One Magic Christmas Reviews

"Well, my job is to, every Christmas, have to help one person that's feeling down to get into the Christmas spirit."

The combination of Disney and Christmas movies is not often a promising proposition, infamously leading to stinkers like the Santa Clause sequels, Santa Buddies, The Search for Santa Paws, and a number of others. But 1985's One Magic Christmas is one Disney Christmas flick that does work, as it's sold with enough sincerity and skill to make it work despite the heavy schmaltz on display. Whereas most other yuletide offerings from the House of Mouse are all about cheap laughs, One Magic Christmas is more of a drama that's willing to venture into dark territory. It may not be entirely suitable for young tots due to its hefty thematic undercurrents, but it's a decent sit nevertheless.

A Scrooge figure who's grown cynical about the Christmas season, Ginny (Mary Steenburgen) is in a tough bind, working a thankless job at a grocery store while her husband Jack (Gary Basaraba) is desperately seeking employment. Due to financial struggles, the family are forced to move out of their home, a situation that's taking its toll on young Abbie (Elisabeth Harnois) and her brother Caleb (Arthur Hill). Enter a Christmas angel named Gideon (Harry Dean Stanton), who's given the task of reinstating Ginny's Christmas spirit and showing her how wonderful life can be. It's a tough task, leading Gideon to first show Ginny the bleak, dark side of the world. Gideon also turns to young Abbie for help, solidifying the young girl's faith in the festive season.

Written by Thomas Meehan, One Magic Christmas is more or less a remake of Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life (with shades of A Christmas Carol), as it follows a similar structure and concerns an angel trying to lighten the spirits of a despondent soul. Accordingly, the troubles of Ginny's life are handled in a realistic fashion, which caused most critics to pan the picture for being depressing. Indeed, for a Disney movie, it ladles on the dark stuff, with themes involving unemployment and familial tragedies, but it is laudable for a family film to not sugar-coat this material. It's not nearly as skilful as It's a Wonderful Life by a considerable margin, but it still works well enough on its own terms. Although the payoff at the end is schmaltzy and shamelessly manipulative, it is satisfying after the misfortunes that befell Ginny over the past hour of screen-time, and the flick manages to be uplifting due to this.

Visually, we authentically experience the Christmas season throughout the film. Thanks to decent production values, you feel as if you're on snow-covered streets in the middle of winter, and there's a great scene towards the picture's conclusion in which Abbie receives a tour of Santa's workshop. Another strong suit is the performances, which are terrific right down the line. Most notable is the adorable little Elisabeth Harnois, who exhibits wonderful acting chops despite being 5 or 6 years old at the time of filming. The always reliable Mary Steenburgen is predictably great as well, wholly convincing in her transformation from exhausted mother to enlightened soul. It's indeed refreshing to see such nuanced work in a Disney film. Rounding out the main players is underrated character actor Harry Dean Stanton, who manages to be both mysterious and comforting as Gideon the angel.

There's a good chance that you've never seen or even heard of One Magic Christmas. When it hit cinemas back in 1985, it was lost in the shuffle of Rocky IV and even Santa Claus: The Movie, as it did not have the star power or critical acclaim to give it a major box office boost, leading it to fade into obscurity. It's not even screened on television during Christmastime much, either. But it would be a shame to continue missing out on this compelling yuletide-themed drama, which is better than anyone had a right to expect. It works, and it may become an annual staple for some families.

6.7/10