The Little Christmas Movie That Was

So many Christmas movies have been made over the years - most of them, it seems, for the Hallmark channels - that several titles ultimately get lost in the growing quantity of them.  I write on this Christmas Eve to call attention to a 1966 Christmas movie that may seem minor in comparison to the big cinematic productions one sees in the theaters these days but will certainly win your heart once you've seen it.

The Christmas That Almost Wasn't is an old tale with a clever spin.  A sour soul who doesn't like Christmas plans to stop it by keeping Santa Claus from his annual appointed rounds.  This time, though, the villain has more than enough means to stop Christmas from coming.  He's Mr. Phineas T. Prune, a multi-millionaire who buys the whole North Pole and then charges Santa rent, which he obviously can't pay.  Santa can only stay in his home rent-free if he promises never again to give Christmas presents to children - it seems Mr. Prune doesn't like children, either.  Santa seeks the services of a small-town lawyer named Sam Whipple, who long ago wrote Santa a letter offering to help him if he ever needed a favor.  Sam and Santa spend their time trying to get enough money for the rent by Christmas Eve, and Santa even gets a job playing himself at a department store.

The Christmas That Almost Wasn't, a joint U.S-Italian production, starred Italian actor Rossano Brazzi, who also directed it, as Mr. Prune, and American children's entertainer Paul Tripp, who wrote the screenplay and the children's book the movie is based on, as Sam Whipple.  Paul Tripp was easily one of the most adroit and kindhearted children's entertainers of his time, or any time.  A composer who wrote the children's classical piece "Tubby the Tuba," Tripp was an accomplished kids' show host who performed in numerous television productions in the fifties and sixties, such as CBS's "Mr. I. Magination," in which his character, a train engineer, transported children to places to meet people in different occupations, and the local New York show "The Birthday House,"  in which every show was a child's birthday party.  It was the latter show that endeared me to Tripp when I was a toddler, and this movie made me admire him even more.

The Christmas That Almost Wasn't may sound like a cynical adult story, but it's a warm and touching story about the power of love and the love that children have in them, not just for Christmas but for everyone.  Children are the heart of this story, as Santa discovers how wonderful they are greeting them in the department store after having only encountered them asleep in their beds, and as Sam, Tripp is like a child himself, putting his love for Christmas into everything he does.  The movie is performed with original songs full of whimsy and joy about the season, one of them being "Why Can't Every Day Be Christmas?," a plea for peace on earth and goodwill toward one another all year round.

Because this movie was made in Rome, though, it has some of that earthy Italian neo-realism about it, so some of the sets are dingy - Santa's workshop is depicted as an overcrowded hut - and the lighting is haphazard in spots.  But it has some cute ideas - bet you didn't know Santa had a bookkeeper keeping a record of every child that ever was for him - and what it lacks in polish, The Christmas That Almost Wasn't makes up for in heart, thanks to Tripp's respect for children as individuals.  Sometimes I think it ought to be remade, with a bigger budget and a more stylish set.  But then, other times I doubt if that would make The Christmas That Almost Wasn't a better movie . . . likely, it would only make it a better-looking movie, and not necessarily made with the love and care that Tripp put into the original story.

While the title makes it clear that Sam and Santa save Christmas, the biggest surprise is what happens after Christmas is saved.  I won't spoil it for you; I'll just say that it involves Mr. Prune in the brightest, most heartwarming redemption since Scrooge was saved by the three spirits of Christmas.  The Christmas That Almost Wasn't, which used to air on Home Box Office a lot in the seventies, is difficult to find now, but worth the effort; it's a testament to Paul Tripp's talents and his ability to see the best in children.