Un Natale spettacolare

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". :-)

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!

I loved seeing Ann-Margret and Eve Plumb, Loved the vintage costumes and sets, loved seeing the Rockettes, and the story being set in 1957. I even liked the story of a rich girl escaping from her pampered life and following her heart while learning to live outside the ivory tower.

It is a story of following one's dreams, standing on one's own feet, and the power of friendship. It is not the story of what life was really like in the 1950s for non-white people in New York City. In a right-minded effort to correct their past lack of diversity in their movies, I feel, with this one, Hallmark has done a disservice to their viewership and to the truth of the African American experience. It shows an integrated dance troupe with a black dancer who is even promoted over the other girls at the end. In truth, the Rockettes did not have even one non-white dancer until 1985. And she was Japanese. It wasn't until 1987 that a black dancer was famously accepted. As much as I appreciate Hallmark's efforts at inclusion, falsifying history is just wrong and harmful. And I don't think you can just gloss over this situation by glibly proclaiming "It's the Hallmark Channel, not the History Channel!!!". There's a quote about being doomed to repeat history that might apply here. Not to belabor a point, but something similar happened in 2016's A Journey Back to Christmas. In that one, a nurse fresh from segregated 1945 is transported to 2016 and is treated and questioned by a black doctor and interrogated by a black Chief of Police. No incredulity, nor even a blink on her part. What a lost opportunity for a short but dramatic (or comedic!) history lesson! And it would have taken all of 10 seconds and a line or two. Not sure how I would have fixed this one, but even an expository paragraph at the beginning or end about the truth of the matter would have gone a long way toward remedying the problem while still giving a talented black actress a job.

I admitt, I was seduced by this very special, some different Hallmark movie. The first, great, precious and rare virtue is the atmosphere, admirable crafted, from costumes to the dialogue . Second, no doubts, the frame, a venerable lady telling her first steps in dance career to her granddaughter. Not the last, the beautiful acting, offering a sort of innocence of a generation not far by post war idealism , the dreams coming true, the relation with family and the honesty to themselves. And Ginna Marie Mason, like.derek Klena are perfects in their roles.

The accuracy ? Is it real - real important in this case , the story , touching at whole being more significant, for me, than a pledge agains racism ?

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!