Start your review of It Happened One Christmas (Hamilton Sisters, #3) Write a review. I've been looking for a copy of this movie, Remake with reversed lead roles is just fair. Marlo Thomas was great in this film. She marries George Hatch, where Stewart's Bailey married Mary Hatch. I am not a chauvinist so having a woman play the part that may have been meant for a male did not bother me. There were other movies that were just as important to us, the old standards, but this was especially one I made sure to watch. Reviewed in the United States on November 27, 2018. Funny how what is one of many jobs in a performer's career that he/she can easily not remember doing without some thought, that that person's particular performance can have an impact on a child that can still affect that child into middle age as it has for me. With Marlo Thomas, Orson Welles, Wayne Rogers, Cloris Leachman. You can watch it alone or with your family. Clearly, I had made a mistake. Pure magic. I watched with a positive outlook but all through it I kept seeing a not so positive remake of Its a Wonderful Life. Helpful. I give this movie a perfect 5 stars. Message to Marlo, The Producer, Universal, whomever has the rights to get this back on -- loved it -- on a scale of 1 to 5, a 6..lol. It has remained in my heart all these years. Not being a fan of "It's a Wonderful Life" may have made it easier for me to find "It Happened One Christmas" a refreshing change. And while MT's at it, she waters down the religious aspect until nothing's left but flavorless gruel (perhaps this was underwritten by the ACLU). Be very afraid. 5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book. :). IT HAPPENED ONE Christmas; "It" being well intentioned, well made example of LEGALIZED Plagiarism, plain and simple! It Happened One Christmas Eve Audience Reviews. What's sickeningly sweet about a man who is on the verge of suicide because of the threat of prison, bankruptcy..? Susyque. Sure it's basically a remake of It's a Wonderful Life, but I like it so much more. Even being a fan of both Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed could not keep me loyal to the original. One reason is that it is impossible to improve on the original; after all, what could they POSSIBLY do to make it better? I thought that Orson Welles as Mr Potter and Cloris Leachman as Clara the Angel did a fine job as well. And places where it does differentiate make the insistence on hewing so closely to the original plot points problematic. Oscars Best Picture Winners Best Picture Winners Golden Globes Emmys San Diego Comic-Con New York Comic Con Sundance Film Festival Toronto Int'l Film Festival Awards Central Festival Central All Events We've been coming to WBT for years and the shows keep getting better and better (if that's possible!)! I don't think because it was in color made a difference because I grew up on Black & White. If you're a Prime member, it won't cost you any extra cash after all! During this time of year (December) we are treated to at least 6 o 8 different versions of Charles Dickens' A Christmas CAROL. Kaitlin O’Riley. It's A Wonderful Movie...and even better than the original! Love this movie. Find trailers, reviews, synopsis, awards and cast information for It Happened One Christmas (1977) - Donald Wrye on AllMovie - Marlo Thomas' first mistake was optioning the… Author Carla Kelly, Georgie Lee, Ann Lethbridge Brand Harlequin Historical Not so well made remake of Its a Wonderful Life. Awards It Happened One Christmas. But it took Marlo Thomas to turn one of the most beloved films of all time and into something that smells worse than all the other remakes put together. Reviewed in the United States on January 16, 2019. I saw this movie (on television) when I was a teenager, and I never forgot it. I think this film appeals to those middle aged peeps like me that remember seeing it on teevee as a kid. Yes it’s a flipped version of the beloved, “ It’s A Wonderful Life” but in my opinion it is a better version. Make no mistake: Marlo Thomas is still a most attractive woman; but 35 years ago, she was just the right age for the role of Mary Bailey Hatch. 3 people found this helpful. Later when I did see "It's a Wonderful Life," I immediately connected the story to that of "It Happened One Christmas," and thought it was scandalous how the original had been ripped off, and how geeky it was by comparison to the classic it had been "appropriated" from. And yes, that's what Christmas is all about. Sure, they remade King Kong and it stank (except for John Barry and Rick Baker's work). But, with one twist. I just like It Happened One Christmas better. Probably more damaging than anything else in 1977 was the fact that "That Girl" was only six years off of network, and likely in wide syndication, leaving Marlo typecast as the ditzy "Ann Marie," a character far removed from the young businesswoman in "It Happened One Christmas." I would gladly show this to my family and have asked TCM to dig up a copy this Christmas so they can see it. I hadn't seen Marlo Thomas since the original airing of "That Girl" in the '60s. Really, I can't say enough bad things about this celluoid stain. Read honest and unbiased product reviews from our users. I enjoyed this movie so much that it should not have Happened only One Christmas. It Happened One Christmas. On Sale: Oct 01, 2015. I also had this movie air when I was in my teens. Our characters had faith and they trusted in each other. It touched my heart and got into my soul. Thank you Amazon so very much!! Surely the worst, most audacious remake of all time! It's been hidden away for too long . "It Happened One Christmas" is very exact in copying the original film, "It's a Wonderful Life" of 1946. This was and is a wonderful picture. I only wish there was a way of purchasing this film since it not on video. Dec 18, 2011 Beverly Diehl rated it really liked it. REVIEW THIS ITEM Buy Online > Rated #82 in Movies. Reviewed in the United States on November 30, 2018. Add another one to the "what the hell were they thinking?" Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 28, 2016. But I couldn't look away. I watch my copy every Christmas and enjoy it more each year. it's like a classic teevee time machine, which makes it even better. As is, it hews so closely to the original plot that it constantly invites comparisons to the much superior original. I loved that it was in color. When you put in the true acting chops of Marlo Thomas you have 75% of a miraculous film already. It's a wonderful life might as well been the remake of this. I saw "It Happened One Christmas" in about 1978, I think on Christmas Eve, while sitting alone waiting for my wife to get off work and join me for the holiday. This was the first version I saw of this story back in the 70's as well, but I got to see the classic Jimmy Stewart version in the 80's and THAT is the ultimate version. But there are other problems. It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness. I accidentally caught "It Happened One Christmas" on television a few years back. Buy This Book. Verified Purchase. | An interesting plot point develops as a result of the gender switch when the characters reach WWII. It is certainly lovingly produced, and well cast...aside from the misbegotten lead and some terrifying scenery-chewing by Cloris Leachman. A despondent and suicidal Mary Bailey Hatch is praying for guidance on what to do about an incident no fault of her own which threatens her name and the community standing of her longtime family business, the Bailey … Read honest and unbiased product reviews … So even tho there are good actors and its competent enough, it feels like a slog. ;o If you don't like seeing classics remade or messed around with, stay away, but if you're even the least bit curious, give it a watch! It's Christmas Eve 1944 in the small town of Bedford Falls, New York. I have been looking for a copy of this movie for many years - happy to have found it here. We are not all going to be moved by the same movie.This movie did it for me. scroll down until you find the title of the movie,It Happened One Christmas. Some movies do that to you and this one did it for me. I remember watching it when it first aired on ABC in 1977. Directed by Donald Wrye. From other countries. This movie could have easily been set today with its scenes of homelessness and substance abuse (alcohol in this movie) when some of the characters ended up down on their luck and hopeless in the alternate universe scenes with Mary never having been born. It was wierdly fun to see her on something, and I had never seen nor heard of Capra's "It's a Wonderful Life." Takes me back to when I watched it on TV years ago. Recommended 100%. FAQ What's more sentimental than "A Christmas Carol," yet its message is still timeless. ... Goodreads Ratings and Reviews. For those looking to do one film a night, 50 is a little much. Reviews 2. It Happened One Christmas Eve December 10, 2019 10:53 am by Jim Scova “It Happened One Christmas Eve” is the heart-warming story, about an infant left on the doorstep of an old brownstone rooming-house in Brooklyn on Christmas Eve, and the magic she brings to the lives of those who find her. Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for It Happened One Christmas (The St James Affair; A Catered Affair and The Philadelphia Affair) at Amazon.com. I never forgot it. I was 11 when it came out and looked for it on television every year since. list. Firstly, to describe Marlo Thomas as more animated than Jimmy Stewart is fantasy of the highest order. And, there was yet another plus in seeing such up-and-coming stars as Doris Roberts and Christopher Guest in one of their earlier roles). It almost feels like the movie is just moving from plot point to plot point, making necessary updates based on the gender switch, but that's about it. I totally disagree. Nevertheless, a reasonably gifted actress might have been able to convey some of the raw emotion evident - to most people - in Jimmy Stewart's portrayal. Perhaps that was one of the reasons why Marlo took the part. Yes, it's schmaltzy. I saw this movie when I was 15 years old. No humor? A young boy embarks on a holiday adventure with his estranged father in this poignant family drama starring Henry Winkler, Katherine Hepburn, and Swoosie Kurtz. Yes, it's corny. I’m close to 70 years, so where have I been not to know about it. As George (Wayne Rogers) was not involved in the childhood rescue of Harry Bailey, and therefore did not lose his hearing in one ear, the character does go off to war, which leaves Mary a single mother for three years, an added stressor that compounds her desperation. Alas, Marlo Thomas is so bad that she reminds me of the inadequacies of the worst of Demi Moore. We have amazon prime and today is the first time I’ve ever seen this or even heard about it. is the perfect Christmas show for the entire family. | This is my new favorite Christmas movie. I love, love, loved this movie.. just one question --were did it go, it fell off the face of the earth, I think it came out again maybe 2 years after, then gone for good. IT HAPPENED ONE CHRISTMA, a delightful romantic mystery, brings the true spirit of Christmas back into your heart." When Mary decides she truly wants to live the true joy that comes from Marlo jumps off the screen and into your heart. I don't know if it was because of the time in my life but this movie was so special in my heart. Start your review of It Happened One Christmas Eve. I was going through a hard time in my life at the time and it gave me hope.It also made me realize that perhaps our lives are not only for ourselves but for others as well. Physical abuse between George and Mary was not in the original movie not something Jimmy Stewart would have acted out. Go to www.myhouseoffilms.net/TVHOMEPAGE click on holiday movies. 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