The Man Who Saved Christmas (2002) (TV)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

Sturla Gunnarsson

Writers (WGA):

Joseph Maurer (teleplay) and
Debra Frank (teleplay) ...

Release Date:

15 December 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Family

Tagline:

He couldn't stop the war, but he wouldn't let the war stop Christmas.

Plot:

A.C. Gilbert figures out a way to keep Christmas alive after the war threatens to take it away in his name. |

Plot Keywords:

Christmas

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Jason Alexander	...	A.C. Gilbert
Kelly Rowan	...	Mary
Ari Cohen	...	Frank Gilbert
C. David Johnson	...	Sam Ryder
Jayne Eastwood	...	Mrs. Gilbert
Daniel Kash	...	Hiram Harris
Jake Brockman	...	Al Jr.
Kenneth Welsh	...	Newton Baker
Edward Asner	...	Charles Gilbert
David Talbot	...	Ben
Jonathan Higgins	...	Franklin Roosevelt
Brad Borbridge	...	Guard
Bill Lake	...	Secretary Daniels
François Klanfer	...	Secretary MacAdoo
Craig Gardner	...	Admiral

Runtime:

USA:100 min

Country:

USA | Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:G | USA:TV-PG

Filming Locations:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Alliance Atlantis Communications

Goofs:

Factual errors: Titles at the end of the film state that Erector Sets are known in the rest of the world as Meccano Sets, Meccano although very similar is in fact a different product from the UK that pre-dates Erector Sets by a decade. Errector Sets are now in fact made by Meccano.

Quotes:

Frank Gilbert: [after giving a Christmas gift to A.C. Gilbert] You don't know how hard it was finding you something you didn't invent!

a perfect holiday film

After his latest series bombed and he was reduced to doing Kentucky Fried Chicken commercials, Jason Alexander makes a refreshing return to TV in this true story based on the life of toy inventor A.C. Gilbert, who created the now-famous Erector Set. During World War I, Gilbert was persuaded to have his factory staff produce weapons and ammo for American troops fighting overseas instead of toys. The decision caused him to forget about the true meaning of the holidays and neglect his wife and son. With their persuasion, however, and his older brother missing in action in Europe, Gilbert and his staff decided to start marketing toys again and took their decision all the way to the Supreme Court.

Alexander gives a wonderful performance, and Ed Asner does a remarkable job playing Gilbert's father, who also tends to have a Scooge-like attitude during Christmas but is finally rejuvenated at the end of the movie, when his presumed-dead son returns home from Europe after the end of the war.