A CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER
US, 1978, 100 minutes, Colour.
Eva Marie Saint, Jason Robards, Joanne Woodward.
Directed by George Englund.
The folksy American family in the Depression. It is a reminiscence by an older man about a period in his life when he was a boy on a farm with his grandparents. The film explores the relationship between the three persons – with some popular grief about a dead son and his need for some kind of release by his father. The film was based on a story, The Melodeon by Glendon Swarthout,, author of Bless the Beasts and Children, They Came to Cordura and The Shootist. The screen play was written by Stewart Stern, writer of such Joanne Woodward vehicles as Rachel, Rachel, Summer Wishes Winter Dreams and Sybil. Jason Robards is strongly effective as the toothless grandfather, Eva Marie Saint is strong as the grandmother and there is a cameo performance by Joanne Woodward as the young boy's mother. Entertaining, particularly American in tone and treatment.
1. The appeal and interest of the film? A Christmas story, family story, folksy story, memories?
2. The impact of the film as a telemovie in terms of content, themes for the home audience? Emotional response?
3. The Minnesota setting – farms, the people, trucks, the children and the music playing, the crowds? Russell and his memories, his marriage? The impact of the past on the present?
4. The initial impact of Russell's memories? The personality of his mother, his bond with her, the experience of the Depression, lack of money, scavenging for food, his having to be a man and go to his grandparents’ farm? His love for his mother? The temporary going to the farm?
5. The portrait of his grandparents - in Minnesota of the 30s, the background of the Depression, farming, livelihood? Their personalities, manner, age? Daniel wanting to give the impression they were not hicks? The bonds between husband and wife? Their manner? Danny and his place in the memory of his father?
6. Daniel and his idealising his son? His hard attitude towards Russell and any other intruder? How did this govern his treatment of Russell in detail? The work, the meals, chasing him with the tractor, hard manner of speaking?
7. The contract with Emma and her welcoming Russell? Kissing him to break the tension? Her concern, cherishing him? His love for her and feeling that he hurt her when he ran away? The importance of the clash with Daniel, urging him to face the truth about his son, the effect that this had on him in his speaking out the truth and her response to this?
8. Russell's experience on the farm, the hard work, the milking of the cow, his hands, the dirt? His not feeling that he was a farmer? The short sequence of his getting on the car to school? The friendship with the girls? His experience of Danny in his room, the photo, the writing of his name in the Bible, his sense of presence, of Daniel, telling, the bond with Danny? As almost part of himself that he had to cope with? His seeking him out in the barn and Daniel's vicious attack on him? His decision to run away - warming himself with the papers at the station?
9. The confrontation of the two at the station? two stubborn and proud people? Daniel's breaking the ice and Russell's return? The important sequence of Daniel telling the truth about his son, the importance of the detail of the story, the fact that he told it to Russell and to Russell’s listening? The possibility of breaking from the bind of the past and unreality?
10. The sequence of getting drunk and the way that this was handled? the explanation of the phases, Russell watching over her? Her attitude towards the melodeon and its symbolising Daniel, attitude towards it as reminding him of the coffin, the importance of giving it to the church? The importance of loading it during the night, the difficulties of the journey through the snow, Daniel’s collapse, the young girl’s helping Russell? The vision of Danny in the church and his commission to Russell, the bond of affection between the two? Russell's determination?
11. The Christmas to remember, the going to church, the applause, the welcome of the minister, the singing? Russell and his speech and the people laughing, Daniel and his asserting the bond with his grandson? The invitation to play? Daniel’s appearance and kissing his father? How was he liberated ? from the kind of purgatorial experience he had? What happened to Daniel? He slumped - did he die? The achievement of Russell for his grandparents?
12. A popular film for the understanding of people, the Depression, human relationships, hard work, farm life, love and hatred? Young Danny and his escape from this, Russell as re-living it? Families and the bonds that these have, and the blindness? Suffering and love? The strange experiences of bonds with people who are family and who have died?
