The Gift of Love: A Christmas Story

It seems that i recent decades Christmas films are usually very light fare. If not out and out comedies like Elf, they're one of the numerous Rom-com Christmas films. So this film from the early 80's stood out immediately to me for its serious issues despite a fair amount of comic moments thrown in. The Broderick family is suddenly hit with a storm of crises from financial woes and a couple who have grown distant to a death in the family. All of this is presented not as a soap opera or tearjerker but in a more matter-of fact way as life events that can happen to any family. The story is announced in the beginning as a fable, which is defined as something we know in our hearts to be true. It also means that much of it might not exactly correspond with everyday reality, that times and places may jump back and forth and that there may be dreamlike elements as well.The cast obviously is excellent. Lee Remick as Janet Broderick is totally believable as the caring but overwhelmed mother who is the central character of the film. I was concerned at first that Angela Lansbury's role would be brief and that she was only there as window-dressing but in fact she's almost as important a character as Amanda Fenwick as Remick is as her daughter. Polly Holiday is the spinster aunt and is as good in the role as Sara Haden had been as Aunt Millie in the Andy Hardy films. Both played these roles not as a caricature but in a sensitive way that reveals them as full human beings. Holiday and Lansbury both received Emmy nominations for their performances. The supporting cast is up to their roles, even the two children.The film was made in 1983 and was set in that time period but there's nothing of the 80's in it: no MTV, no Michael Jackson or Eurythmics. In fact the way it unfolds it seems to be in its own world of a vaguely contemporary time any time that could be virtually any period in the last fifty or sixty years. In fact when Aunt Min and the kids are sent to the local store for ingredients for Amanda's burnt orange cake, the store is right out of the 1940's, the kind of store where you tell the clerks at the counter what you want and they go and get it. In the 1980's I'm sure even small Vermont towns had their supermarkets but that's part of the mystery here, how eras seem to be blended. The primary Vermont setting is perfect for a Christmas movie with its picture perfect village green covered with snow and centered with a New England white -spired church (Chelsea, Vermont, which I think i've seen used in other films).As the film progresses, Janet has to reach deep within herself to find the faith and strength to carry on and begin to put things back together again. Hers is a deeper truth than the usual Christmas film's urging to be nicer and more giving. But that's what sets this film apart along with its generally darker tone.

Beware: do NOT confuse this stunning Lee Remick, Angela Lansbury, Polly Holliday classic with later movie of same name on Amazon instant video and DVD with Timothy Bottoms. This Gift of Love: A Christmas Story DVD has a photo of horse and SLEIGH on the cover.Snowy Vermont village square welcomes home Janet (Lee Remick) a woman who has lost her sense of self. Her marriage to Neil (Mark Hulswit) is floundering, her 13 year old tomboy daughter Dorothy (Samantha Atkins) is constantly coming home with black eyes, her gifted 8 year old son Michael (Michael Pearlman) provokes local bullies with taunts of "dummy" with predictable results, and suddenly her mother dies. Slipping into a deep depression, she falls into a dream of returning home to her parents Amanda (Angela Lansbury) and Spence "my Old Citizen" (Joseph Warren) long married farmers who raise their own geese for Christmas and who have created a Secret Place sanctuary for their marriage when the world seems too much to handle. Unmarried Aunt Minerva (Polly Holliday) resides at the farm with Janet's parents. Hanibal (Michael Higgins) runs the local one room general store, his grandson Russell (Alexander Harrington) is residing with him and his wife Abigail (Janet Peterson) since his parents divorced and neither wants him.As in It's A Wonderful Life and in A Gift of Love Janet loses everything meaningful to her, experiences despair, falls into a dream, and on returning to the present, approaches life with a renewed attitude of gratitude , [ASIN:B00004UEDQ 28 Days (Special Edition)] Sandra Bullock, [ASIN:6305692572 When a Man Loves a Woman] Meg Ryan, Andy Garcia.1983 VHS provides subtitles for the hearing impaired using the television hand control Menu, Option, Captions, On.2013 DVD sold on Amazon low quality video and sound copy of tape to disc, with NO SUBTITLES but better than not having the movie.96 minute complex story is easy to follow, heartwarming and hope filled. There are multiple plot lines: mother daughter conflict and reconnection with empathy, seeking motherly wisdom, marital scission and reconciliation , the sanctuary of family home, loss from death , , lingering impact of divorce on children , moral expression of dignified unconsummated love , [ASIN:0800141849 The Mirror Has Two Faces] Barbra Streisand, , feeling of failure in parenting , [ASIN:B000MRNWK6 Parenthood (Special Edition)] Steve Martin, adolescent bullying [ASIN:6305428271 Dangerous Minds] Michelle Pfeiffer, and the healing effect of mental reflection and reconsideration of approach to living .The emphasis is on personal responsibility for choosing one's attitude toward life: blaming or nonjudging, impulsivity or patience, self pity or compassion, resentment or acceptance, rumination over what was or gratitude for what is, obsession with revenge or apology forgiveness making amends and letting go.5 star inspiration worthy of viewing any time life is difficult and demanding. [ASIN:0143118757 Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In]

A wonderful Christmas story in a fable format. At one time or another in our lives many of us pause to reflect on our decisions made or not made. These especially seem to surface in the wake of tragedy or difficult circumstances beyond our control. In a nostalgic look back, Lee Remick's character travels back "home" during a long sleep brought on by a severe depression. Here she is safe to look over her life and revisit with her loved ones who have passed on. The scenes with Polly Holliday as her Aunt "Min" are especially touching (i.e. the visit from the "Christmas Ghost")... This is a wonderfully acted and extremely lovely presentation that is just the right length in viewing time as well as gets you right in the heart and though it is not specifically a "Christian" movie, it does give the message that "All things are possible with God..." My favorite scene is the one where Lee Remick's character Janet is listening to her Father Spence give a talk when she is just about to walk down the aisle---the words he says about a married couple and how he felt are just beautiful without being "schmaltzy"... All in all, I enjoy seeing this movie every year and am so glad it is legally available now from Amazon, since they seemed to have stopped showing it on tv anymore.... and it seemed to take quite a long time for them to come out with it! I am very glad with my purchase of this semisweet movie.

Interesting, but not my favourite Christmas movie..new or old...

One of my favourite movies from the 1980's. Finally I can retire the vhs tv recording. This is a great family Christmas movie with just a touch of humour and family dynamics to keep you watching. This movie will stay part of my Christmas collection for years to come.

If you want a good heartwarming Christmas movie then this is one for sure! We are going to watch this one every year, yes it is that good. An old fashioned style Christmas movie.

wonderful movie..will watch it other times than Christmas.

I have been looking for this movie for years and was glad to see it finally available. A great story to watch with family and children. I recommend :)