Christmas is a time for tradition – presents, decorations, carols, and mince pies. But what better tradition to celebrate than the Christmas movie? Join The Hollywood News for the Movie Advent Calendar – a film each day ’til Christmas. For the full Advent Calendar so far, click here.
I’d say this isn’t as well known to UK audiences but I promise you that the spirit, and maybe some psychoanalysis, of Christmas is most definitely here in this North American classic. A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS is rather special and was the first major animated TV special based on Peanuts, the comic strip created by Charles M. Schulz and utterly deserves it place in our countdown to Christmas!
Our protagonist Charlie Brown (voiced by Peter Robbins) takes centre stage as he traipses along lost in a word of mild depression and trying to convince everyone that the real spirit Christmas has been lost. There are constant flickers of pure heart as, even in 1965, he talks of excessive commercialism and the loss of any true heart to the season. To add to his woes, Charlie hasn’t even received one single Christmas card from any of his friends and they’re all tied up in their – what he feels – soulless activities. All these factors also continue to fuel the embers of his belief: That no-one likes him.
In a true American style, this young and confused soul even has a shrink in the form of young ‘psychiatrist’ Lucy (voiced by Tracy Stratford). She suggests that to truly feel the heart of Christmas, he needs to get involved and offers him the opportunity to direct the school Christmas play. There are reservations from everyone as they all think he’ll just mess it up but to his credit, he does begin to get involved.
What makes this a distinct and unique Christmas story is its underlying honesty. It may not be big, brash and over-baring but it asks the questions of friendship and the importance of a subtly told story looking to the bigger picture. There’s a turning point where Lucy instructs Charlie to go out and do something useful and get them an aluminium tree for their play but Charlie Brown can’t do it. He picks a small, slightly imperfect real Christmas tree and although initially everyone does laugh at all and his questions and depression begin to return…there is a twist in the tale. As he runs away, thinking it’s all a waste of time, the others gradually realise that they’ve been a little too hard on young Charlie Brown and follow him to help decorate the minuscule and sparse tree.
What gives A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS the edge and what makes it worth an extra look is its authenticity, it’s about not trying too hard, not worrying about the material things in life and instead finding the spirit within, whatever you feel that to be. There’s even a jazz soundtrack created by Vince Guaraldi which was a best seller across the pond plus it won an Emmy, can’t be too bad for a first try on a shoestring budget with a majority of the cast who’d never voiced characters before. It was a surprise hit in 1965 and continues to be a major part of the North American build-up to Christmas some 46 years later.
So, what you waiting for? Go explore A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS and really drift away with the nostalgia and enjoy that final ‘Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown!’
