A String of Blue Beads (TV Movie 1953) Poster

(1953 TV Movie)

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8/10
When tragedy strikes, where will you turn?
mark.waltz5 April 2016
Warning: Spoilers
For young lovebirds Louis Jourdan and Ellen Cobb Hill, their Christmas Eve is blessed. But in a flash, things change, and people who were once kind and loving all of a sudden become bitter and cold. Jourdan is unable to face tragedy, and as his devoted shop assistant Margaret Hamilton points out, he begins to get old before his time. Thanks to the presence of a sweet little girl, Jourdan is forced to face life once again even if it means parting with the one physical memory he has of Cobb Hill.

Television in the 1950's was only meant to entertain, present a moral lesson, and reach out to those who need a boost in their morale. Jourdan gives a sweet, motivational performance as the lost shopkeeper who looses love yet finds his heart in the process. Ellen Cobb Hill would go on to play the young mother who died tragically in the very first episode of the daytime drama, "The Secret Storm", and faces a sad fate as well. Margaret Hamilton is a completely kind character here and presents the wisdom that Jourdan needs to hear. A fine supporting cast adds to the atmosphere. Early color TV presented here at its best, although many people most likely saw it on their old black and white set.
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6/10
A child shall lead him
bkoganbing21 November 2014
Warning: Spoilers
Louis Jourdan stars in this Christmas story about a small gift shop owner who has let the sudden death of Ellen Cobb his fiancé overwhelm him with grief.

When we meet them they're happy enough and Jourdan wants to save a string of blue beads as a Christmas present to her and won't sell them at any price. When she's killed by fire, Jourdan's grief takes over and now he hangs on to them as an obsession.

But a little girl who comes in and wants them for her big sister shows Jourdan that the spirit of giving is in the true meaning of Christmas.

This reminded me of a Perry Mason story where Raymond Burr excepted a shoebox with some loose change given to him by a little boy who wanted to hire him as an attorney as a retainer. Not quite pro bono, but the same spirit even if it isn't the Yuletide season.

Nice story for family viewing any time of the year.
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6/10
Pretty solid all along
Horst_In_Translation10 December 2017
Warning: Spoilers
"A String of Blue Beads" is a short-story based 27-minute live action short film from 1953, so this one will have its 65th anniversary next year. I must admit that I don't know any of the people who made this, but Golden Globe nominee Louis Jourdan is of course a familiar face. He was only in his early 30s here and this is from several decades before his somewhat career-defining Bond movie performance. And Margeret Hamilton (Wizard of Oz) is in it too, but just as supporting, and she was in her early 50s when this came out. It is a small screen production and deals with the subject of a grieving widower finding happiness again in his life. I must say it was not really as much of an emotional watch for me as I thought it could be and perhaps it is also slightly too long as a whole. But still it was okay overall, the story is fine and the actors are doing a good job too. I would not say that this is a Christmas film particularly, but opinions may differ on that one. The use of color, certainly not a given for the early 1950s, is much appreciated too. I think this was a decent little movie. Not a must-see by any means and as of now also pretty overrated here on IMDb, but worth checking out for sure. I give it a cautious thumbs-up.
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10/10
The Magic of Words,
latanalacks15 July 2017
In A STRING OF BLUE BEADS, Louis Jourdan plays a young antique dealer who throughout the piece, places an exorbitant price on a necklace, first because he wants to give it to his fiancée, then after her tragic death on Christmas, continues to do so to keep them as a treasured memento of her.

Three years later he ends up tracking down a little girl who wanted the beads as a present for her sister.

This is a well made program. It is heartfelt and makes you grateful for everything you have.

The Witch from the "Wizard of Oz" (Margaret Hamilton) is in this. This is the first time I have seen Margaret Hamilton outside of "The Wizard of Oz"
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10/10
Wow Nice
oscarstein-973149 July 2017
As a Jewish man I find it impossible to escape from all the Christmas movies. I am glad I can't because some of these films are very good. I like the films that are about having "Faith" and "Bringing Family Together".

This film is an old television show that my Grandson put on for us to watch. He loves the "Wizard Of Oz" and this special had that old witch herself Margaret Hamilton.

This very simple movie is how a string of blue beads change the lives of people that want them or possesses them.

Trust me it is very good!
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10/10
Nice Story
Christmas-Reviewer30 April 2017
BEWARE OF FALSE REVIEWS & REVIEWERS. SOME REVIEWERS HAVE ONLY ONE REVIEW TO THEIR NAME. NOW WHEN ITS A POSITIVE REVIEW THAT TELLS ME THEY WERE INVOLVED WITH THE MOVIE. IF ITS A NEGATIVE REVIEW THEN THEY MIGHT HAVE A GRUDGE AGAINST THE FILM . I HAVE REVIEWED OVER 200 HOLIDAY FILMS. I HAVE NO AGENDA.

