that he may deliver every toy in a single night, and
the power to make his reindeer fly. With this, the Ancient Elf bestows upon
Claus the title ÒSanta,Ó and sends him on his way.
Through the immutable power of the film
montage, we watch Santa Claus carry out his mission down through the centuries.
We see his mission evolve, under the influence of both Anya and Patch –
notably the decision to bring gifts only to the good little boys and girls (and
with that, the necessity of keeping a list of who is Naughty and Nice). But by
the time the 20th Century rolls around, Claus is starting to feel
overwhelmed. With more and more children to visit with each passing year, the
annual ride is beginning to take its toll. A concerned Anya suggests that Claus
take on an assistant, and Dooley knows just the Elves who would love the job.
Sure enough, both Patch and Puffy start jockeying for the position, and Claus
declares that a toy-making contest shall be held to determine who is the best
toymaker for the job. Puffy, the traditionalist, sets his team to making toys
the good old-fashioned way. Patch, on the other hand, starts building the
Elvish equivalent of an assembly line. Unsurprisingly, he smokes Puffy, in both
the amount and the size of the toys he can churn out, and Patch is declared
SantaÕs new assistant.
Meanwhile, in the cold hard reality of 1980Õs
New York City, we are introduced to the cynical street kid Joe, and to the
privileged but neglected Cornelia. While polar opposites in social standing,
they are drawn to one another by a shared loneliness, and begin a guarded sort
of long-distance friendship, without really being able to interact directly
with each other. In Washington, CorneliaÕs uncle BZ is being grilled by a
Congressional Committee. BZ is apparently the worst toymaker ever: his products
are blatantly, patently unsafe, from a stuffed animal full of broken glass to a
doll so flammable that it might as well have been made of oily rags (and thatÕs
probably not a stretch to consider). Congress orders a recall of all BZ Toys
products, and Towser and BZ ponder what theyÕre going to do to save their necks.
On his yearly ride, Santa encounters Joe
warming himself by a barrel fire. Moved by the plight of a child alone on
Christmas Eve, Santa invites him to accompany him. Joe takes some convincing,
but eventually he accepts that Santa Claus is real, and a heckuva nice guy to
boot. Eventually their round takes them to CorneliaÕs house, where she wakes up
at the just the right moment to catch them in the act. SheÕs as thrilled as
10-year-old girl can be to meet Santa Claus, but sheÕs surprised to actually meet
Joe there. Seeing that the two of them know each other, and like each other,
Santa decides to leave them in each otherÕs care and continue on his rounds.
Before he goes, he promises to meet Joe again next year.
As the next year rolls on, something unexpected
happens: SantaÕs workshop gets RETURNS. It would seem PatchÕs mass-produced
toys are just not up to the expected hand-made quality of Elven crafts. We
watch the toys fall apart as children play with them, much to the dismay of the
children and their parents. Santa is upset by this development; for the first
time in history, children have REJECTED toys made by the Elves. Patch resigns
his position in shame, and then leaves the North Pole for the human world, looking
for a way to redeem himself.
PatchÕs sojourn takes him to New York City,
where he looks in a toy store and sees BZ Toys products flying off the shelves.
Of course, this is because theyÕre being recalled, but Patch doesnÕt know that;
he just presumes that theyÕre the most popular brand of toys. He resolves to
offer his services to this BZ, to prove to Santa Claus that heÕs still got it.
BZ needs some convincing to accept that Patch is a real Elf from the North
Pole, but PatchÕs sales pitch is far more convincing. For Patch has brought
something with him from the workshop: the magic powder that the Elves mix in
the reindeerÕs food that enables them to fly. With it, he can create a wondrous
new product that requires no workers except Patch, and virtually no overhead
costs. And PatchÕs insistence that it be given away free does seem like it
would go a long way toward repairing BZÕs public image. BZ whips up a marketing
campaign for Patch and the new product – a candy lollipop that enables
anyone who eats it to actually float in thin air – thatÕs just as flashy
and ridiculous as youÕd think a mid-1980s Christmas-themed ad campaign would
be. It certainly puts Claus out of sorts when he sees it, but he resolves to
continue to do things the old-fashioned way. Consequently, he is somewhat
dismayed when he finds out that Patch has devised a fantastical
rocket-propelled sleigh that enables him to get a lollipop under every kidÕs
tree before Santa even gets thereÉand further, that the lollipops are wildly
popular. So dismayed is Claus that he considers hanging up the red suit for
good, thinking that maybe the world has outgrown the need for him.
