ONE MAGIC CHRISTMAS

US, 1985, 88 minutes, Colour.
Mary Steenburgen, Gary Basaraba, Harry Dean Stanton, Arthur Hill, Jan Rubes, Elias Koteas.
Directed by Philip Borsos.

One Magic Christmas is a appealing Christmas story, with serious undertones. With its main character and pessimistic view as well as a scenario of what might happen if tragedy occurred, the film is a variation on the themes of Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life. It also has a benign angel helping a family. The film is a Canadian production, with a Christmas setting. Mary Steenburgen is very good as the wife of a man out of work, working in a supermarket herself, harassed and not having anything of the Christmas spirit for her family, her children. Harry Dean Stanton is the most unlikely angel perhaps ever on screen. However, he gives some credibility to his role as a Christmas angel. The film is serious with a touch of realism as well as a complete fantasy for encouraging people for the Christmas spirit and hope. Direction is by Philip Borsos whose films range from the western legend, The Grey Fox, to the police thriller, The Mean Season.

1. An engaging Christmas film? Setting? Problems? The variation on its A Wonderful Life?

2. The Canadian setting, the town, snow at Christmas? unemployment? People moving out of houses? Supermarkets? The realistic aspects of the film?

3. The atmosphere of fantasy, the angel, his presence and disappearance? His working with the children? His own story? His being selected to be a guardian angel? The episode with Santa Claus, the little girl going to the North Pole? Genny and her encounter with Santa Claus? The story of Harry and his desperation, killing Genny's husband? The blend of the fantasy with the real? The significance of the title?

4. The angel, Gideon and his being chosen? His appearance, style, manner? The story of his trying to save the child and drowning and becoming a Christmas angel? His going to the town, watching over people, helping the children, searching out Genny? His chats with the little girl? His discussions with Genny? Taking the girl to see Santa Claus? Bringing back Genny's letter? The importance of the Harry story and the violence? Gideon being able to bring everything right? Genny and her husband, his being out of work, the company moving them from their home? The new residents coming in - and critical of Genny's colours in the house? Her work at the supermarket, exasperation with customers? Her compassion with the poor wife? Her clashes with the supermarket manager? The children arriving, her leaving defiantly and going to the bank? Her relationship with her husband, their love, his work with the bikes, his wanting to get the money, the scheme? Her going to the bank to stop him? The hold-up and her husband being killed? Her grief, the serious way in which she told the children what had happened? Her encounter with Harry at the service station?.

5. The encounter with Gideon? The change of scenario, her buying the machine from Harry? Her husband being alive? Her defying the supermarket manager - and his letting her have the time off? The gift for the poor woman? The happy reunion with the children? The encounter with Santa Claus and her reading her own letter from 1959? Her gaining the Christmas spirit?

6. Her husband, the good man, out of work, working with the bikes? His skills? His friend and their collaboration?

7. The children, love for their parents, the Christmas spirit? Writing letters to Santa Claus? Genny and her wanting to stop their belief in Santa Claus? Their love for their parents, writing the letters, slipping out to post them, the little girl meeting Gideon? The death of their father and their response? The little girl and her visit to Santa, his house, the making of the toys, her mother's letter? The joy of the happy Christmas?

8. The manager of the supermarket, supercilious, his workers, his change of heart?

9. The poor lady, unable to afford the goods, the humiliation of the coupons? Genny's compassion? The gift?

10. Harry, desperate, wanting something for his child? At the service station, trying to sell off the heater? Getting the gun, the bank hold-up, the note to the teller, shooting the husband? The escape, Genny's pursuit, the police chasing him? The kidnapping of her children? Their recovery? The alternate scenario with her helping him? Getting the money - and a-happy and peaceful Christmas?

11. A popular story, blending realism that audiences could identify with dreams of Christmas?