A Holiday Spectacular

So happy to see Broadway uber talented Stars Ginna Claire Mason (Wicked) & Derek Klena (Moulin Rouge) and first rate supporting cast in a wonderful Christmas movie! Finally pleased to see a movie about a dancer with an actress who can dance... Still, you do leave the film wishing there was more Rockettes content. Overall a very good period piece, gladly surprised with the recreation of the fifties, the wardrobe, hair and makeup is stunning for Hallmark standards... indeed a charming romance flick, fantastic chemistry between the leads, this one is definitely a keeper. Great job on this one; Hallmark: please keep casting Broadway actors, we love them!

Margaret wants to join the Rockettes and perform in front of an audicience. So, one day, she lies to her parents and fiance and she just goes for it and auditions: she gets the part and moves to NYC just for the season. There she meets handsome John who also has a dream: go to NYU and become a photographer journalist.

It is unreal that they keep meeting everywhere in a city that is so big, but anyway... I read that a few of the details regarding the Rockettes are also off but we can let them slide when we are presented with such a beautiful story, right? Other than love, this story has friendship, it encourages people to follow their dreams, and being themselves. I also appreciate that none of the girls were made "the popular girl/villain".

Lovely movie, lovely cast. The leads had chemistry and honestly? I was charmed by both of them, specially Derek Klena and I'm gonna need him in a modern day Hallmark movie. Maybe he can even sing?

It is different than the usual movies Hallmark offers, you even forget you are watching that channel.

Going for a period piece like this breaks the mold of the average Hallmark Christmas romance, but they still couldn't QUITE get away from the normal tropes. Both the romantic leads needed to "follow their dream". There was the typical split from the rich boyfriend for true love, and the always present crisis with the new boyfriend to be wrapped up in the last seven minutes.

Still, it was wonderful to see Ann-Margret. One never knows when she'll stop accepting roles, and she came off a LOT better here than Marlo Thomas did in her appearance a few weeks ago.

The Rockettes looked great. As others have mentioned, the Rockettes didn't integrate until 1988, and to this day only have two black dancers on the team. I'll give them a minor break in that they had to show the real Rockettes in the performance scenes, and they weren't going to ask two members to sit it out, so they kind of needed to show them in the acting scenes, or that would have stuck out.

My wife was more impressed with the movie than I, sort of a surprise with all those great looking women (and legs!) on display. :-)

She puts it in the "Watch again" category, while I put it in the "Glad I saw it but that's it category". :-)

What a spectacular movie! Ginna and Derek had a natural warmth and chemistry-and are a very talented duo! I loved the story and the full circle beautiful movie ending. It's hard to beat a New York City movie setting, the real Rockettes, multi-talented Broadway stars, Ann Margaret, and a well-written story from start to finish. I also loved the message this movie delivered to little girls watching from home-don't settle. Go after your dreams and dream big!

This movie made me think of the magic I experienced when my parents took me to NYC for the first time to see the Rockettes. This movie really is a love letter to all the hard work, talent, and passion that goes into delivering the magic to Radio City Music Hall visitors every single holiday season.

Hallmark hit the mark again with this holiday movie. A much different story line than the usual Hallmark plot. Focusing on the Rockettes really was a nice change while still developing the relationship between the two lead actors. Both Ginna and Derek were excellent in the movie as were the supporting actors. It was great to see Ann-Margaret, who one could actually believe, was a Rockette! She really looks great. Adding in Eve Plumb from the Brady Bunch was another nice touch. Carolyn McCormick as Maggie's mother was wonderful as well.

Personally, I remember as a child in the '50's seeing the Christmas Spectacular and the Rockettes at Radio City. I know some reviewers pointed out some historical inaccuracies, which you can do in most Hallmark movies that take place in the path, but that didn't detract from this wonderful movie. Hallmark has had some winners this season. Three Wise Men and a Baby, Time for Him to Come Home for Christmas and Ghosts of Christmas Always come to mind. I'll add this movie to my list!