EVERY CHRISTMAS HAS A STORY
US, 2016, 82 minutes, Colour.
Lori Loughlin, Colin Ferguson, Willie Aames, Isabella Gianulli, Kevin O’ Grady, Bruce Harwood, Catherine Lough Haggquist.
Directed by Ron Oliver.
The American film and television industry have always liked making films about Christmas. A listing of all the films would be very, very long. Here is another variation.
The focus of attention is Kate, a television anchor who is very popular. After a Christmas program, the on-air button was accidentally bumped and she is recorded talking of her dislike of Christmas and accidentally knocking the guest into the Christmas tree. This is seen everywhere and the executive is not very happy – but gets the bright idea of sending Kate and her producer, Jack, with whom she was involved romantically in the past, to respond to the Mayor of North Dakota town, Hollyille, do a series of short pieces before Christmas to rehabilitate her.
The film is very predictable – but that is the whole point of this kind of storytelling. Kate discovers that what bonded the people in the town, apart from decorations, gifts, talk about the Christmas spirit, a huge tree in the centre of this town but that it is not been there for the last two years. Christmas is completely secular, nothing of the Christ story. The people are wary, especially the Mayor. However, Kate is investigative and discovers where the provider of the tree lives, goes to visit, hears the story of his wife’s death in a car accident, Kate changing his heart, he providing a tree. The Mayor’s tactics were to get Kate to investigate and restore the tree.
Kate is alienated from her father who left when she was a child but he comes back and, despite her severe reservations, she reconciles with him. And, she also reconciles with Jack, her producer whom she loved in the past.
1. A popular Christmas story? The spirit of Christmas trees, decorations, gifts? The secularised Christmas – no reference to the Christ story?
2. The world of the media, popular television, morning shows, hosts and producers, guests?
3. The Los Angeles setting for the television world? Studios, offices, corridors? The contrast with the North Dakota town, the single cameraman, improvising?
4. Kate, her success as a host, her relationship with Jack, the past, love, the years, going in different directions, losing touch? Working with each other professionally, her hesitations, his still loving her? The work together, the Christmas show, the guest and all his decorations, accidentally on air, her voicing her dislike of Christmas, the accident and his falling against the Christmas tree, everybody watching? Lauren, the boss, the meetings, the reprimands, the idea of sending Kate and Jack to Hollyville, to change her image?
5. Kate, the background of her father, his walking out, the gift of the doll which never came, her wanting his loving embrace, his writing letters, her ignoring them? Her jaundiced iew Christmas coming from this?
6. Hollyville, the mayor and his TV message, welcoming Kate and Jack? Doug, the car, the weather and the cold? The accommodation, Mia and her welcome, studying to be a journalist?
7. The small town, the Christmas spirit, very few in the restaurant, the various interviews, everybody referring to the tree, the fact that for two years it had not come? Kate and her curiosity, Jack resisting? The advice to go to the bookseller, her explaining history of the town, its foundation, the Christmas spirit, everybody gathering at the tree?
8. The caution of the mayor, his interview and not wanting to speak – and the irony that this is all a setup to get Kate to go to Vernon Hollis and to change his mind? The sheriff and his visits?
9. Doug and his work, advice?
10. The interview at the office, the documents in the office, Kate getting the information and the address? Persuading Jack to drive with her? The breakdown, finding the house, entering, Vernon Hollis and suspicions, his welcome, the telling the story, his explaining his wife’s accident, his grief? Restarting the car, Kate urging him to think what his wife might have liked about the tree?
11. Lauren, demanding, the kind of Oprah Winfrey style? Mia, her helping with the investigation, Los Angeles wanting live interview, Kate and Jack missing, Mia doing the interview, their turning up, the ratings?
12. Kate and her father, his coming to see her, his explanation, the resistance? Discussing the situation with Jack?
13. Vernon Hollis, bringing the tree? The live show, the crowds, the tree, everybody happy? Jack arriving dressed as Santa’s helper with gifts? Her father a Santa Claus? The reconciliation?
14. The predictability of what happened – but that being the whole point of this kind of story
