The Angel Doll (2002)
The story of two small town boys from different sides of the tracks: 1950's childhood and self-redemption. Young "Whitey" Black (so called because of a tuft of blanched hair on the left side of his head) lives in poverty with his single mother and ailing, four-year old sister, Sandy. Just across town, young Jerry Barlow lives the advantages of a middle class lifestyle with both parents and his younger brother. When mischief casts Whitey and Jerry into a shared paper route, Jerry quickly learns of Whitey's desire to buy his sister an angel doll for Christmas. Even though no such dolls exist in their hometown, Whitey, Jerry and a host of colorful characters set out in search of Sandy's gift. Along the way, reversals of fortune, theft, prejudice and, ultimately, the boy's friendship opens their eyes to the vastness of the small town around them.
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This movie feels so real--like situations that happen to people in real life. Cody Newton carries the movie, and Michael Welch was really good as well.The Angel Doll is set in North Carolina in the 1950s, and it is a tale of friendship between two boys and their world around them. The challenges they face and life lessons they learn amidst the fear and panic of a polio outbreak, shape who they are and who they become. Particularly heartwarming is Whitey's (played by Newton) determination to buy an angel doll for his sick sister who loves anything that has to do with angels. I definitely recommend this movie--the actors were very good. This is a great Christmas movie.
An interesting choice for a Christmas movie, but one that gives a little different message than others. It starts out as a buddy film set in the '50's, and it will be a nice trip down nostalgia lane for older baby boomers. The plot thickens to more of a crisis, as one of the boy's sister is sick from polio and fading fast, and the boy wants to make her Christmas special.The girl loves angels and the book "The Angel Doll", so he struggles to find (and afford) an angel doll for her. The message at the end of the book has a small angel asking the question: what can I give to the Christ child? It's something that all Christians should ask themselves each year during the holidays, and not just thinking about buying gifts and making out our own lists. There's also a strong underlying current on the importance of family ties in the film.While there may not necessarily be a "Hollywood" happy ending to this film, it's a well-told tale about a chapter in a boy's life. Be sure to see the extra clip on the DVD.
This movie brings back some of the old feel for Christmas movies and is a must see for people who remember what Christmas is really all about. Although it has some interesting plot problems, it definitely brings out the Christmas Spirit.
I was lucky that I had sister who read the book and bought the Video when if came out at Barnes Nobles. This movie never received any publicity that I'm aware of. I know it's based on a true story about a boy growing up in a small town near me. It's amazing how even living 15 miles away, I never heard of the movie. Anyway to get back to the movie, the only thing I saw wrong was some of piano music in the beginning was a little bit hokey. The movie will remind you a lot of "Stand by Me". The actors, who for the most part are little know, deliver great performances. This is low budget film like "Breaking Away was". It will steal your heart and give older parents fond Christmas memories. The movie leaves you to wonder what happened to the little boy named "Whitey".