Santa Claus

David Huddleston is the best Santa ever on the big screen. John Lithgow is a fantastic villain. Dudly Moore is a fine elf. And Mrs. Claus is perfectly cast. The child actors leave a lot to be desired, but I guess they are cute enough to be in a Christmas movie.

Henry Mancini brings his wonderful talents to the music score and the set design is exactly what you imagine Santa's workshop would look like.

In an entertainment world that is obsessed with trying to find the next gritty and dark hit, sometimes it's nice to just enjoy a simple family film that makes you smile.

And this last sentence is only here to meet the character limit.

I absolutely love this movie. It is, quite simply, the best Christmas movie there is. I discovered it when I was a teenager and have since watched it repeatedly every Christmas season - in fact, I've just finished watching it for the first time as a married women.

The story is uplifting and magical and real and is a *must see* for anyone who wants an instant touch of Christmas spirit. I can not recommend this movie highly enough!

I've just seen the movie on TV with my kids for the umpteenth time.

The first hour of the film is great...it really puts me in the Christmas spirit. The rest of the film...well I can take it or leave it! By the way, David Huddleston who played Santa, is for me, the greatest Santa in the world ever, honestly.

I've just read another review that says Dudley Moore wasn't an incredibly likable character, and I have to completely disagree! I have watched this movie nearly every single year... as I have the VHS, and it's one of the most terrific X-mas movies out there -- other than "Christmas Story", "A christmas Carol" (any version), and "The Night they Saved Christmas". I've watched this since I was a very little girl, and I always loved the character Joe. I think I might have had the tiniest crush on him, even! The man who plays Santa is amazingly wonderful, and he's definately the type of guy that a kid would just love to leap onto the lap of... and to take comfort and confidence in. As this Santa befriends a young homeless boy who has absolutely nothing and no one else... until both he and Santa meet the daughter of an extrodinarily rich and disasterously greedy culprit of a businessman ... of course he's the grandfatherly figure we all dream of having! He's beyond any other Santa I've ever EVER seen -- he even beats Mickey Rooney (though Granted Mickey was only Santa in those lovely little 'cartoons'.)

Anyhow, this is a great movie with a beautiful soundtrack, great actors, nice though not particularly wonderful sets, effects that were passable for the year they were made, and most definately a touching and memorable plot. It's for all ages, and I definately reccomend it.

I can not remember what age I was when I first seen this movie. But I do remember that it used to be played on Irish TV every year on Christmas eve.My best memory from childhood was sitting by the coal fire to let my hair dry and watching this movie.

My favorite part was always when Joe shouts Yo and the raindeer take flight! It still makes me shiver.

I am now 24 and only wish I could get it on DVD here in the UK so I could play it on a regional 2 player. I have a baby on the way and I would love someday for my children to enjoy the wonder of Santa Claus the movie as I did all those years ago.

This film gave me a lot of happy Christmas' Dx