Written by: Kassidy at 5:40 pm
Filed under: Movies,Seasonal & Holiday
While I had heard about the movie, The House without a Christmas Tree, I had never had the chance to see this movie, which I knew many considered to be a Christmas Classic. I was raised watching movies like A Christmas Story, the original Miracle on 34th Street, It’s a Wonderful Life, Christmas Vacation and other, similar, higher budget Christmas movies that have been tucked away as a part of the Christmas tradition for many homes across the United States.
The House without a Christmas Tree, while it has its devoted fans, was a few years before my time. The first audiences of this Christmas movie were able to see it on television. The story is a made for TV movie, and for many years, remained elusive to those of us who only knew about it by name though we had not seen it. Luckily, Paramount has put The House without a Christmas Tree out on DVD for all older audiences who remember this film, and newer audiences yet to be introduced, to this story to enjoy together.
Release Information:
The House without a Christmas Tree originally aired on CBS in 1972. It was loosely based on a book by Gail Rock and adapted to be a made for television movie. In 1996, for the first time, the movie was released on VHS and October 16, 2007, Paramount Home Video has released The House without a Christmas Tree on DVD. Fans of the television movie speak highly of it and question why it has not joined other classic Christmas movies, such as A Christmas Story on network television during the holidays.
The House without a Christmas Tree Plot:
Director, Paul Bogart (Torch Song Trilogy, The Heidi Chronicles), had a superb group of actors to work with on this project. With the right direction by Bogart and the outstanding performances by the cast, all it would take was the writing, adapted to screenplay magnificently by Eleanor Perry (Diary of a Mad Housewife, David and Lisa), to bring the movie together. I can honestly say, after watching The House without a Christmas Tree, they don’t make made for TV movies like they used to back in the 70s.
The House without a Christmas Tree chronicles the life of young, Addie Mills (Lisa Lucas). It’s 1946 in Nebraska and 10 year old Addie lives with her Grandmother (Mildred Natwick), and her father, Jamie (Jason Robards). Throughout the story we learn that Addie’s mother died when she was a baby from pneumonia and Jamie has never really accepted or recovered from her death.
It’s Christmastime at Addie’s house, and every year, she is one of the only kids to not have a Christmas tree. Her father makes every excuse in the book for why they cannot have a tree this year (or any year) from “it’s too expensive and a waste of money” to “because I said so”. Addie’s schoolmates make fun of her for not having a tree and because they say her Grandmother is a nut and a character. Addie solves these dilemmas by getting in fights, which her teacher breaks up and tries to have a discussion to explain why it is not nice to make fun of people.
Addie would do anything to have a Christmas tree this year, though her father won’t budge. It isn’t the Christmas tree that’s the problem or Addie’s behavior for that matter. The quiet, incredibly damaged, Jamie just isn’t ready to be reminded of the death of his wife, which he blames himself for and which happened during Christmastime. Since Addie is the spitting image of her mother in every way, it’s hard for him to forget they aren’t the same person and he needs to start living again.
Audio/Visual:
Upon seeing that The House without a Christmas Tree was filmed in an archaic videotape format, I have to admit I was a bit nervous about the quality of the film overall. While this movie looks quite different then most you will watch (and it cannot be updated like a movie that was filmed with Hollywood style cameras can), it gives a more realistic feel to it. The House without a Christmas Tree was transferred to DVD at an aspect ratio of 1.33:1.
Once you get past the “I’m watching a family Christmas video” feel, how the movie was shot and the visual quality, which is acceptable, doesn’t take away from the powerful story behind The House without a Christmas Tree. The audio was incredibly easy to hear despite being Dolby Digital 2.0 mono. I didn’t have problems hearing like I have with other DVDs that have mono audio tracks, so there are no complaints, and though there are no subtitles, those with a hearing impairment can use closed captioning while watching The House without a Christmas Tree.
Bonus Features:
Sadly, there are no bonus features on The House without a Christmas Tree disc. I would have loved to see some commentary from the actors that made this film, a where are they now featurette, to see Addie all grown up, and perhaps some deleted scenes or bloopers. Let’s hope they include something else in future releases of this movie.
Bottom Line:
The House without a Christmas Tree is a heartwarming movie. I knew I was going to like it, but I was truly surprised how much I enjoyed this film. The House without a Christmas Tree has been added to my family’s collection of Christmas movies. It is something I plan to enjoy with my children and husband this year and every year. I highly recommend this film to anyone who enjoys warm, family friendly movies.
If you love Christmas Classics, it is time to add a new one to your collection. So, make sure to give The House without a Christmas Tree a try this Christmas and learn about the true meaning and spirit of Christmas in this realistic family drama.
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Technorati Tags: The House without a Christmas Tree, DVD Review, Lisa Lucas, Jason Robards, Christmas movie, Family
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Written by Kassidy - Visit Website
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Kassidy received her degree in Journalism in 2002. She lives in the Midwest with her husband of six years, Jason, and their two little girls, Madison (5) and Emma (2.5), with one (a boy) on the way. The couple is very excited to welcome their first son next January. Passions in life for Kassidy include painting, scrapbooking, writing, being a Mommy, watching romantic comedies, and dancing.