Meanwhile, BZ is riding high on the success of
PatchÕs invention, and is looking forward to a profitable working relationship
with the Elf. But Patch is having none of it: having proved to Santa Claus that
heÕs still a great craftsman, he just wants to return to the North Pole. But BZ
convinces him to stick around just a while longer. Just long enough to give him
a new product: a candy cane with a more powerful dose of the magic powder. By
now, even Patch is beginning to question BZÕs motives, but not even he can
predict the disaster to come, as the more concentrated recipe has a dangerous
side-effectÉ
In discussions of Christmas and holiday movies,
Santa Claus: The Movie often gets abused. At best, itÕs considered a
cheese-fest. To which I sayÉwell, yes, it IS a cheese-fest. But letÕs be
honest: what Christmas movie ISNÕT a cheese-fest? I mean, isnÕt that why we
love them? Because theyÕre cheesy, and kind of silly, and give you that warm
fuzzy feeling inside? Sure, the movie has its shortcomings, but the pluses far
outweigh the minuses in this demonÕs opinion. And if nothing else, itÕs got a
heart bigger than the North Pole.
One of the pluses is David HuddlestonÕs
performance as Santa Claus. Scoff if you want, but Santa Claus is a far more
difficult role than youÕd think at first glance. There is a whole lot of
cultural baggage associated with the character, a whole lot of expectations
people have, a lot of notes that are expected to be hit. And to hit these notes
without veering off into the ridiculous is more difficult than youÕd think.
ItÕs almost like playing Jesus: easy to do, but hard to do WELL. David
Huddleston manages to hit all the expected Santa Claus notes, while at the same
time making you believe heÕs a real person, not a caricature. His Claus is a
gentle giant, a big gregarious grandfatherly type who finds joy in giving, and
whose great belly-laughs are more realistic than a corny Òho-ho-ho.Ó This is a
Santa Claus who seems like he really could exist, and youÕd want to hang out
with him.
While HuddlestonÕs performance takes center
stage in the film, other performances are generally good. Maybe I just havenÕt
seen enough of Dudley MooreÕs work to understand why people find him so
annoying, but heÕs not bad here. Patch is a bit gratingly over-enthusiastic,
yes, but heÕs an Elf! He likes his work, thatÕs all! Judy Cornwell does a
pretty good job at infusing the underwritten role of Mrs. Claus with some soul:
she isnÕt given much to work with, but she does her best with it. Carrie Kei
Heim and Christian Fitzpatrick are adequate in their roles (though I donÕt buy
Christian FitzpatrickÕs Dickensian Orphan shtick for a New York Minute). John
Lithgow, on the other hand, is constantly threatening to make the movie
collapse in on itself with his completely over-the-top performance. Even still,
he feels like he belongs here: a thoroughly cartoonish villain, the worldÕs
worst toymaker, callous and avaricious beyond all rational conception – a
perfect foil to the goodness that is Santa Claus.
Of course that is the other side of the coin.
The critics of Santa Claus: The Movie do have some valid
points, after all. In striving to be an origin story, to hit all the right
notes, it does seem rather conventional. There isnÕt really an effort to do
something different, to turn traditions on their ear. It does all seem a little
predictable, a little too familiar. SantaÕs Elves have a tendency to frolic,
what with their ÒcuteÓ Elven speech patterns and their whimsy and enchantment
and all. Although I must say that I laud the set design. The workshop is an
elaborate wooden affair, evoking something out of the Germanic tradition. And
itÕs absolutely nook-crazy, with all kind of random hidden doors and crazy
decorations. ItÕs like being trapped inside a giant Bavarian cuckoo
clockÉwhichÉI could see why someone would find annoying. And while going for a
fairy-tale atmosphere, director Jeannot Szwarc fails to really convey any
accurate flow of time. Anya and Claus first get lost in the snow on Christmas
Eve, are rescued by the Elves, and the next thing we know itÕs Christmas Eve
again. What happened to the intervening year? And what was that Ancient Elf
doing during it? We get the sense that Claus didnÕt fully understand what his
mission was to be until the Ancient Elf told him. So what was he doing for a
year? Claus is a pretty laid-back guy, but did he seriously just lounge around
the North Pole for a year without asking any questions?
There are maddening hints between the lines of
some kind of deeper mythos to the story, that the movie never really explores.
