The Christmas Pageant

Just enough familiar faces in "Pagaent" to keep me interested. Edward Hermann is Garrett Clark (LOVED him in Overboard, with Goldie Hawn). In our film, his wife Ethel is played by Candice Azzara ( You'll know her as Rodney D's wife in "Easy Money"). Unfortunately, the comedic scenes here are pretty hokey... our star Melissa Gilbert has a spilled food scene at dinner, but the timing isn't right or something. She plays Vera, who has come from the big city to be director of a small town play. Sound familiar ? I couldn't stop thinking of Christopher Guest's "Waiting for Guffman". Vera manages to tick off most of the cast, and no-one seem s to like the changes she wants to make. This film also has similarities to "Big Eden", except in that one, the townspeople really like the outsider, big city person who returns to the small town. Of course, Vera must meet a townie, and there are ups and downs as we watch the courtship, helped along by a precocious little girl. It's OK. Things happen, decisions must be made. On the Hallmark Channel. Directed by David Cass, who directed Gilbert in two earlier films. Cass also has an interesting Bio on IMDb.

I was skeptical because some reviews for this film were mediocre. I ran across one that said this movie was underrated. That reviewer was right! I enjoy Melissa Gilbert so I decided to give this film a chance. I am so glad I did. My whole family enjoyed it. If you're looking for a good movie to get you in the holiday spirit or just a feel good movie, this is it!! You won't be disappointed!

This is an utterly predictable but sweet and well-told story. Melissa Gilbert plays a stage director who has annoyed everyone in Manhattan, so when she gets an offer to direct a Christmas pageant somewhere upstate, she takes the gig. The usual heartwarming journey of self-discovery and love ensues.

Miss Gilbert gives a very graceful performance and is willing to undergo the indignities that the occasional bit of farce demand. The roles are one-note affairs, although the way the love interest slides in is interestingly handled. In short, this is the usual Hallmark Channel non-fantasy Christmas story.

"The Christmas Pageant" takes a stab at a different movie for the holidays, but it doesn't quite work. And, while romance isn't the constant thread in this film, it still fits in that largest group of films made for Christmas time release.

The idea of a Broadway director being canned and having a reputation so that she can't find a job is quite a stretch to begin with. That she would then wind up being paid to direct an adult Christmas pageant in upstate New York is another stretch. But, stretches are okay if the movie can convince the audience. That takes a very good plot and good acting. In this case, it hinges on one role - that of Vera Parks, the director.

The scene that leads to her firing from her last off-Broadway play is laughable. Melissa Gilbert as Parks shows about as much temper, impatience and nastiness as Winnie the Pooh. Her mannerisms and attitude don't come near convincing one that she is a hard-nosed director whom cast members can't get along with or tolerate. No, Gilbert needed to show some real nastiness in her early scene, and she just doesn't have it. Nor does she have it when she goes to tackle the small town Christmas pageant.

So, the rest of the story plays out mostly with a small bunch of local folks, most of whom have their own little eccentricities or problems. And, Vera discovers that her former fiancé of 10 years earlier is a widower with a cute and clever young daughter. Can anyone guess how this might end? It gets five stars precisely because of the corny characters who give this so-so film a little feeling of fun anyway.

Melissa Gilbert is so annoying in this movie. She also looks terrible - why, with all their money, do some stars get the worst plastic surgery? She should have left her looks alone. I know there is usually a character in Hallmark Christmas movies who is resistant to the good spirit of the holidays, but there is nothing appealing about her character. She's just nasty. This is a boring waste of time.