The Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses: Richard III

"And therefore, since I cannot prove a lover
To entertain these fair well-spoken days,
I am determined to prove a villain
And hate the idle pleasures of these days."

A few years after Edward IV (Streatfeild) became the King of England, his younger brother Richard (Cumberbatch) is scheming to take the throne.  King Edward prefers their other brother, George, Duke of Clarence (Troughton), so Richard pays a soothsayer to convince the king that George is a threat.  George is imprisioned in the tower and murdered by Richard's assassins.  Richard blames Queen Elizabeth (Hawes) and her social-climnbing family and King Edward dies.

Richard is the Lord Protector for his young nephews: Prince Edward (Morley) and Prince Richard (Andrews).  As they prepare to crown Edward as the next king, Richard plots with his cousin, the Duke of Buckingham (Daniels).  They send the boys to the tower and remove/kill the opposition.  They also convince the other nobles that the boys are not legitimate heirs to the throne.  The nobility call for Richard to assume the throne and he is crowned King Richard III.  But the women in his life are not happy.  Queen Margaret (Okonedo), the widow of King Henry VI, wants revenge for the murders of her husband and son by Richard's hands, and she curses him.  Queen Elizabeth does not trust him and fears for her sons.  Her fears are shared by Richard's mother, Cecily (Dench), who despises her son.  And his wife, Queen Anne (Fox) wants no part in his life, as Richard killed her father, father-in-law, and first husband.  He also faces opposition from another claim to the throne, Richmond (Treadway), who is bringing an army.  Can Richard keep his throne?


This is the final film in the second series of the BBC's The Hollow Crown.  The first series is 4 films, based on the first 4 plays of William Shakespeare's the Henriad: Richard II, Henry IV Part 1, Henry IV Part 2, and Henry V.  The second series of three films is based on Shakespeare's 4 plays about the war of the roses: Henry VI Part 1 (which is "Henry VI, Part 1" and the first half of "Henry VI, Part 2"), Henry VI Part 2 (the second part of "Henry VI, Part 2" and all of "Henry VI, Part 3"), and Richard III.

This film is Benedict Cumberbatch in all of his glory.  From the opening moments of the film, Cumberbatch directly addresses the camera/audience and reveals his plans.  His Richard is a master manipulator, always "on" and always playing a part.  As he dresses in the opening scene, he reveals his intentions to be the villain (in the quote above), and even as you watch him plan terrible things, you can't hep but be captivated by him.  He was the best part of the previous film and does not disappoint here.  He schemes and destroys, but not by his own hand (unlike the previous film).

He is joined by an excellent cast.  Once again Sophie Okonedo is strong and captivating as Queen Margaret.  Keeley Hawes gets to do a little more in this film, and holds her own.  Judi Dench is always excellent and is wonderful as Cecily, especially as she matches barbs with Cumberbatch.

Despite the high death count, we only see one murder (although there is some blood).  It is still a fascinating story and the perfect way to end the series.

The Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses: Richard III (2016) 130 minutes
Director: Dominic Cooke
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch as Richard III
Judi Dench as Cecily, Duchess of York
Sophie Okonedo as Queen Margaret
Keeley Hawes as Queen Elizabeth
Geoffrey Streatfeild as Edward IV
Sam Troughton as George, Duke of Clarence
Ben Daniels as Duke of Buckingham
James Fleet as Lord Hastings
Phoebe Fox as Queen Anne
Luke Treadway as Richmond
Caspar Morley as Prince Edward
Isaac Andrews as Prince Richard
Paul Bazely as Catesby
Alan David as Bishop of Ely
Jo Stone-Fewings as Lord Stanley

Caddyshack: 900th Review

900 in 10 years!

100 Monty Python and the Holy Grail  /  200 Duck Soup  /  300 Super Troopers  /   

400 Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein  /   500 The Odd Couple  /  600 Stir Crazy / 700 Tommy Boy / 800 Jack and the Beanstalk

"Ty, what did you shoot today?"

