One Christmas (1994)

A young man is sent to visit his estranged father for Christmas in 1930 in New Orleans. Based on an autobiograhical short story by Truman Capote.

Director:

Tony Bill

Writers:

Truman Capote (short story "One Christmas"), Duane Poole (teleplay)

Stars:

Katharine Hepburn, Henry Winkler, Swoosie Kurtz

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Katharine Hepburn	...	Cornelia Beaumont
Henry Winkler	...	Dad
Swoosie Kurtz	...	Emily
T.J. Lowther	...	Buddy
Tonea Stewart	...	Evangeline
Pat Hingle	...	Bus driver
Julie Harris	...	Sook
Troy Simmons	...	Toby
Marilyn Allen	...	Miss Ivy
Mary Lucy Bivins	...	Miss Julene
Henderson Gilliland	...	Glenn Gilmore
Joe Inscoe	...	Mr. Farris
Joe Maggard	...	Dixon Hobbs
David Lenthall	...	Billiard player
Thomas Myers Jr.	...	Salesman

Storyline

A young man is sent to visit his estranged father for Christmas in 1930 in New Orleans. Based on an autobiograhical short story by Truman Capote.

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Plot Keywords:

family relationship | christmas | last film role for actress | reconciliation | intimate | 

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Taglines:

a timeless tale of love and impossible dreams

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Genres:

Drama | Family

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 December 1994 (USA)

Also Known As:

Truman Capote's One Christmas

Filming Locations:

Wilmington, North Carolina, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Karpf-Davis Entertainment Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Katharine Hepburn's last film appearance.

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Goofs

In the restaurant when Buddy and his father are eating oyster's, the Tabasco bottle on the table is not vintage from the 1930s. It is the present-day bottle with a red plastic top. That would not have been a 30s bottle.

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Quotes

Dixon Hobbs: Thought I might find you here.
Dad: Well, if isn't the very sturdy Dixon Hobbs. What brings you here?
Dixon Hobbs: My sister's money. Don't tell me you haven't heard I've been looking for you.
Dad: Mm, word is you have some concerns about an investment she's made.
Dixon Hobbs: My only concern is how fast you're going to give her that money back.
Dad: Are you telling me that you question her ability to make her own decisions?
Dixon Hobbs: [grabs Dad by shirt collar] Let's just say, I don't think it's a sound business investment.
Dad: I didn't realize the...

User Reviews

Truman's Christmas With Dad

Some of Truman Capote's childhood memories are the basis for One Christmas in which a film legend took her final curtain call.

Young T.J. Lowther all of 10 years old has been living in the custody of his aunt Julie Harris in rural Alabama. Harris is a kind and loving, but way too overprotective of the lad.

But one holiday season during the Great Depression the boy gets a chance to spend some time with his father Henry Winkler. Winkler is a self described promoter and entrepreneur, but is actually just a conman who lives high on the hog on other people's money. That's a profession that had even less respectability during the Depression. He's busy trying to promote an air race, and not an honest one.

The boy's very naiveté has an effect on Winkler and all around him, including the women and its women he usually is trying to fleece. He goes after them young and old with the vigor and zest of Zero Mostel as Max Bialystock from The Producers. One of them is Swoosie Kurtz who falls for Winkler and even her formidable dowager aunt Katharine Hepburn is affected by him.

Winkler and Kurtz are the stars, but as befitting a film legend, first billing goes to Katharine Hepburn. We barely see any of Hepburn in the first 2/3 of the movie. It's only in the last third when she nearly runs a runaway Lowther down and brings him to her home to explain some of the facts of life to him. No, not those facts of life. Poor Kate was really showing the tremors of Parkinson's Disease, but trooper that she was made it through the film. It was a nice farewell performance.

I wonder what memories young Mr. Lowther now approaching 30 has of working with two acting legends, Katharine Hepburn and Julie Harris. One Christmas isn't all warm and fuzzy like Miracle On 34th Street or A Wonderful Life. Still it's a more realistic type of coming of age at Christmas story in which the whole cast acquits themselves well.