A Christmas Without Snow (1980)

Starting over again in a new city, a divorced woman joins a local church choir and clashes with the choirmaster. Pushed to her emotional limits, her faith is re-affirmed in this beautiful classic of the Christmas season.

 Corny,dated, but says interesting things about motivation
I still think that this is one of the schmaltziest pieces of television film ever made, but it simply wouldn't be Christmas if I didn't suffer through the bad acting and corny,trite story every year! Why do I go back? Well, as man who conducted volunteer church choirs for 33 years (I started really young...I did!!!!), I can appreciate the angst of the amateur who performs for the sake of loving music.That is what this story is about; an amateur choir in a failing inner-city San Francisco Church,who gets a new choir director and organist (way above their level for the pittance pay) to shape them into a uniform group in a period of twelve weeks to perform the great masterwork "Messiah" by Handel.John Housman as the English,tea-sipping curmudgeon Ephraim Adams (Choir director par excellent) is simply a terrible actor in portraying a choir director.He barely moves his arms,and frankly is off-beat most of the time!...but,it is what Adams says that always inspires me enough to watch this piece of late '70's drek every year;there is a difference between the pro and the amateur.The amateur is to be the most respected because they do what they do for the sheer love of it.( I was the professional and did it for MONEY$$$$$$$....not for the love of it,trust me on this!) Naturally, the choir is transformed into nothing short of the same choir transformed in SISTER ACT, and the Church is filled to capacity with sincere people from every walk of life and culture.All dramas and confrontations,petty squabbles and little drams all are joyously resolved by the time "Hallelujah Chorus" is sung! Everything ends happily....I will put it away...and will pull it out again next Christmas...same results...same bad film...same good message! December 9, 2007

 LET'S BUILD A PIPE ORGAN FOR CHRISTMAS
Really, folks, some of you have become quite jaded. I admit the DVD transfer is terrible - buy the tape, you all know what to do. As a minister's daughter I related to this movie. If it can go wrong it will at Christmas. The organ always has a problem, so does the piano, the choir gets sick, the minister would like to get sick, the minister's family is saying "Christmas - is this a holy holiday?" Now, in Christmas without Snow the producers did an excellent job of showing how a congregation - all those church folks listen up - can pull together and the church family can have the organ, the choir, Handel's Messiah and it all turns out well. I love this movie - my husband and I play it every Christmas. Then a CD of the Messiah and what more can you ask other than the Christmas cookies. Lighten up folks. October 3, 2007

 depressing movie
I got the impression that someone who hates Christmas wrote this movie. It has none of the qualities that make a good Christmas movie. love, 'feel-good'emotion, snow, a loveable character, and so on. Rude church choir director kicking people out how sing less than perfect, unsucessful mom who cant support her son, drug using pastor son no happy ending, and hot weather!

The stars did a good job for the script they had to work with, and the music, (The Messiah) was nice at the end.

If you want to watch John Houseman, buy it, but if you want a good Christmas movie you should skip it. Worst I have seen. September 3, 2007

 satisfied
Bought this movie as a gift - haven't opened or viewed it yet - but it arrived in a timely fashion, so I was pleased. March 14, 2007

 Christmas DVD
I, "Joan" Charlie's wife ordered this dvd, It was a truly great Christmas movie. I think John Houseman & Michael Learned were great in the movie. I especially like her in Little House On The Priarie. January 15, 2007

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