"Oh, Judge, I don't keep score."

"Then how do you measure yourself with other golfers?"

"By height."

Danny Noonan (O'Keefe) is a golf caddy at the prestigious Bushwood Country Club.  He needs to earn money for college and is trying to win the club's college scholarship.  All of the caddies want the scholarship, but only one will receive it.  To increase his chances, he starts caddying for influential club member Judge Smails (Knight).  Smails is the co-founder of the club and in charge of the caddy scholarship.  Smails enjoys his position within the club and his family: wife (Kibbee), irritating nephew Spaulding (Barmon Jr) and promiscuous niece Lacey (Morgan), use the club every day.

Danny also regularly caddies for Ty Webb (Chase), whose father co-founded the club.  Ty is a talented golfer, but he does not play with a group or keep score.  As the caddy competition heats up, Smails is distracted by the presence of new member Al Czervik (Dangerfield).  Czervik is a construction tycoon.  He is loud and abrasive and ignores the club etiquette.  His behavior is a constant irritant to Smails.  Smails' niece is also a distraction for the caddies, who vie for her attention and the scholarship, despite Smails best efforts.  Danny is also interested in Lacey, even though he is in a relationship with Maggie (Holcomb), who works in the food stand at the club.  Meanwhile, the course is being ruined by a gopher, and assistant groundsman Carl Spackler (Murray) becomes obsessed with destroying the creature.  Can Danny get the scholarship and the girl?


Caddyshack is an iconic sports film.  It was Harold Ramis' directorial debut.  Ramis served as the co-writer of the film, alongside Douglas Kenney and Brian Doyle-Murray.  The story is based on Doyle-Murray's (and others) experiences as a golf caddy as a teenager.  The film was originally supposed to focus on the caddies and their experiences with the eccentric Bushwood members.  However, Ramis encouraged improvisation and the roles of the caddies shrank as the roles of Ty, Czervik, and Carl increased (they were originally planned as cameos).

The film is popular in the golf community and with professional golfers.  It also appears regularly on top movie lists for sports and comedy films.  It appeared on 3 of the American Film Institute's (AFI) 100 Years Lists: 100 Years...100 Laughs, 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes, and 10 Top 10 in the Sports Category.  Carl's Cinderella story scene and the "Be the Ball" sequence are often quoted.  The Cinderella story was improvised by Bill Murray.

The cast is great.  This was stand-up comedian Rodney Dangerfield's first big film.  His Al Czervik is obnoxious but entertaining.  Ted Knight was an established actor, best known for his role on The Mary Tyler Moore Show.  His Judge Smails is pompous and ridiculous, but he keeps the character from being truly evil.  He and Dangerfield are the perfect foils for each other.  Saturday Night Live vet Chevy Chase's Ty is laid-back with a sly sarcasm that is often missed by the other characters.  Bill Murray was still on SNL while filming this, and his Carl is perfectly unhinged and off-kilter, especially concerning his obsession with the gopher.  Doyle-Murray has a small role, as the caddy's boss Lou.

All of the adult characters are eccentric and interesting and keep the zany film moving.  The teenage caddys, on the other hand, slow down the story.  Michael O'Keefe is mostly the straight-man to the comedians.  He is fine as the teen lead, but nothing extraordinary here.  Scott Colomby is much more interesting as Tony, but he doesn't have much screen time.  Cindy Morgan is eye-candy and Sarah Holcomb is annoying.  Holcomb isn't a bad actress, but her character is annoying and has an unexplained Irish accent.  The other caddys and staff members don't have defined personalities, but a few get some good lines throughout the film.

It is a zany whirlwind of a movie, and definitely lives up to the hype.

