The Homecoming: A Christmas Story

Growing up, I would see the Waltons on TV as my mom would watch it regularly, but I was too busy playing outside to care about TV unless there was inclement weather. Years later, I was told that the Waltons began with this movie, "The Homecoming: A Christmas Story." And my mother told me that I was just a little boy when it aired that Christmas of 1971. I was two.

This year, I turn 50 and I finally saw this OLD movie. 48 years later and I was HOOKED. I wanted to see more. After reading some of the great authors including Jesse Stuart who wrote of the hills of Kentucky and select authors in the Harvard Classics, my mind and heart were prepared and hungry for this kind of movie. And Earl Hamner Jr. is the perfect compliment to all of my previous reading on Appalachia and studies of Americana.

You will see a review here and there from someone who doesn't "get it". And I wouldn't have gotten it just ten years ago, even less so twenty years ago. But having been raised in the hills of southern Ohio where I could look out my bedroom window and see the hills of Greenup, Kentucky across the Ohio River with train tracks bordering the river on both sides, I have grown to appreciate my home and the surrounding states with their amazing mountain landscapes and people.

The stand out performances that made this movie in my opinion were Patricia Neal, Edgar Bergen, Ellen Corby, Richard Thomas and Cammie Cotler. And the story, simple and authentic, made me think of my own grandparents and life in simpler times that I only get to visit from time to time.

And that is the appeal of this movie. It's well written, well told and superbly acted. If you are from the hills, any hills, you will find something of home in this film. If you are not from the hills but appreciate the wonder and beauty of mountain living, you will watch and wonder if life really was like this. It was, for most of us.

This depiction of Hamner's nostalgic story glows thanks to veteran actors and careful evocation of the Depression era in the hills of Virginia. Avoiding excessive sweetness it recalls the struggle of a "common" Amercan family of the period. Patricia Neal, though she may seem somewhat too old for the part, rewards with a gripping performance as always. The ending may seem rather pat but along the way there are many delights. It would be a cold heart indeed that would not warm at least a little to this story.

I was so glad to see that this is out on DVD. It looks great, I'm glad Paramount spent some time restoring it to its present condition. This truly is a modern day classic. I was enthralled with this when it ran on television for the very first time, and its lost none of its appeal for me 34 years later. The entire story exudes reality for me and you actually care about this family. Patricia Neal is wonderful as Olivia. It's too bad she didn't go on to do the television show. She added a touch of reality but also she conveyed a true sense of having seen hardship in her own life that conveys to the screen. If you've never seen this movie, and you're longing for Christmases gone by, treat yourself and either rent or buy the DVD. This is a big step above "The Walton's."

"The Homecoming" is steeped more in nostalgia and familial love and faith rather than empty sentiment. It also contains a very strong Christian message, which stems from the beliefs of its characters, not out of some ham-handed political agenda on the part of its producers.

It's essential for the children to see that there are people like Charlie Sneed (The Robin Hood Bandit) or the Missionary Lady in the world; people who in some way corrupt the meaning of Christmas, in order to realize the blessings they have. Hawthorne, the minister, is flawed, too, of course; he's not exactly doing the Lord's work by making whiskey runs for the old lady bootleggers. But, as he says, you can't feed your kids on faith.

Patricia Neal is the real treasure in this story. She was only 45; a reasonable age for a woman whose 7 children's ages span ten years. In 1965, when she was 39, Neal suffered a near-fatal stroke which left her temporarily paralyzed. She had to learn to talk over again. She had made a screen comeback in 1968 in "The Subject Was Roses," but this film was her *real* homecoming.

One night in December of 1971,I was just a young child of 7 years , enjoying the hope and antisipation of the upcomming Christmas holiday. I was just looking through the channels of my TV set and ran across this movie that had been on for maybe 40 minites or so. just as I tuned in, John Boy had just recked the family truck looking for his Daddy. I continuded watching this show while more and more becomming curiously intersted in this family from the 30s who seemed to be so poor but in turn so very rich in love and closeness of a strong and courageous group of relitives. After the airing of "The Homecomming" that night, I was filled with a feeling of goodness and respect of family that today is almost non exsistant in television. To tell the truth, I think it may never come to that type of programing ever again. I had no idea of what I just witnessed in the beginning program of what would become the best , most highly respected family show to date. This is a TRUE classic, timeless and ever lasting and if you are like me , I know that values shuch as the ones that The Waltons taught us for 10 years after that Dec. night, should make a comback and make it fast!!What happened? can you tell me? Ill tell you all this ,to this day , I still find myself messing around with my kids at night saying, goodnight John boy, goodnight Mary Ellen (although their names are not John Boy nor Mary Ellen) but still I wait for the reply that I heard so many Thursday nights in the 70s at 900pm which is truly music to my ears.... goodnight Daddy!