Samantha - An American Girl Holiday (2004)

Beautiful and Fantastic!

I just watched my first American Girl movie day-before-yesterday and I immediately had to go and find some more. I haven't been let down. This is my second movie in the series to see and my Mother and I both had tears welling in our eyes throughout the entire film. It is sweet, relevant to modern day issues even, and it shows the importance of friendship and family. I like how the movies encourage involvement in causes. So far the ones I've seen have all been perfectly clean and wonderful for family viewing. I really think they are suited for all ages, as the stories are so well done. I recommend this movie and recommend it some more. I can't wait to see more in the series. October 9, 2008

Absolutely Delightful!

By way of disclosure, I am an American Girls Junkie, as are my wife and daughter. Their books and movies provide an excellent mechanism with which to teach living history to young girls. "Samantha, An American Girl Holiday" is no exception.

For those of you unfamiliar with Samantha, she is a wealthy orphan living in New York in 1904. This movie tells the story of Samantha's developing friendship with Nellie O' Malley, the daughter of an Irish domestic servant. As the film progresses, the viewer enjoys the breakdown of distinctions between social classes, first among the children, then among the adults.

From an historical perspective, it shows the life of the wealthy, their servants and the suffragette movement.

The movie is Pollyannaish, to be sure, but still delightful. Enjoy as you learn!

July 20, 2008

Heartwarming, wholesome, great scenery and acting

My daughter is an avid American Girl fan. She loves the books and dolls so I treated her to this DVD. I was much more impressed with this DVD than I thought I would be. The setting is beautiful and authentic. The acting is top notch, and the storyline might just leave you crying at times.

Samantha befriends a young girl next door who moves in to be a maid. Since her mother died her father and 3 sisters work in the house of an upper class snob. The poor girl then is sent to an orphanage when her father dies of an illness, and Samantha fights for better care of orphans and eventually her aunt and uncle adopt the three girls. Samantha herself is an orphan, but since she comes from a wealthy family, her grandmother and uncle take care of her.

The story finally culminates on Christmas morning, in a beautiful Norman Rockwell like setting. I cannot imagine a little girl who would not enjoy this movie. If you are a fan of The Little Princess, you will love this movie as well. June 3, 2008

Simply a holiday classic!

I purchased this DVD after seeing it air on the Hallmark channel right before Christmas! I am a huge fan of timeless classics and 'Samantha' did not disappoint! The costumes during this time period, the entire story line and the adorable actresses will surely leave you with smiles from beginning to end. It's a wonderful family movie, with or without kids; one you'll end up watching for years to come! January 15, 2008

A Heartwarming Christmas Story

This is a wonderful story that can be shared by the family. Each year I enjoy this movie as I decorate my tree. This year I bought copies for both my sisters. They both have reported tremendously enjoying the story. December 30, 2007

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