Caddyshack (1980) 98 minutes
Rating: R for sexual content, nudity, some language and drug use
Director: Harold Ramis
Starring: Chevy Chase as Ty Webb
Rodney Dangerfield as Al Czervik
Ted Knight as Judge Elihu Smails
Michael O'Keefe as Danny Noonan
Bill Murray as Carl Spackler
Sarah Holcomb as Maggie O'Hooligan
Scott Colomby as Tony D'Annunzio
Cindy Morgan as Lacey Underall
Dan Resin as Dr. Beeper
Henry Wilcoxon as Bishop Fred Pickering
Albert Salmi as Mr. Noonan
Elaine Aiken as Mrs. Noonan
John F. Barmon Jr. as Spaulding Smails
Lois Kibbee as Mrs. Smails
Brian Doyle-Murray as Lou Loomis

Florence Foster Jenkins

"She's remarkable, isn't she?"

Florence Foster Jenkins (Streep) is an heiress and music lover.  She started the Verdi Club to help others love and appreciate music.  After attending the opera with her husband, St. Clair Bayfield (Grant), she wants to resume singing lessons.  They put an ad in the newspapers to find a pianist to accompany her, and hire Cosme McMoon (Helberg).  McMoon is thrilled to work with her, especially when he learns that her vocal coach is Carlo Adams (Haig), one of the conductors at the Metropolitan Opera.  But his enthusiasm diminishes when he hears her sing.  She has a terrible voice, but is praised by both Adams and Bayfield.

Jenkins has syphilis, a condition she received from her first husband.  Her body is dying, but she remains a powerful presence.  She continues to train every day and wants to perform a concert.  Bayfield and McMoon hand-pick her audience and she is a success.  But her performance leads to a request for a bigger venue and audience.  Can Bayfield and McMoon honor her request and shelter her from ridicule?


This film is based on the life of Florence Foster Jenkins.  As the film portrays, Jenkins was an heiress with a love for music.  She was an accomplished pianist, until an injury ended her career.  She turned her attention to her vocal career.  However, she didn't have talent as a singer.  That didn't stop her from performing and gathering a large following that included notable stars such as Cole Porter.

Her story / life inspired writer Nicholas Martin to write a script about her.  Stephen Frears has directed numerous films about strong women (mostly period pieces) and was the perfect choice to direct this story.  Meryl Streep has once again disappears into a role.  She does all of her own singing in the film and makes you fall in love with the character.  Despite the fact that she receives top billing, Hugh Grant is in more of the film.  Grant makes Bayfield sympathetic and interesting.  Simon Helberg plays the piano (and does all of his own playing) and displays his comedic skills as Cosme McMoon.

It is an interesting film and Streep has award-show buzz and nominations.

Florence Foster Jenkins (2016) 110 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for brief suggestive material
Director: Stephen Frears
Starring: Meryl Streep as Florence Foster Jenkins
Hugh Grant as St. Clair Bayfield
Simon Helberg as Cosme McMoon
Rebecca Ferguson as Kathleen Weatherley
Nina Arianda as Agnes Stark
Stanley Townsend as Phineas Stark
Allan Corduner as John Totten
Christian McKay as Earl Wilson
David Haig as Carlo Edwards

The Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses: Henry VI, Part 2

"Can I do this, and cannot get a crown?  Tut, were it farther off, I'll pluck it down."

Five years after Richard Plantagenet of York (Dunbar) names himself king, the Yorks and Lancasters are still fighting.  Suffolk (Watkins) and Somerset (Miles) are killed in battle, and Suffolk's son Clifford (Soller) vows revenge.  The York's take the castle and place Plantagenet on the throne.  To spare his own life, King Henry VI (Sturridge) names Plantagenet as his heir.  He is permitted to live, and his son Ned (Archie Bradfield) will be spared but disinherited.  His sons, Edward (Streatfeild), George (Stroughton), and Richard (Cumberbatch), are not happy with the arrangement.  Queen Margaret (Okonedo) is enraged, and with Clifford and their followers attacks the Plantagenet home.  In the battle, Plantagenet is killed and his sons go to war with the Queen.  Henry goes into the battle and is driven to madness.  The Plantagenet's are victorious and the eldest becomes King Edward IV.

