Christmas Movie 23: “It Came Upon A Midnight Clear”

Christmas Movie 23: “It Came Upon A Midnight Clear”

by MichelleMcHatton

For me Mickey Rooney has always been synonymous with classic movies. After all, he is a movie icon. One of my favorite Rooney Christmas movies, going back to my teen years, is “It Came Upon A Midnight Clear”. This one is from 1984.

The movie stars Rooney as Mike Halligan, a retired New York City cop now living with his daughter and her family in California. It’s quite clear he misses Christmas in NYC when the family goes to pick out a tree and he complains about the trees being all different colors and there is no snow. We learn of his plan to take his grandson Robbie (played by Scott Grimes) to NYC for Christmas. A few days before Christmas Halligan is putting up Christmas lights and suffers a fatal heart attack. In a fantasy twist to the movie, while waiting to check in at Heaven’s gates, Halligan makes a deal with the archangel (George Gaynes) to return to Earth to fulfill his NYC Christmas trip with Robbie. The archangel makes a deal with Halligan: he can return to Earth temporarily, but he must seek out a wayward angel in NYC named Wiley Boggs (William Griffis) who was sent to NYC to restore the Christmas spirit. But has now just been running amok.

Much to his daughter’s protest (after all, he just died and came back to life and now wants to take off to NYC with her son), Halligan and Robbie leave for NYC because a deal is a deal. His daughter and the rest of her family tag along because, hey, you just died but now you’re alive and what the hell is going on?

Long story short, Halligan and Robbie track Wiley throughout the city and finally catch up with him where he reveals that he has given up on spreading the Christmas spirit and that Halligan can tell the archangel that he found him but he didn’t succeed in doing what he was supposed to do.

Robbie comes up with the idea that if Wiley couldn’t spread the Christmas cheer, maybe he and Halligan should do it. They take to the streets singing Christmas carols. Then with the help of a reporter (Annie Potts), who has been desperately trying to find stories about the Christmas spirit to report for her broadcast, they are able to spread their message to the whole city.

I won’t reveal the entire ending but Rooney’s last line in the movie kind of hits you: “Life is what you make of it”.

Christmas movie 24: “Christmas Comes To Willow Creek”

Christmas movie 24: “Christmas Comes To Willow Creek”

by MichelleMcHatton

Who would have ever thought that John Schneider and Tom Wopat would trade in their General Lee for an 18-wheeler? Well in this 1987 made-for-TV Christmas movie that’s exactly what they do. For a good cause, of course.

As it turns out, Al (played by Hoyt Axton) used to live in Willow Creek, Alaska, a town that has fallen on hard times since the cannery closed down. Most of the townspeople worked there and now have no jobs. Just as Al is ready to leave California for Willow Creek to deliver a truck full of needed goodies, he has a heart attack. Enter his pals Pete (Wopat) and Ray (Schneider), two truck-driving brothers who have been feuding over a woman (Ray’s pregnant wife Jessie–played by Kim Delaney). Apparently she used to have a relationship with Pete before she married Ray. To add to the complications, we have Pete’s ornery teen son Michael (played by Zachary Ansley) who is angry at his father for being on the road so much. Ray, Pete and Michael take off from California for Willow Creek . Along the way they pick up Jessie as well.

So now you have two feuding brothers, a bratty teen and a very pregnant lady in an 18-wheeler on its way to Alaska. Then a blizzard hits. And Jessie gives birth. Ray and Pete make up and all is well when they arrive in Willow Creek.

This movie was a favorite of mine as a teen. I’ve seen it many times and even own the DVD. I won’t give away the ending because if you haven’t seen this film, you really should. But I will tell you it is a happy ending for everyone. And it has to do with Ray and chili.

Christmas Movie 25: “The Christmas Tree”

Christmas Movie 25: “The Christmas Tree”

by MichelleMcHatton

“The Christmas Tree” is a movie I discovered on YouTube several years ago. I was mainly attracted to it because (1) it is a Christmas movie and (2) it stars Andrew McCarthy.

The movie also stars Julie Harris and Trini Alvarado and it’s directed by Sally Field. That alone should make you want to watch it.

It was a made-for-TV movie released on December 22, 1996. It’s about Rockefeller Center’s head gardener Richard Reilly (McCarthy) who befriends an elderly nun Sister Anthony (Harris)–mainly because he wants her tree as the star of the show at Rockefeller Center.

The film is very touching and emotional at times, reflecting upon Sister Anthony’s past and how she came to arrive at the convent and her love of the tree that Richard so dearly wants for Rockefeller Center. It also mixes in Richard’s relationship problems and job issues (such as having a tree lined up and it falling through and the continuous trying to convince Sister Anthony to let go of her tree).

The movie is interesting for anyone who may have wondered about what goes into choosing the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. It doesn’t show/tell you everything, but you can get the idea.

I won’t spoil the ending, in case you wish to see it. It’s still on YouTube. In fact, I have recently started re-watching it and once again, enjoying it so much.

25 Days of Christmas Movies

25 Days of Christmas Movies

by MichelleMcHatton

It’s that time of year again. Time to make a list and check it twice. Or more.

This year I’m doing a list of Christmas movies. Not necessarily the best ones nor ones that everyone raves about. Some may be classics. Some may be new. Some may be obscure. But they are all films I have seen and enjoyed in some way. I must have enjoyed them, right? Otherwise I wouldn’t mention them on here. I will go in order from 25 to 1, with 1 being my absolute favorite Christmas movie.

Starts tomorrow. So stay tuned. Maybe you’ll find a new Christmas movie to check out.

If It Makes You Happy

If It Makes You Happy

by MichelleMcHatton

Now that Halloween is over, there seems to be a question among many as to whether it’s okay to put up Christmas decorations. My question is, why the hell wouldn’t it be okay?

People, there is no law or rule that says you can’t decorate for Christmas or put your Christmas tree up before a certain time. Just as there is no law or rule that says you can only listen to Christmas music starting on a certain date or that you can only watch holiday movies during the month of December.

So why are you wasting your time asking all over social media if it’s okay? If it makes you happy, do it. Shit, even if it doesn’t make you happy, do it. Who gives a flying fuck what the hell others think? Even if it’s someone you have to live with.

I listen to Christmas music 365 days a year. Seriously. Every single day I make sure I listen to some kind of Christmas music. All. Year. Long. And I’ve been known to watch “White Christmas” in the middle of July, or any other time of the year, for that matter. Along with numerous other holiday films.

For the record, my house has been decorated for Christmas since before Halloween. And the tree will remain up well into February. And I had my Halloween decorations up at the end of August. Because there’s no rules or laws that say I couldn’t.

So what are you waiting for? Get off your asses and get decorating!

Photo by Olena Bohovyk on Pexels.com