The Santa Clause (1994)

When a man inadvertently makes Santa fall off of his roof on Christmas Eve, he finds himself magically recruited to take his place.

Director:

John Pasquin

Writers:

Leo Benvenuti, Steve Rudnick

Stars:

Tim Allen, Judge Reinhold, Wendy Crewson

2 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tim Allen	...	Scott Calvin
Judge Reinhold	...	Neal
Wendy Crewson	...	Laura
Eric Lloyd	...	Charlie
David Krumholtz	...	Bernard
Larry Brandenburg	...	Detective Nunzio
Mary Gross	...	Ms. Daniels
Paige Tamada	...	Elf-Judy
Peter Boyle	...	Mr. Whittle
Judith Scott	...	Susan
Jayne Eastwood	...	Waitress
Melissa King	...	Little Girl
Bradley Wentworth	...	Elf at North Pole
Azura Bates	...	Elf in Hangar
Joshua Satok	...	Elf-Larry

Storyline

Divorcé Scott Calvin is disgusted to learn that his ex and her husband have tried - and failed - to break it easy to their 6-year-old son Charlie that Santa isn't real. On Christmas Eve, Scott reads The Night Before Christmas - then receives an unexpected visitor on his roof. When he's startled by Scott's calling out and falls, the Santa impersonator disappears, leaving only an 8-reindeer sleigh and a suit with instructions to put it on if he's involved in an accident. Scott does, and is transported around the town dropping gifts through chimneys until he's taken to the North Pole and informed by a group, who claim they're elves, that he is now Santa. Charlie is proud of his dad's new job, though Scott's convinced it's a dream. Until his hair turns white, his beard refuses to stay shaved, he gains weight inexplicably, even for his sudden love of junk food - Now he's accepted it, there's just one problem: how to keep it secret from his disbelieving family?

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Plot Keywords:

santa claus character | santa claus | christmas eve | word play in title | gaining weight | 

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Taglines:

You've Never Seen Santa Quite Like This Before.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Family | Fantasy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for a few crude moments

Did You Know?

Trivia

Jeff Daniels, Peter MacNicol, Stanley Tucci, and Bradley Whitford were considered for the role of Neal Miller.

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Goofs

The Escape clause is when Santa grabs his snow globe and wishes that he never been Santa Claus. He is taken back in time before he became Santa. Bernard says it in a way to make Scott feel guilty and to believe that The Clause contract is unbreakable. Scott says, "Well, what if I don't want to do this?" Bernard could have just showed him the room of snow globes and handed him his snow globe. Scott and Charlie would have went back to their non magical-normal lives.

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Quotes

Dr. Pete Novos: I don't know, Scott. You're as healthy as a horse.
Scott Calvin: Yeah! Clydesdale!
Dr. Pete Novos: So what? You put on a little weight.
Scott Calvin: Weight? Does this look like a little weight to you?
Dr. Pete Novos: Weight can fluctuate from year to year.
Scott Calvin: Fluctuate? You make it sound like I'm retaining water. I've gained 45 pounds in a week. Pete, what's happening to me?
Dr. Pete Novos: Well, what's your diet like?
Scott Calvin: Milk and cookies.
Dr. Pete Novos: Really?
Scott Calvin: But I don't finish all the milk.
[...]

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Alternate Versions

A brief scene where Laura gives Scott the phone number of Neal's mother (1-800-SPANKME), and Scott says that he "knows that number," has been deleted from the DVD release of the film.

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Connections

Referenced in Robot Chicken: Robot Chicken's Santa's Dead (Spoiler Alert) Holiday Murder Thing Special (2019)

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Soundtracks

Jingle Bells
Written by James Pierpont (uncredited)
Arranged by John Neufeld

User Reviews

The "Tool Man" gets jolly

With great, funny holiday flicks like "The Christmas Story" and "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation", "The Santa Clause" is next on line to add laughs as the common sounds of Christmas other than jingling bells! Tim Allen is great in his movie debut as Scott, a toy salesman that owned the roof where Santa Claus fell from to his death! So in pleading cries from his young son, Scott puts on the late jolly-old-elf's suit and instantly becomes Santa, which insues problems to him, his ex-wife and her new boyfriend (played with annoying sarcasm by Judge Reinhold) and Scott's son. That's where the real chaos starts! > "The Santa Clause" is a great flick to watch on Christmas Eve. True, it can get too sentimental at times (Scott and his wife are battling for custody of their son. Remember "Kramer Vs Kramer" and "Over the Top"?!). But that surely fades away thanks to Tim Allen's antics. It'll make you wonder if Santa really is that clumsy!!

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA Canada

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

11 November 1994 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Santa Clause

Filming Locations:

Hillcrest Park, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$22,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$19,321,992, 13 November 1994

Gross USA:

$145,294,357

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$190,294,357

Company Credits

Production Co:

Walt Disney Pictures, Hollywood Pictures, Outlaw Productions (I)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1