Ten years later, Margaret and Prince Ned (Barney Harris) are living in France.  King Edward marries Elizabeth Woodville (Hawes), a widow.  His action angers Warwick (Townsend), who journeyed to France to request the hand of King Louis' (Andrew Scott) sister for Edward.  Warwick vows his allegiance to the House of Lancaster.  Edward's actions also cause division within his family.  With French aid, who will win the war for the throne?


This is the second film in the second series of the BBC's The Hollow Crown.  The first series debuted in 2012 and was based on the first four plays in William Shakespeare's Henriad: Richard II, Henry IV Part 1, Henry IV Part 2, and Henry V.  The second series is based on Shakespeare's history plays about the war of the roses (thus the subtitle of this film).  The series is based on 4 plays, but was made into 3 films / episodes: Henry VI Part 1 (which is "Henry VI, Part 1" and the first half of "Henry VI, Part 2"), Henry VI Part 2 (the second half of "Henry VI, Part 2" and all of "Henry VI, Part 3"), and concludes with Richard III.

This film is much more violent than it's predecessors.  There is much more death, blood, and scheming.  Many of the characters from the previous film do not survive this film.  Anton Lesser is the only actor to appear in both series.  He began as Exeter in The Hollow Crown: Henry V and continued that role in this series.

Benedict Cumberbatch steals the show as Richard.  He is fascinating to watch and the best part of this film.  Cumberbatch has the best speeches (including the quote at the beginning) and speaks directly to the camera a few times.  Sophie Okonedo was the best part of the previous film, and she doesn't disappoint here.  She even gets to put on chain mail and lead her army into war.  Tom Sturridge continues to be a weak link, surrounded by extremely talented actors and actresses.  It's not that he's bad, it's just that his character is the least interesting one on the screen.

Once again I haven't read either of these Shakespeare's history plays.  I have an overall understanding of the actual events, but I don't know the specifics.  During the film, I took notes and continually checked the list of actors and the figures they portrayed to make sure I knew what was happening.  It was especially helpful since many of the characters have more than one name (especially the revolving door of kings and queens).

Of note, King Louis of France is played by Andrew Scott.  Scott and Cumberbatch play adversaries (Moriarty and Sherlock Holmes) on the BBC series Sherlock.

The Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses: Henry VI, Part 2 (2016) 123 minutes
Director: Dominic Cooke
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch as Richard Plantagenet
Sophie Okonedo as Queen Margaret
Keely Hawes as Queen Elizabeth
Tom Sturridge as Henry VI
Adrian Dunbar as Plantagenet
Geoffrey Streatfeild as Edward IV
Sam Troughton as Clarence
Stuart McQuarrie as Vernon
Kyle Soller as Clifford
Richard Lynch as Westmorland
Lucy Robinson as Cecily
Stanley Townsend as Warwick
Anton Lesser as Exeter
Ben Daniels as Buckingham
Ben Miles as Somerset
Jason Watkins as Suffolk
Phoebe Fox as Lady Anne
Andrew Scott as King Louis

12 Men of Christmas

"You'll be surprised to know that I haven't gotten lost once yet today."

"Well, it's not even noon yet, so..."

E.J. Baxter (Chenoweth) is a successful P.R. manager in New York.  She loves her job and has the perfect fiance, Noah (Peter Mooney).  All of that changes at the company Christmas party when she catches Noah and her boss, Lillah Sherwood (Hanson) having an affair.  She ends the engagement, quits her job, and moves in with her sister, Roz (Erin Dilly).  Lillah has her blackballed from the P.R. community, and the only job she can get is in Kalispell, Montana.

