The Man Who Saved Christmas

What a pleasant surprise this movie was. Those of you used to seeing Jason Alexander as George Costanza will be amzed by the totally different character he plays here. Unlike the selfish neurotic he is known for, Alexander plays Gilbert as a wonderful boss, marketing genius, and CEO with a conscience.

If anything the movie does not go into enough detail about this amazing man. AC Gilbert was a Olympic gold medal pole vaulter (nope I wouldn;t have bought Alexander in any scenes from the Olympics), Harvard cum laude med student as well as a toy maker. The Erector set was considered "The Greatest Toy Ever". It was only the first of many toys that Gilbert invented.

The movie's story is simple but touching. Man invents toy, becomes a success. He is asked to put aside his toymaking to support the war effort. The movie is very fair in presenting this issue. The Gov't types who ask Gilbert to support the war effort did not do it to rob kids of Xmas. The US got into WW1 quite suddenly and was behind the eight ball is producing supplies to support the troops. Asking factories already in production for other goods to reconfigure was teh quickest was to do it. Gilbert is forced to chose between doing what he loves and supporting his country in time of need. He does so with a heavy heart and is equally successful as an arms maker. However, the horrors of war and it's impact on one his staff as well as his own family makes him re-think his decision. How he comes around to the man of the title of the movie probably didn't really happen that way in real life, but it makes for a touching story anyway.

At a time now when many of us are torn between supporting a war overseas as opposed to enjoying the comforts of home, this moview is especially timely. I taped it for my family and it will be a moview we will enjoy during the holidays for years to come.

That God we didn't see Jerry or Kramer as a couple of Gilbert's toy makers...

10 out of 10

In the early 1900's, A.C. Gilbert (Jason Alexander) is the son of a wealthy businessman, Charles (Ed Asner). Although the younger Mr. Gilbert went to medical school, he has never gone into practice. Instead, A.C. invented the Erector Set and is trying to get it onto the toy shelves of the country. Helping him is his younger brother, Frank (Ari Cohen) and offering strong support is his wife, Mary (Kelly Rowan). This is in opposition to Charles' views, for he thinks the venture is certain to fail. After celebrating the birth of his son, A.C. finds creative ways to market the toy and does become successful. Flash forward seven years. Now, A.C.'s factory is humming along and he offers daycare to his workers, along with other benefits. But, alas, The Great War has broken out and the Gilberts placid life is about to change. First, Frank is drafted and the whole family prays for his return. Then, A.C. is startled to be summoned to the White House, where top officials ask him to convert the toy factory into a weapons manufacturing company for the duration of the war. "No" is really not an option, for fear of being labeled unpatriotic so the switch is made. After another passage of time, the war is still raging and Frank is missing in action. Now, government officials ask A.C. to be their spokesman for a campaign to avoid "toy giving" for the coming holidays and buy war bonds instead. With a young son himself, who looks forward to Christmas like any other child, what will A.C. do this time? This is quite a lovely film for the family, although very young children would find it harder to appreciate. The story is a heart-grabbing, character-building winner, based on actual events and people. The cast is very fine, with Alexander doing a wonderful job in the primary role and Rowan, Asner, Cohen, and all of the others complimenting him nicely. Also, the sets, costumes, photography, script and direction are quite admirable as well. I bought his lovely film in a "one dollar" bargain bin and it included a musical CD of Christmas songs. So, yes, the price was right but this is a film to savor, worth much more than a buck. Lucky me and anyone who sits down for a view.

I stumbled across this movie yesterday on WGN. I really enjoyed watching it. I collect old toys and knew a little bit about the AC Gilbert company. Movie takes place from about 1910ish to Xmas 1918. Alexander was very good in the role--only yelled once in the film. The props were mostly right on. The Dictaphone machine used was incorrect--an authentic Dictaphone from the time didn't use a horn to speak into. Plus they were electric by this time. Also the cylinders are longer than the one used. I also noticed a fan in the factory that was made well after WWI. Another critic noticed AC jr was born in 1919. Otherwise, props were appropriate for the time period. Film moved nicely from beginning of the business through the end. I thought the young FDR was done well. I'd recommend the film both as a Xmas tradition and a history lesson about AC Gilbert. If you ever owned an American Flyer trainset, chemistry set or Erector set, you've been in touched by AC Gilber.

"The Man Who Saved Christmas" would probably fail the historical accuracy test on any number of points -- casting roly-poly Jason Alexander as the former Olympic athlete A.C. Gilbert, for example; or the fact that A.C. jr., who features prominently in the film's storyline, wasn't even born until almost a year after World War I ended -- and so, if historical accuracy is your main criterion in judging a film, skip this one.

If, however, you're after warmth with intelligence, or a dose of sweetness that is neither sappy nor cloying, with perhaps a few telling insights into human nature thrown in for good measure, I suggest taking a look at this one. Jason Alexander crafts an amazing character, balancing childlike innocence against shrewd business savvy as his A.C. Gilbert struggles in his decency to do the right thing. First, however, he has to determine for himself just what is, ultimately, that "right thing," blind, unquestioning patriotic adherence to what the government wants out of him, or to look within himself as well and to follow the voicings of his own conscience? And, if so, then how to reconcile the two?

It's a particular strength of this film that there are no clear-cut "bad guys," per se. Even the senior Gilbert's seemingly hardheaded Scrooginess (under Ed Asner's stewardship) is tempered by an affection that doesn't come off as forced; but then, neither does the man's various changes of heart as he's forced to reconcile his own attitudes with those of his sons.

The real-life A.C. Gilbert is said to have trusted in the intelligence of the children to whom he marketed his science/technology-oriented toys. The same can be said for the producers of "The Man Who Saved Christmas" and their attitude toward their audience.

After his latest series bombed and he was reduced to doing Kentucky Fried Chicken commercials, Jason Alexander makes a refreshing return to TV in this true story based on the life of toy inventor A.C. Gilbert, who created the now-famous Erector Set. During World War I, Gilbert was persuaded to have his factory staff produce weapons and ammo for American troops fighting overseas instead of toys. The decision caused him to forget about the true meaning of the holidays and neglect his wife and son. With their persuasion, however, and his older brother missing in action in Europe, Gilbert and his staff decided to start marketing toys again and took their decision all the way to the Supreme Court.

Alexander gives a wonderful performance, and Ed Asner does a remarkable job playing Gilbert's father, who also tends to have a Scooge-like attitude during Christmas but is finally rejuvenated at the end of the movie, when his presumed-dead son returns home from Europe after the end of the war.