The Man Who Saved Christmas (2002)

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

Director:

Sturla Gunnarsson

Writers:

Joseph Maurer (teleplay) (as Joe Maurer), Debra Frank (teleplay)

Stars:

Jason Alexander, Kelly Rowan, Ari Cohen

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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

Storyline

Although their own father, bank Charles, refuses them a loan to start a novelty American toys company to rival the established German import, the brothers A.C. and Frank succeed, especially with constructive and educational products. When the US gets dragged into Word War I, Frank enlists and Woodrow Wilson's government recruits A.C. as consultant to convert factories like theirs for the war effort. Yet his gifted preteen son, whose schoolmates meanly turned on the 'Christmas killer's kid', ends up convincing him to refuse canceling Christmas and even resume toy production.

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Plot Keywords:

wwi | patriotic | patriotism | inventor | 1910s | 

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Taglines:

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

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | Family | War

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Certificate:

TV-PG

Details

Country:

USA Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 December 2002 (USA)

Also Known As:

A karácsony megmentője

Filming Locations:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alliance Atlantis Communications,Orly Adelson Productions

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

There are allusions to Jason Alexander's most famous role, that of George Costanza on "Seinfeld" in this film. Alexander's character has a brother named Frank; on "Seinfeld," his character's father's name was Frank. In this film, he is seen tossing around a baseball with his son. On "Seinfeld", his character of George Costanza works for the New York Yankees.

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Goofs

In a scene set during the 1910s, the "A. C. Gilbert" logo on the truck door is printed in Aachen Medium, a font that was released in 1977.

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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!

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Soundtracks

Deck the Halls
(uncredited)
Traditional tune, lyrics by Thomas Oliphant

User Reviews

Christmas AND patriotism

It's Christmas time once again and amid the anti-Christmas media coverage, I happened onto this film. What a pleasant and refreshing surprise! This is a story to warm the hearts of those in my generation who long for the days when everyone said, "Merry Christmas!" and people were proud of their country. The best part of this film is knowing that the film is based on a real person's life: A.C. Gilbert. The Scrooge-type figure of A.C.'s father, played by Asner, is believable and helps make this story enjoyable. Thanks for the memories of the days when Christmas was important, patriotism was shared, and no one thought about political correctness.