Her new job in Montana is to convince corporations to have retreats in town.  The town is far removed from the world E.J. is used to.  She can't find anything and stands out from her neighbors.  She is paired with Jan Lucas (Chlumsky), who shows her around town.  Shortly after arriving, the town makes the news when the local Search and Rescue make an incredible rescue.  She attends a bar-b-que to raise money to support the team and meets the men that risk their lives every day.  They need money to purchase a helicopter, but all of their efforts are not enough.  E.J. approaches the team, which includes Mayor Bob Baker (Eldridge), to pose for a half nude calendar.  All of the proceeds will go to the team.  Will Albrecht (Hopkins), who immediately dislikes E.J., is opposed to the calendar, but the rest of the squad agrees.  Can E.J. find love and success in Kalispell?


The story is based on two novels by Phillipa Ashley: "Decent Exposure" and "Dating Mr. December."  The name of the main character is changed from Emma Tremayne to E.J. Baxter, but the overall story is the same.

The film was made into a film for the Lifetime television channel.  The film is what you expect.  It is a decent made-for-TV movie, but it is not great overall.  And despite having the word Christmas in the title, it is not specifically a Christmas film (it is Christmas at the beginning and ending of the film).

Kristin Chenoweth is always entertaining and is very likeable here.  She works well with Anna Chlumsky, who is great but doesn't get to do much.  The rest of the cast is populated with television actors and actresses.  The film is entertaining, if predictable.

12 Men of Christmas (2009) minutes
Director: Arlene Sanford
Starring: Kristin Chenoweth as E.J. Baxter
Josh Hopkins as Will Albrecht
Anna Chlumsky as Jan Lucas
Erin Dilly as Roz Baxter
Stephen Huszar as Jason Farrar
Heather Hanson as Lillah Sherwood
Jefferson Brown as Eric
Craig Eldridge as Mayor Bob Baker
Chantal Perron as Dr. Marci Hempel
Paul Constable as Dave Hempel
Aaron Abrams as Les Pizula

The Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses: Henry VI, Part I

"My thoughts are whirled like a potter's wheel; I know not where I am nor what I do."

After the death of King Henry V, his infant becomes King Henry VI.  His uncle, Gloucester (Bonneville), is named Lord Protector, and along with the Bishop of Winchester (West) and Exeter (Lesser), are charged with protecting the king and the kingdom.  Seventeen years later, Henry VI (Sturridge) is still relying on his uncle and great uncles to help lead the kingdom.

The court is divided between Richard Plantagenet of York (Dunbar) and Somerset of Lancaster (Miles).  Plantagenet was recently named the Duke of York and has a claim to the throne.  He and his followers wear a white rose, while Somerset and his followers wear a red rose.  Their disputes are put on hold when the Louis, Dauphin of France has declared himself king and with Joan of Arc (Laura Morgan) leading his army, is ready to take back the French lands that are ruled by Henry.

During the fight with the French, Somerset meets Margaret of Anjou (Okonedo), and wants to make her Henry's queen.  Henry is charmed by her beauty and marries her.  But she is bored by the king and begins an affair with Somerset.  Can Henry unite his bickering court and lead his country to victory?


In 2012, the BBC made a miniseries of the first four plays in William Shakespeare's Henriad: Richard II, Henry IV Part 1, Henry IV Part 2, and Henry V; called The Hollow Crown.  The series was massively successful, and in 2015 they decided to do a second series, called The Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses to focus on the next 4 Shakespeare history plays (Henry VI Part 1, Henry VI Part 2, Henry VI Part 3, and Richard III).  But they decided to condense the Henry VI plays into 2, causing this iteration of the miniseries to have 3 parts: Henry VI Part 1, Henry VI Part 2, and Richard III.

