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IMDbPro

The Night They Saved Christmas

  • TV Movie
  • 19841984
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 1h 32m
IMDb RATING
6.6/10
1.5K
YOUR RATING
The Night They Saved Christmas (1984)
  • Drama
  • Family
  • Fantasy
An oil company is exploring two Arctic sites for oil. The needed blasting at the first site rocks Santa Claus' North Pole village. He realizes that any blasting at the second site will destr... Read allAn oil company is exploring two Arctic sites for oil. The needed blasting at the first site rocks Santa Claus' North Pole village. He realizes that any blasting at the second site will destroy his home. He enlists the aid of a woman and her children to convince her husband (who w... Read allAn oil company is exploring two Arctic sites for oil. The needed blasting at the first site rocks Santa Claus' North Pole village. He realizes that any blasting at the second site will destroy his home. He enlists the aid of a woman and her children to convince her husband (who works for the company) that the first site is where the oil they want is. Along the way, Sa... Read all
IMDb RATING
6.6/10
1.5K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Jackie Cooper
  • Writers
    • Jim Moloney(teleplay)
    • David Niven Jr.(teleplay)
    • Rudy Dochtermann(story)
  • Stars
    • Jaclyn Smith
    • Art Carney
    • Paul Le Mat
Top credits
  • Director
    • Jackie Cooper
  • Writers
    • Jim Moloney(teleplay)
    • David Niven Jr.(teleplay)
    • Rudy Dochtermann(story)
  • Stars
    • Jaclyn Smith
    • Art Carney
    • Paul Le Mat
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 32User reviews
    • 7Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Primetime Emmy
      • 1 win & 1 nomination total

    Photos11

    The Night They Saved Christmas (1984)
    The Night They Saved Christmas (1984)
    Jaclyn Smith and Art Carney in The Night They Saved Christmas (1984)
    The Night They Saved Christmas (1984)
    The Night They Saved Christmas (1984)
    The Night They Saved Christmas (1984)
    The Night They Saved Christmas (1984)
    The Night They Saved Christmas (1984)
    The Night They Saved Christmas (1984)
    The Night They Saved Christmas (1984)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jaclyn Smith
    Jaclyn Smith
    • Claudia Baldwinas Claudia Baldwin
    Art Carney
    Art Carney
    • Santa Clausas Santa Claus
    Paul Le Mat
    Paul Le Mat
    • Michael Baldwinas Michael Baldwin
    Mason Adams
    Mason Adams
    • Sumner Murdockas Sumner Murdock
    June Lockhart
    June Lockhart
    • Mrs. Clausas Mrs. Claus
    Paul Williams
    Paul Williams
    • Edas Ed
    Scott Grimes
    Scott Grimes
    • Davidas David
    Laura Jacoby
    • Marianneas Marianne
    R.J. Williams
    R.J. Williams
    • C.B.as C.B.
    James Staley
    James Staley
    • Marinas Marin
    Albert Hall
    Albert Hall
    • Loomisas Loomis
    Anne Haney
    Anne Haney
    • Heddaas Hedda
    Buddy Douglas
    • Dr. Fernandoas Dr. Fernando
    Billy Curtis
    Billy Curtis
    • Jackas Jack
    Michael Keys Hall
    Michael Keys Hall
    • Faulkneras Faulkner
    Randy Crosby
    • Pilotas Pilot
    Paul Dale
    • Dr. Fernandoas Dr. Fernando
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Jackie Cooper
    • Writers
      • Jim Moloney(teleplay) (story)
      • David Niven Jr.(teleplay) (story)
      • Rudy Dochtermann(story)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Santa (Art Carney) wears a hearing aid in his left ear
    • Goofs
      The fact this movie takes place up by the North Pole during the beginning of winter, there should be 24-hour darkness, but there's day and night in this movie.
    • Quotes

      David: [about going to meet Santa Claus] We'll all meet a big white rabbit and go to the mad hatter tea party.

    • Connections
      Referenced in The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson: Steven Wright/Marilyn Horne/Isabel Campbell (1984)

    User reviews32

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    A spirit of Christmas past
    Somewhere between the sugary sweet fantasies of Rankin-Bass and the more cynical (yet enjoyable in their own right) offerings like "Scrooged" lies this little TV movie. It makes few efforts at being cool, instead aiming for pre-teen innocence, or maybe just the innocence adults think they had at that age. In any event, whether by design, by accident or even by the idealizing effects of misty childhood memory, this movie has won a place in the hearts of many kids and kids at heart who watched it in the 1980s.

    It has all the usual ingredients for a decent Christmas movie. Family strife, imminent peril but no real violence, little people as elves, singing, colorful toy clutter, and some fairly imaginative Christmas-themed props. But it takes itself fairly seriously and doesn't devolve into complete goofiness like "Elf."

    This was one of the early movies showing a "high tech" Santa, far presaging "The Santa Clause" or "Santa vs. the Snowman." Of course, by modern standards, the effects are primitive, but remember that this is a kid's movie, and kids are not nearly as picky as adults are. Which is a good thing. Take it for the story and don't whine that it's not a Disney/Pixar visual extravaganza. It could have been a lot worse, being a TV movie, and you have to give them points for doing quite a bit of exterior filming on location in Alaska rather than some fakey soundstage. The interiors of North Pole City were small, limited by the budget, but there was a bit of homey coziness in there.

    If there is one real weakness in the movie, it's the acting. Many were fine, including Jaclyn Smith, Art Carney, June Lockhart, Paul Williams (alas, at 5'2", too tall to look convincing as an elf, especially when around all the real dwarfs playing elves) and veteran character actor Mason Adams. On the other hand, R.J. Williams was not a good child actor, being roughly in the same league as the "Full House" era Olsen twins. He overacted during most of his scenes, and the emotion just never seemed genuine. In the other direction was Paul Le Mat as his father. Every line, facial tic and gesture seems to come out of an acting class technique. It doesn't feel like anything comes from his heart. With flat delivery of his lines and an unexpressive face, he was terrible and as unconvincing as his young co-star. A second problem is that Santa was very passive in this. He never really does anything to try to save North Pole City other than convincing Claudia and the kids. Later on, in desperation, he says that he'll have to take matters into his own hands and convince Michael himself, but nothing comes of this.

    All in all, it's a worthwhile treat for the family, although it may bore some adults who didn't grow up with it.
    helpful•4
    0
    • TVholic
    • Nov 28, 2008

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 13, 1984 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Rettet den Weihnachtsmann
    • Filming locations
      • Barrow, Alaska, USA
    • Production company
      • Robert Halmi
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 32 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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