In this film it is Christmas Eve. A shop keeper has a special necklace of beads. When a customer offer to buy them she bulks at the price. She decides to pass. The shop keeper in reality is giving the necklace to his beloved.

To give away more of the story would give too much away. However keep in mind that it runs for 30 minutes.

I need to advice you that there is puppets at the beginning of this and you need to pay close attention to when they pop on.

This special is well made and is suitable for all ages. If you come across give it a try.
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6/10
A little schmaltzy but nice
planktonrules11 July 2017
Louis Jourdan plays Peter, a man who owns a little shop and is desperately in love. In his shop he has a string of blue beads and instead of trying to sell them, he tells his customers a very high price. Why? Because she loves them and if he cannot sell them, she'll get them...and he'd rather do that. But into this seemingly sweet life comes tragedy when the lady is killed in a fire! Years pass and Peter is morose and miserable...and he still is holding on to that sting of blue beads. By the end, he's finally gotten rid of them...but how? And, to who did he sell these highly sentimental beads?

This is the first in a proposed anthology series that was never made. The show was made in color...rather unusual for its time. How good the series might have been...who's to know. I liked this show though it's a bit old fashioned and schmaltzy...so it's definitely not for everyone.
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10/10
I saw the IMDb score
lindalopeza16 July 2017
And I thought it was way too low. This is a great Christmas television program. Of you have never seen this film your lucky. What this is about A young man is crushed when he learns of the death of his girlfriend in a fire on Christmas Eve. He wallows in self-pity until a young girl reminds him of the true meaning of Christmas.

This is one of those things you don't want to give too much away but if you need a little "Christmas fix" or "Christmas Joy" then watch this. The story is very simple but sometimes those are the best stories. Most people might not like this because its not a "BATMAN" movie but it is nice CGI FREE program. Don't Miss it
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5/10
1950's Christmas Drama in a Rare Early Color TV Production
HarlowMGM25 December 2008
A STRING OF BLUE BEADS is a slight little Christmas tale that was a pilot for an anthology series of short stories that never came to be. What makes this little film fascinating is it was one of the earliest color broadcasts on television and happily is one of the few early color productions for TV that can be seen in color now. Early color television productions seem to have had a limited color capability much like the early 1930's attempts at Technicolor. This actually adds to the charm of this little Christmas story giving in an "old time" feel.

Louis Jourdan stars as an antique shop owner who grieves for years over his fiancée. The "blue beads" in the title are a string of old beads he had priced high because he didn't want to sell them, wanting to give them to his girl as a gift. Beloved character actress Margaret Hamilton (The Wizard of Oz) has a very large role in this production as the compassionate shop cleaner who urges him to give life another chance.

This little 27 minute drama can be found on a number of low-cost DVD Christmas sets, the one I have Christmas CLASSICS VOL. 1 which pictures Betty White on the cover (the 90-minute disc has three 1950's half hour shows including a Christmas episode of White's sitcom A DATE WITH THE ANGELS, and a CROSSROADS episode "Our First Christmas Tree" starring Don Taylor.)
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9/10
I could not help it I cried
tommybus8 February 2018
The older you are the more you will enjoy this. I think older people will like this because you know how much you miss people that have passed on. Even though sometimes it is difficult to look past the loss.

To say too much is a crime. If never see this then that's criminal!
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9/10
What a great film
thelmaritter-0151724 January 2018
Warning: Spoilers
When I watched this I thought it was a short film that they once played at theaters. It wasn't. It was a television episode and it is very good. Pete's bride-to-be has been killed, he is crippled and has become a recluse. To his shop comes a little girl to buy a present for her older sister and Pete sells her the necklace she chooses for eleven cents. When the older sister comes to rectify what seems to her to be a glaring mistake -- Pete recognizes his good deed has brought him another chance at happiness

Nice film and a feature film could be made of this
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10/10
Why
raymondrogers-6354125 July 2017
Warning: Spoilers
This is a very special little film. This film is about a string of beads that change the lives of the people who own it or want it. IT also shows that everyone has regrets and at Christmas for people for various reasons.

There is 2 ratings for films on IMDb. There is the one you see and then there is another you need to really look at. This film "A string of Blue Beads" is a prime example. It has an 8.5 IMDb rating. There is also the number of 138. The is the number of IMDb users that have rated the film! If you click on that you will see that the real rating is much higher and its 9.2.

I don't know why IMDb does not count everybody's ratings. That doesn't seem nice.
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