''It Happened One Christmas'' is a 1977 American

made-for-television A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie, telefilm, telemovie or TV film/movie, is a film with a running time similar to a feature film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a Terrestr ...

Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a Religion, religious and Culture, cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by coun ...

fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical elements, often including Fictional universe, imaginary places and Legendary creature, creatures. The genre's roots lie in oral traditions, ...

comedy-drama Comedy drama (also known by the portmanteau dramedy) is a hybrid genre of works that combine elements of comedy and Drama (film and television), drama. In film, as well as scripted television series, serious dramatic subjects (such as death, il ...

film directed by

Donald Wrye Donald Wrye (September 24, 1934 – May 15, 2015) was an American Film director, director, screenwriter and producer. He is best known for directing the 1978 film ''Ice Castles''. He died on May 15, 2015, at his home in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. ...

, starring

Marlo Thomas Margaret Julia "Marlo" Thomas (born November 21, 1937) is an American actress, producer, author, and social activist. She is best known for starring on the sitcom ''That Girl'' (1966–1971) and her Children's television series, children's franc ...

Wayne Rogers William Wayne McMillan Rogers III (April 7, 1933 – December 31, 2015) was an American actor, known for playing the role of Captain "Trapper" John McIntyre in the CBS television series '' M*A*S*H'' and as Dr. Charley Michaels on '' House Call ...

Orson Welles George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American director, actor, writer, producer, and magician who is remembered for his innovative work in film, radio, and theatre. He is among the greatest and most influential film ...

, and

Cloris Leachman Cloris Leachman (April 30, 1926 – January 27, 2021) was an American actress and comedian whose career spanned nearly eight decades. She received many accolades including 22 Primetime Emmy nominations and won eight, tying Julia Louis-Dreyfus ...

. It originally premiered as ''

The ABC Sunday Night Movie ''The ABC Sunday Night Movie'' is a television program that aired on Sunday nights, first for a brief time in 1962 under the title ''Hollywood Special'' (although ''Time'' magazine lists this version as ''The Sunday Night Movie'') to supposedly ...

'' on December 11, 1977.

Plot

The film, a gender-reversed version of the 1946 film '' It's a Wonderful Life'', centers on Mary Bailey Hatch, a young woman who dreams of seeing the world but is forced by circumstances to remain in her small hometown as head of the family's Building & Loan business. On a Christmas Eve, in a moment of financial crisis, a severely depressed Mary contemplates

suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Risk factors for suicide include mental disorders, physical disorders, and substance abuse. Some suicides are impulsive acts driven by stress (such as from financial or ac ...

, but is rescued by her

guardian angel A guardian angel is a type of angel that is assigned to protect and guide a particular person, group or nation. Belief in tutelary deity, tutelary beings can be traced throughout all antiquity. The idea of angels that guard over people played ...

, Clara Oddbody (

). Clara shows Mary the positive effect that she has had on everyone she has met throughout her life.

Cast

Production

Lionel Chetwynd Lionel Chetwynd (born January 29, 1940) is a British-American screenwriter, director and producer. Life and career Lionel Chetwynd was born to a Jewish family in Hackney, London, the son of Betty (née Dion) and Peter Chetwynd. His family move ...

's teleplay, directed by Donald Wrye, varies little from the original screenplay, even using most of the original dialogue. Thomas served as executive producer for the project. Revisions in the script include fleshing out and exploring some of the characters who are citizens of Bedford Falls to a greater extent than in the original. When George, Harry (Mary's brother), and the Hatchs' friends, Bert and Ernie, go off to fight in the

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, each sends letters to Mary describing their experiences. All four characters are shown in uniform, interspersed with actual war footage. Another brief scene depicts George attempting to readjust to civilian life after the war has ended. The characters of Ma Bailey (played by Doris Roberts), Violet Bick (played by Karen Carlson), and Sam Wainwright (played by an uncredited Jim Lovelett) are practically reduced to bit parts, in contrast to the more full-bodied performances interpreted by

Beulah Bondi Beulah Bondi (born Beulah Bondy; May 3, 1888 – January 11, 1981) According to the State of California. ''California Death Index, 1940–1997''. Center for Health Statistics, California Department of Health Services, Sacramento, California. At ...

