The Homecoming: A Christmas Story (1971) (TV)

Director:

Fielder Cook

Writers:

Earl Hamner Jr. (novel)
Earl Hamner Jr. (screenplay)

Release Date:

19 December 1971 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Story of the events that happened on Christmas Eve, 1933, to one rural American family.

Plot Keywords:

Christmas | Family Saga | Great Depression | Mother Daughter Relationship | Alcoholism

Awards:

Won Golden Globe. Another 5 nominations

Cast

Patricia Neal	...	Olivia Walton
Richard Thomas	...	John-Boy Walton
Edgar Bergen	...	Grandpa Zebb Walton
Ellen Corby	...	Grandma Walton
Cleavon Little	...	Hawthorne Dooley
Dorothy Stickney	...	Emily Baldwin
Josephine Hutchinson	...	Mamie Baldwin
William Windom	...	Charlie Snead
Andrew Duggan	...	John Walton
Woodrow Parfrey	...	Ike Godsey
Judy Norton-Taylor	...	Mary Ellen Walton (as Judy Norton)
Mary Beth McDonough	...	Erin Walton
Kami Cotler	...	Elizabeth Walton
Eric Scott	...	Ben Walton
David W. Harper	...	Jim-Bob Walton

MPAA:

Rated PG for brief mild language.

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Bridger-Teton National Forest, Jackson, Wyoming, USA

Company:

Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)

Trivia:

Earl Hamner's two children Scott and Carrie are in the film as two of the children listening to the missionary lady. Carrie is the short-dark-haired girl in a home-made hat and Scott is the boy with paler hair, also in a hat.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When the children are unpacking the Christmas ornaments, Jim-Bob jostles Elizabeth's arm and the ornament shatters. Erin can be seen mouthing Elizabeth's line: "You bumped my arm!"

Quotes:

Charlie Sneed: Ike, the keys to my car are in my pocket right over here. Now you take them and drive that boy all over town.
Ike Godsey: Oh Charlie you know I can't do that until the law finishes his pool game.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Waltons: A Decade of the Waltons (1980) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Jingle Bells

My Christmas is complete!

I was so glad to see that this is out on DVD. It looks great, I'm glad Paramount spent some time restoring it to its present condition. This truly is a modern day classic. I was enthralled with this when it ran on television for the very first time, and its lost none of its appeal for me 34 years later. The entire story exudes reality for me and you actually care about this family. Patricia Neal is wonderful as Olivia. It's too bad she didn't go on to do the television show. She added a touch of reality but also she conveyed a true sense of having seen hardship in her own life that conveys to the screen. If you've never seen this movie, and you're longing for Christmases gone by, treat yourself and either rent or buy the DVD. This is a big step above "The Walton's."