Henry VI Part 1 is considered the weakest of Shakespeare's history plays.  For this miniseries, they chose to combine it with the first part of the Henry VI Part 2 play.  The first series was successful due to the incredible actors who played the kings, but Tom Sturridge doesn't reach their level.  King Henry VI is supposed to be weak and easily swayable in this play, and that is how he is portrayed.  He isn't an interesting character and doesn't have much to do, other than let the others make their deceptions around him.

Unlike the previous series, this time the women have a bigger part to play.  Sophie Okonedo is a powerhouse as Queen Margaret, a woman that isn't afraid to speak her mind and is more politically savy than expected.  She is firy and manipulative and fascinating to watch.

Hugh Bonneville, best known for his role on PBS' Downton Abbey, is the moral and respectable Gloucester.  And his duty to his nephew and country, are nicely contrasted with Sally Hawkins as his scheming wife, who will do anything to get the crown for her husband.  Ben Miles, who I loved in the BBC show Coupling, is sneaky as Somerset, while Adrian Dunbar is the righteously indignant Richard of York.

This film serves to setup the pieces for the next part of the series: The War of the Roses.  Anyone familiar with history (or from the Pennsylvania areas near the towns of Lancaster or York), is familiar with the overarching concept / colors (York is white and Lancaster is red).  It helps to have at least a basic knowledge of the players and the play (both parts 1 and 2 of Shakespeare's Henry VI).  Since they condensed the plays, it can be confusing to identify all of the players (especially when they are talking about each other and can go by multiple names).

It is a fascinating film and makes me excited to watch Part 2.

The Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses: Henry VI, Part 1 (2016) 111 minutes
Director: Dominic Cooke
Starring: Tom Sturridge as King Henry VI
Sophie Okonedo as Margaret of Anjou
Hugh Bonneville as Gloucester
Sally Hawkins as Duchess of Gloucester
Adrian Dunbar as Richard of York
Samuel West as Bishop of Winchester
Stanley Townsend as Warwick
Anton Lesser as Exeter
Ben Miles as Somerset
Jason Watkins as Suffolk
Michael Gambon as Mortimer

Central Intelligence (2016)

"You ever steal a plane before?"

"I stole some Starbursts one time."

Calvin "Golden Jet" Joyner (Hart) was the best of the best at his high school: smart, star athlete, thespian, etc.  He was named most likely to succeed and everyone expected him to have a bright future.  20 years later, he is married to his high school sweetheart Maggie (Nicolet) and is an accountant.  Maggie is excited about their 20 year high school reunion, but Calvin is ashamed of his life.  A few days before the reunion he is contacted by Bob Stone (Johnson), a former classmate.  Bob was named Robbie and was overweight and the brunt of most people's jokes.  His misfortune culminates when he is thrown into the gym naked, in front of the entire class.  He changed his name and started a strict exercise regime.

Bob and Calvin spend the evening bonding and reminiscing.  The next morning Bob reveals that he is in the CIA and needs Calvin's help.  Can Calvin survive the dangerous world of international spies and intrigue?


Kevin Hart is on a roll.  Every action comedy he touches turns to gold, including this film.  He started as a stand-up comedian, but also has a successful film career.  Hart is charismatic on screen, even when his character is not particularly compelling.  His charisma and comedic timing are matched by Dwayne Johnson.  Johnson started his career as professional wrestler in the WWF and then transitioned to acting.

Hart and Johnson work well together and are the perfect comedic foils for each other.  Hart is the uptight all-star, while Johnson is socially awkward and mysterious / keeps you on your toes.  Their physical differences add to the comedy.  Amy Ryan is the serious CIA agent that is chasing them.  Jason Batemen gets to be the snarky jerk, which is perfect for him.

It is an entertaining action flick with lots of laughs.  It isn't overly memorable, but it is mindless entertainment and an excellent summer flick.

Watch the credits for a blooper reel.