Gloria Grahame Gloria Grahame (born Gloria Penelope Hallward; November 28, 1923 – October 5, 1981) was an American actress. She began her acting career in theater, and in 1944 made her first film for MGM. Many biographies indicate she was born Gloria Graham ...

, and

Frank Albertson Francis Healey Albertson (February 2, 1909 – February 29, 1964) was an American actor who had supporting roles in films such as '' It's a Wonderful Life'' (1946) and '' Psycho'' (1960). Early life Albertson was a native of Fergus Fall ...

, respectively, in the 1946 film. The musical score is by

Stephen Lawrence Stephen Adrian Lawrence (13September 1974 – 22April 1993) was an 18-year-old black British citizen from Plumstead, southeast London, who was murdered in a racially motivated attack while waiting for a bus on Well Hall Road, Eltham, on the ...

and the cinematography by

Conrad Hall Conrad Lafcadio Hall, (June 21, 1926 – January 4, 2003) was a French Polynesian-born American cinematographer. Named after writers Joseph Conrad and Lafcadio Hearn, he became widely prominent as a cinematographer earning numerous accolade ...

Promotion and release

The film premiered on Sunday, December 11, 1977, and was an infrequent instance when ''

'' showcased a

film rather than a theatrical release. It was the fourth-most watched prime time television program for the week, with a Nielsen rating of 27.5, or 20 million homes.(14 December 1977)
NBC Drops to Third in TV Ratings
''Indiana Gazette'' (Associated Press content)

Reception

''It Happened One Christmas'' was first broadcast at a time when ''It's a Wonderful Life'' was rarely aired on television and, as a result, many viewers were unfamiliar with its source. However, once the original 1946 film returned to the airwaves on an annual basis, the remake slipped into obscurity.

Reviews

The reviews were mixed. After its initial airing a ''

New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' follow-up article revealed that

Frank Capra Frank Russell Capra (born Francesco Rosario Capra; May 18, 1897 – September 3, 1991) was an Italian-American film director, producer, and screenwriter who was the creative force behind Frank Capra filmography#Films that won Academy Award ...

, the director of the 1946 film ''It's A Wonderful Life'', had denounced the remake as "plagiaristic." The ratings, however, were good enough that it was rebroadcast on ABC twice, in 1978 and 1979. But by that time the original ''It's A Wonderful Life'' had begun its resurgence on television and eventually eclipsed the remake.

Availability

''It Happened One Christmas'' is rarely shown today, and has not, as of 2017, been issued on DVD. It can be viewed at the

Paley Center for Media The Paley Center for Media, formerly the Museum of Television & Radio (MT&R) and the Museum of Broadcasting, founded in 1975 by William S. Paley, is an American cultural institution in New York City with a branch office in Los Angeles. It is de ...

(formerly The Museum of Television & Radio) in New York City and Beverly Hills, California. A search for the title on YouTube returns the full movie posted via several accounts, including an HD version. As of 2024 it has been viewable on YouTube for numerous years with no apparent takedown claims, suggesting that the Thomas production company Daisy Productions has allowed it to remain freely available.

Award nominations

Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...

nominations (1978):"It Happened One Christmas" (1977), Turner Classic Movies
/ref> * Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie (Cloris Leachman) * Outstanding Art Direction for a Miniseries or Movie ( John J. Lloyd – Art Director) * Outstanding Art Direction for a Miniseries or Movie ( Hal Gausman – Set Decorator)

References

External links

* {{It's a Wonderful Life 1977 films 1977 television films 1970s Christmas comedy films 1970s Christmas drama films 1970s fantasy comedy-drama films American Broadcasting Company original films American fantasy comedy-drama films American Christmas comedy-drama films Remakes of American films American Christmas television films Films about angels Films directed by Donald Wrye Films set in New York (state) Films set in the 1940s Films set in 1944 Television remakes of films American comedy-drama television films 1970s American films 1977 comedy-drama films English-language fantasy comedy-drama films