One Christmas (1994)

Some of Truman Capote's childhood memories are the basis for One Christmas in which a film legend took her final curtain call.Young T.J. Lowther all of 10 years old has been living in the custody of his aunt Julie Harris in rural Alabama. Harris is a kind and loving, but way too overprotective of the lad. But one holiday season during the Great Depression the boy gets a chance to spend some time with his father Henry Winkler. Winkler is a self described promoter and entrepreneur, but is actually just a conman who lives high on the hog on other people's money. That's a profession that had even less respectability during the Depression. He's busy trying to promote an air race, and not an honest one.The boy's very naiveté has an effect on Winkler and all around him, including the women and its women he usually is trying to fleece. He goes after them young and old with the vigor and zest of Zero Mostel as Max Bialystock from The Producers. One of them is Swoosie Kurtz who falls for Winkler and even her formidable dowager aunt Katharine Hepburn is affected by him.Winkler and Kurtz are the stars, but as befitting a film legend, first billing goes to Katharine Hepburn. We barely see any of Hepburn in the first 2/3 of the movie. It's only in the last third when she nearly runs a runaway Lowther down and brings him to her home to explain some of the facts of life to him. No, not those facts of life. Poor Kate was really showing the tremors of Parkinson's Disease, but trooper that she was made it through the film. It was a nice farewell performance.I wonder what memories young Mr. Lowther now approaching 30 has of working with two acting legends, Katharine Hepburn and Julie Harris. One Christmas isn't all warm and fuzzy like Miracle On 34th Street or A Wonderful Life. Still it's a more realistic type of coming of age at Christmas story in which the whole cast acquits themselves well.

I'm not sure how some others arrived at a negative conclusion after seeing this movie. I checked it out from the library,having found out it was the last thing Hepburn ever did on film. Hepburn is basically by this time playing herself (and except for her most extreme movie roles) I think she always had to some extent.Her charm in the movie is simple and easy. Hers is really not the main role in the movie,that would be Buddy and his father. (Played by my favorite actor Henry Winkler.) While his character is obviously not aware that his best efforts in being Buddy's dad are only hurting him more,he is really just a man trying to re-connect with his boy.Buddy is not a brat but a child filled with hurt and confusion. (With a dad like he has,that is crooked and an embarrassment before the town it's no wonder! ...but all becomes rectified by the end I wont say how). It is after all,a holiday film. One watch is all it took to make me want to see it again....at Christmas.(Interesting to note: Kate's first movie "A Bill Of Divorcement" & last movie "One Christmas" both take place at Christmas.

I can't really enjoy a film if I do not care for the main character. This one is a bratty little kid named Buddy who gets sent to live with his father during the Depression-era Christmas season. Buddy had previously been living with some older-by-about-60-years cousin(the only character I kind of liked) due to the fact that his father is basically a scheming criminal. The father(Henry Winkler) pretends to be some great success for Buddy, but Buddy doesn't really buy it and neither does the rest of the town, which looks down on the dad. Although the father makes an enormous effort with Buddy, Buddy the monster never really accepts his father or his new living situation. This means Buddy yells, complains and has outbursts similar to annoying Kevin Arnold's at the end of a Wonder Years episode. Instead of people yelling at Buddy and teaching him to appreciate his life, constant praise is heaped upon him and it is clear that Buddy is supposed to be some wonderful, charming child. I didn't buy it and did not appreciate being subjected to the little brat! (for the record, the rest of the film is disinteresting, slow-moving and not worth investing one's time in)

This is such a cute film! It's a great Christmas movie and really cheer you up! I was surprised at Winkler's performance actually! I also was surprised that Hepburn only had 3 or 4 scenes, what she did have was adorable! She was practically just playing herself! Great, cute, family film!