Central Intelligence (2016) 107 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for crude and suggestive humor, some nudity, action violence and brief strong language
Director: Rawson Marshall Thurber
Starring: Kevin Hart as Calvin "Golden Jet" Joyner
Dwayne Johnson as Bob Stone
Amy Ryan as Agent Pam Harris
Aaron Paul as Phil Stanton
Danielle Nicolet as Maggie Johnson-Joyner
Jason Bateman as Trevor Olson

Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July

"If life has taught me anything is that you can't live on banana splits."

Winterbolt (Frees) is a powerful and evil wizard.  Alongside his ice dragons, he rules with an iron fist, until Lady Boreal (Nellie Bellflower) uses her magic to defeat him.  He is put into a deep sleep, and over time he is forgotten.  Many years later he awakens to reclaim his land, and is shocked to discover the presence of Santa Claus (Rooney).  As he plots, Lady Boreal transfers the last of her magic into a newborn reindeer, named Rudolph (Richards), which makes his nose glow.  She tells him that he will always have that power, unless he uses his nose for evil.

Winterbolt, with the help of his Genie of the Ice Scepter (Ravenscroft), discovers that stopping Rudolph is the only way to destroy Santa and restore his ruthless rule.  He plans to get Rudolph away from the North Pole, and enlists shady reindeer Scratcher (Sues) to lead him astray. He uses lovesick ice cream man Milton (Buttons) and the failing Lilly Loraine (Merman) circus to get Rudolph to venture out in July, along with his pal Frosty (Vernon) the Snowman.  Winterbolt gives Frosty and his family the ability to travel without melting, but there is a time limit.  Can Rudolph and his friends save the circus and stop Winterbolt?


In 1979, Rankin Bass decided to bring their two biggest stars together: Rudolph and Frosty.  Rudolph was the star of the stop-motion films Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Rudolph's Shiny New Year.  Frosty was the star of the traditional animation films Frosty the Snowman and Frosty's Winter Wonderland.  This was the only film to feature Frosty in stop-motion form.

The film featured other Rankin Bass favorites: Big Ben, Jack Frost, Santa Claus, etc.  And the main voice cast also returned: Jackie Vernon as Frosty, Mickey Rooney as Santa Claus, Shelley Winters as Crystal, Paul Frees as Jack Frost.

The villain in this film is a new character: Winterbolt, not to be confused with Winter Warlock from Santa Claus is Coming to Town.  This is a much darker tale than other Rankin Bass holiday classics.  Winterbolt has dark plans and wants to destroy the beloved characters, so this might not be the best fit for younger children.

Thankfully, the film also features some upbeat songs to off-set the darkness of the film.  Broadway star Ethel Merman gets to belt out most of the songs in the film.  The main characters get to reprise some of their iconic hits, and they also get some new songs.

Even though the story doesn't take place over Christmas, it is still featured in most classic Christmas movies.

Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July (1979) minutes
Director: Jules Bass & Arthur Rankin Jr.
Starring: Billie Mae Richards as Rudolph
Jackie Vernon as Frosty
Red Buttons as Milton
Ethel Merman as Lilly Loraine
Paul Frees as Winterbolt / Jack Frost
Mickey Rooney as Santa Claus
Alan Sues as Scratcher
Darlene Conley as Mrs. Claus
Shelby Flint as Laine Loraine
Don Messick as Sam Spangles
Shelley Winters as Crystal
Thurl Ravenscroft as Genie of the Ice Scepter

Frosty's Winter Wonderland

Frosty the Snowman (Vernon) is very lonely.  He misses his friends and is overjoyed to hear about the first snow of the year.  He rushes back to see his friends and enjoy playing with them.  But he is sad every evening when the kids have to go inside.  The kids decide to make him a wife, named Crystal (Winters).  She comes to life when when Frosty gives her a bouquet of snow flowers.

Meanwhile, Jack Frost (Frees) is jealous of Frosty and all the attention he gets.  Jack thinks that if Frosty went away, the children would love him most.  Can Frosty avoid Jack and live happily ever after with Crystal?


