One Christmas (1994)

Truman Capote's classic Depression-era short story is well served in One Christmas, an earnest holiday heartwarmer from the folks at Hallmark Entertainment. It's got all the sentiment one would expect from a Hallmark TV movie, but director Tony Bill knows just how to moderate the maudlin and focus on genuine emotions (as he did for his big-screen releases Untamed Heart and A Home of Our Own). Of course it never hurts to have Katharine Hepburn on board for some high-class pedigree: In her final performance the Hollywood legend goes out on a high note, delivering a pivotal scene about living life with no regrets, and she may just as well be describing her own independent spirit. The great Kate plays a wealthy New Orleans socialite whose spinster niece (Swoosie Kurtz, giving the film's best performance) is vulnerable to the gold-digging charms of a con artist (Henry Winkler) whose estranged 8-year-old son (T.J. Lowther, from Clint Eastwood's A Perfect World) has arrived from Alabama with high expectations that his father can't meet. Dashed hopes and cynical behavior threaten to ruin the boy's Christmas, but Bill and his esteemed cast stay true to the well-earned sentiment of Capote's story, arriving at a moment of fatherly redemption that is nicely accented by Van Dyke Parks's understated score. You'd have to be a Scrooge to disapprove. --Jeff Shannon Amazon.com

Another great Christmas movie

Great movie for Christmas and the family get together June 14, 2007

Good entertainment

A wonderful moving movie. Good to see Ms. Hepburn at her best. Enjoy!!! January 12, 2007

Leave this on the shelf!

We were very disappointed in this movie. Terrible script, virtually no character development.Don't bother. December 23, 2004

Stick with "Its a Wonderful Life"

I agree with the people who gave this one or two stars, no character development.

There are much better xmas movies out there! December 13, 2004

"Reality Christmas"

"One Christmas" was a film I happened upon some years ago. I did not know that it had been a story or a play, etc. I viewed it because I was familiar with the talents of the late Kathrine Hepburn and the talented Henry Winkler.

The story is not typical Christmas fare, but it is more real than many of the idylic Christmas movies. It is a tribute to the truth that many people struggle 365 days a year--their imperfections not taking a holiday.

Anyone who enjoys the talents of Winkler/Hepburn will enjoy this film; it is not stellar, not is not neccesarily their best performance, but it is a nice piece of "reality Christmas", if you will. December 18, 2003

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