FLIGHT OF THE REINDEER

US, 2000, 90 minutes, Colour.
Richard Thomas, Beau Bridges, Maria Pitillo, Jan Rubes, John Franklin, Ken Pogue.
Directed by Ian Barry.

The Flight of the Reindeer (The Christmas Secret) is one of the many television films made about Christmas, Santa Claus, the North Pole, the delivery of gifts on Christmas Eve.

Richard Thomas is a scientist who studies flight in animals but had an experience as a child of being saved from falling from a tree by a flying reindeer. He is given a book by a student by a professor from the 19th century who had investigated flying reindeer. Tensions in his marriage and in his tenure at the university means that he flies to Alaska in pursuit of the flying reindeer – and finds them, as well as Santa Claus’s workshop.

Richard Thomas portrays his usual pleasant self. Beau Bridges is obviously enjoying himself as Saint Nick, Santa Claus (thinking that red does not really suit him). Jan Rubes is the scientist who finds himself a believer living in Santa’s village.

The film blends realism at home and at the university with the fantasy of life at Santa’s workshop – especially his two children who are thinking that they should send out violent video games in the stockings for Christmas, much to Nick’s disgust. There are touches of humour, many more touches of sentiment.

1.A popular story for Christmas audiences? Children? Adults?

2.The American setting, the city, the university, homes, shopping malls? The contrast with Alaska, the snow? Santa’s village – a blend of the old and the modern? The musical score?

3.The title, the emphasis on reindeer flying, the secret of Nick’s village and the elves making the Christmas gifts?

4.The opening, Jerry and his climbing the tree, putting the chick back in the nest, falling, saved by the reindeer? His belief in flying reindeer? The discovery of the book, the physics of the structure of the animal? His going in quest to find the flying reindeer, seeing one, crashing? Seeing the reindeer at Nick’s village? Flying, the end and his rescue?

5.Jerry as a professor, his lectures, his hoping for tenure? His publishing, investigations? The book about flying reindeer? The end and his achievement, the book, tenure, happy family?

6.The family side of the film, his love for his wife, his daughter? Their anxieties about his job, security? His absentmindedness, late for the Thanksgiving dinner, going to sleep? Debbie taking Grace to her mother’s? The visit to Santa Claus, Grace’s request to unite them as a family? Going home, the search for Jerry in Alaska? Debbie’s realisation that he had seen the flying reindeer, taking the plane for the rescue? Happily reunited?

7.Jerry and the crash, Morluv, the elves, the rescue? Nick’s village, the blend of the old, the modern, even to the multi-television screens? Nick and his character, genial, his wife? Their ages and that of their children? The forbidden area? The discussions about true believers? Jerry not as a true believer? The professor, their discussions, his wanting to stay, his daughter also in the town? The elves and their work? Nick’s children, wanting to go to distribute the gifts? The warnings of Nick’s wife? The various elves?

8.Jerry, trying any means to make contact to be rescued? The discussions with Nick? Believing, not believing? His going into the forbidden room, seeing his daughter’s Christmas wish? Nick allowing him to go in the sleigh, on the reindeer, the rescue planes and his falling? The rescue?

9.Themes of belief in Santa Claus? Believing from the heart? The sentiments for Christmas?