In 1950, the song "Frosty the Snowman" debuted.  It was written by Walter "Jack" Rollins and Steve Nelson and performed by Gene Autry.  The song was was adapted into an animated film (Frosty the Snowman) in 1969, directed by Jules Bass and Arthur Rankin Jr.

After the success of that film, they decided to make a sequel.  Romeo Muller returned as the writer, while Bass and Rankin once again served as the directors.  And Jackie Vernon returned as the voice of Frosty.  Other than Frosty, the only other returning character is the policeman.  Andy Griffith is the narrator.  Voice actor Paul Frees has voiced numerous Rankin-Bass characters, and shines here as Jack Frost (a role he would return to in Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July).

Like it's predecessor, this film features songs.  The big showpiece for this film is the song "Winter Wonderland," which they sing / reenact towards the end of the film.

It's a cute little film, but not nearly as fun / memorable as it's predecessor.

Frosty's Winter Wonderland (1976) 25 minutes
Director: Jules Bass & Arthur Rankin Jr.
Starring: Andy Griffith as Narrator
Jackie Vernon as Frosty
Shelley Winters as Crystal
Paul Frees as Jack Frost
Dennis Day as Parson Brown

The Year Without a Santa Claus

"No fighting, you two."

"Well, if I can't have any fun I might as well leave."

Santa Claus (Rooney) has a bad cold in the weeks leading up to Christmas.  He thinks no one believes in him or cares, and decides to cancel Christmas. Mrs. Claus (Booth) enlists the help of elves Jingle Bells (McFadden) and Jangle Bells (Bolke) to change his mind.  They take young reindeer Vixen and try to find proof that people believe in Santa Claus.  Along the way they are caught in the crosshairs of the Miser brothers latest fight, and end up stranded in Southtown.  The town is in the south and too warm for Vixen, so they leave her in the shade and begin their search.  They meet young Iggy Thistlewhite (Duffy), who doesn't believe in Santa Claus.

They talk to the Mayor (Marshall), who agrees to give Santa a holiday if it snows in Southtown.  Mrs. Claus takes them to meet with Snow Miser (Shawn), who is in charge of snow and cold.  They also meet with his brother Heat Miser (Irving), who controls heat and the south.  Meanwhile, Santa discovers their plan and heads to Southtown to fix things.  Can the elves and Mrs. Claus help Santa see that he is loved and needed so Christmas is back on?


This was the fourth Christmas special made by Rankin/Bass Productions.  The company was founded in the 1960s by Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass.  They specialized in stop-motion animation, but later they also made traditional animated films and some live-action films.  In 1970, they introduced Santa Claus (voiced by Mickey Rooney) in the film Santa Claus is Coming to Town.

The story of this film is based on the book "The Year Without a Santa Claus" by Phyllis McGinley and illustrated by Kurt Werth.  They brought Rooney back as Santa Claus and cast Shirley Booth as Mrs. Claus.  Like it's predecessor, this is a musical featuring Christmas songs.  The film was popular and is part of the yearly Christmas movies that airs on television.  It was popular enough to get a live-action remake in 2006 with John Goodman as Santa Claus.  And in 2008, they made a sequel A Miser Brothers' Christmas, introducing the third brother North Wind.

It is a Christmas classic, especially when paired with Santa Claus is Coming to Town.  And that pairing made my Top 10 Christmas Movie List.  It is different from other Christmas films, memorable and heartfelt.

The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974) 48 minutes
Director: Jules Bass & Arthur Rankin Jr.
Starring: Shirley Booth as Mrs. Claus
Mickey Rooney as Santa Claus
Dick Shawn as Snow Miser
George S. Irving as Heat Miser
Bob McFadden as Jingle Bells
Bradley Bolke as Jangle Bells
Rhoda Mann as Mother Nature
Ron Marshall as Mr. Thistlewhite / Mayor
Colin Duffy as Ignatius "Iggy" Thistlewhite