ItÕs worth noting that the choices made in theme and set design give the movie
a secular, almost pagan feel. The plot takes place during Christmas, but thatÕs
as overtly Christian as the message of Santa Claus: The Movie gets. Which I suppose
is to its credit: after all, the winter holiday celebration pre-dates Christ,
and the stories of Elves and magic creatures living in the hinterlands have
their roots in much older German and Scandinavian traditions. But ultimately
nothing interesting is done with this. We never know why the Elves make toys,
since Elves have no children of their own who would need toys. We never know
who this Ancient Elf character is, and why he was expecting Santa Claus. For
that matter we never really know why the Elves needed a Santa Claus at all,
since they seem perfectly capable of traveling to the human world on their own.
It feels as though there should be more to the story than we see, and itÕs
disappointing to not see it.
But all in all, Santa Claus: The Movie is a film that has its
heart in the right place, and this time of year, that is what you want. The
fact that it was produced by Alexander and Ilya Salkind, the ones behind the
original Superman motion picture, lends a certain sense of sincerity. ThereÕs
that feeling of anticipation that the Salkinds did so well, of that longing to
see things on screen that weÕve only ever read about or seen in comic books.
Santa ClausÕs first Christmas Eve ride is a framed as a moment of utter
triumph, almost as much as watching Superman take to the air for the first
time. There is a sincere attempt to give this figure of legend a film treatment
that was as fine as possible, that would hit every note a fan of the character
would want to see on film. And for the most part, Santa Claus: The Movie succeeds.
And thatÕs all I need this time of year. Happy
Holidays, all.
Things To Look For:
- One interesting,
understated touch that Santa Claus: The Movie introduces is how
Santa Claus is seen by the world in general. This seems to be a world where,
not only does Santa Claus exist, but it seems to be common knowledge that he
DOES exist. Children and adults alike talk about Santa Claus as if heÕs a real
personÉand interestingly enough, as if heÕs just another toymaker competing in
the toy market. ItÕs almost as if they consider Santa a sort of boutique
toymaker, churning out fine hand-crafted toys to his younger clientele. And of
course there is the obligatory philosophical debate between quality handmade
products versus mass-produced ones (interestingly enough, the Elves DO appear
to be have a Union; note that they donÕt do a lick of work until that morning
bell rings). Only in this case, the message isnÕt so annoyingly preachy because
of the attention paid to the toys the Elves made. Those hand-made wooden craft
toys are old-fashioned, but they are incredibly COOL. I would have loved to have
one of those wooden big wheels as a kid. Which makes the scene showing PatchÕs
toys falling apart – including one little boy whose little red wagon
loses its handle and rolls into oncoming traffic – all the more
heartbreaking. Oh why, Santa? Why?
- Speaking of the real
world, there is an interesting moment in the movie once Patch leaves, and Santa
laments what will happen to an Elf in the human world. The Elves naively
presume that the human world is not so bad; after all, they send such nice
letters. ItÕs a poignant moment, and perhaps one that doesnÕt occur to many
filmmakers doing holiday movies: as the one who goes out once a year, Santa
Claus is really the only one from the North Pole who has any sense of what the
modern world is like. Everyone else just presumes itÕs full of good little
children. ItÕs a little moment that could have been overlooked, but itÕs nice
to have there. AlthoughÉit does seem like the Elves do have television up
there, soÉ
- One of the casualties
of the unexplored depths of the story is no clear rules as to how the ElvesÕ
magic works. We see Santa teleporting up and down chimneys, which makes sense.
But then we see Patch teleport right onto a New York City street. Now how does
that work? Where did he teleport from? If he could have teleported right from
the North Pole, why does Santa Claus need a sleigh to transport his toys? For
that matter, again, why do the Elves even need Santa Claus if they can teleport
to the human world at will? And if Patch wasnÕt able to teleport all the way
from the North Pole, where was he coming from? Did he hitchhike from the North
Pole, I wonder? And did he run into Clark Kent hitchhiking the other wayÉ?
- On a personal note,
actress Carrie Kei Heim apparently got out of show business, went to law
school, and is now a practicing attorney in Boston. In all my professional
sojourns, working for accounting and legal firms throughout this fair city, IÕm
fairly certain I must have met her somewhere. What a small world it isÉ
Written words (c) 2009-2010 Tim o'Brien. Not to be used without
permission. Other content, including images, is intended as a Fair Use pursuant
to 17 U.S.C. sec. 107.
Date Posted: December 20, 2009
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