Figure 1.--Here's a nice choice for the holiday season. The movie is set in the South and based on a Truman Capote story. Buddy's parents are separated. Buddy is played by T. J. Lowther.

A film to bear in mind for Christmas (it's been shown for the past few seasons) is a 1994 film starring Henry Winkler, called One Christmas, set in the South during the early 1930's. A very nice adaptation of the bittersweet Truman Capote story. Exccellent depictions of 1930's clothing are found in this film. A boy being raised by aunts in Alabama spends Christmas with his father in New Orleans. T A boy takes the bus from his grandma's house in rural south Alabama, to spend Christmas with his high-rolling, high living Dad (Winkler) in New Orleans. Dad takes one look at son's well-worn clothes and homemade haircut and takes him to get a new blue short pants suit and a "gentleman's haircut". No complaints from the youngster--he's equipped for the big city. Rather a somber made for TV movie. The central character is an 8-year old boy, Buddy (T.J. Lowther). Buddy is a bit on the sullen side, but a refreshing change from the precocious brats normally seen on TV. He wears short pants. For most of the movie he is in either a brown or blue short pants suit. Usually he wears short socks, but at the very end he is wearing blue knee socks with his blue short pants suit. He makes friend with a black boy about his age who wears knickers.

Filmology

One Christmas is based on a Truman Capote' bittersweet short story set in 1934 concerning his adventures with the father he had before met.

Cast

The cast included: Katharine Hepburn, Henry Winkler, Swoosie Kurtz, Julie Harris, and T. J. Lowther. Buddy, played by 8 years old T.J. Lowther, who appears to have had a short career as a child star. He is perhaps better known as Kevin Costner's hostage in A Perfect World (1993). Buddy's father is played by Henry Winkler. The wealthy lady Buddy's dad is courting is played by Swoosie Kurtz. The society matron who controls her daughter's finances is played by Katherine Hepburn. I'm not sure who plays Buddy's friend Toby.

Plot

Buddy lives in rural Alabama with his great Aunt Sook. His parents are divorced, and Buddy and Sook are rather poor. Just before Christmas, Sook sends Buddy to visit his Dad in New Orleans. It is Christmas 1930. Buddy who is 8-year-old dreams of finding Santa, a snow-covered New Orleans and a new relationship with his father. When the bus arrives he finds himself in New Orleans spending the holidays with his father who is more like a stranger.

Dad is a slick gambler and schemer and living fashionably well. Seeing Buddy for the first time in years, Dad decides at once that Buddy needs both a haircut and new clothes. Buddy's well worn cap, coat, and shorts are replaced by an elegant gray sports coat, dark blue shorts and knee socks and necktie. Dad lives from scam to scam, often at the expense of wealthy ladies he's charmed. Presently, he's trying to convince the unmarried daughter of New Orleans' wealthiest and most powerful matron to invest in an airplane to be entered in a aerial race. The daughter is charmed; mother, who controls the finances, isn't.

Buddy tries to adjust to life with father, his housekeeper, and her son, Toby. Buddy has two wishes for Christmas: his parents to get back together and to see it snow for Christmas. Both wishes seem improbable. His mom is a struggling actress in New York, and snow is quite rare in New Orleans. Still, Buddy believes that wishes can come true. Such faith is tested, however. Dad squelches any idea of a reconciliation with mom. More bad omens follow. The irplane that Dad is pitching to investors crashes. Toby tells Buddy there's no Santa to make wishes come true; Toby didn't get the radio he asked for one Christmas. Snow is not forecast for Christmas, either.

Dad, desperate for funds, proposes marriage to the wealthy daughter of the society matron who dislikes him. Buddy, of course, is against that idea as he still thinks his mother anf father should get together. He shows her a picture of his mom and dad, and that chills the marriage proposal and earns Buddy an angry tirade from his dad. Deeply depressed, Dad tries to drink away his troubles.

A near tragic accident involving Buddy brings Dad and the wealthy daughter back together. In the end, however, the daughter again says no to marriage. She gave Buddy a radio for Christmas, but he in turn wrapped it up and gave it to Toby with the message, "From Santa". Dad asks Buddy what he wants for Christmas, and Buddy answers that he wants to return home to Sook and to see it snow. Dad can make the first wish come true, at least. As the bus leaves the station, though, as Dad and Buddy, now reconciled, say their good-byes, Buddy's fondest wish comes true: it's snowing in New Orleans on Christmas! At the end, father and son realise that the greatest thing they have is each other.

Figure 2.--Buddy visits his father for Christmas. His father is a sharp dresser and a bit of a flim-flam man. He thinks Buddy should dress better. Here Bussy wears the new suit his father bought for him.

Assessment

The charm of this unusual Christmas story is that each of the characters was in effect a child with broken hopes. Only Buddy, however, still had faith in his dreams. At films end every one had received, if not what he wanted, what he needed. Toby received a radio; Buddy saw it snow. The wealthy, unmarried daughter gained some wisdom, and Dad gained Buddy's love. Buddy came to the city an innocent child, and he left with his hope and faith intact. With that hope he'd helped mend the broken dreams of those he befriended in a season of miracles.

Clothing

Clothes come up in the story because Buddy's scheming dad is a slick dresser and he insists that his son also dress a little smarter. Buddy arrives at the bus stop wearing worn clothes and in need of a haircut. He thus takes Buddy for new clothes as soon as he arrives in New Orleans, as discussed above. Dad takes one look at son's well-worn clothes and homemade haircut and takes him to get a new blue short pants suit and a "gentleman's haircut". No complaints from the youngster--he's equipped for the big city. Buddy wears short pants throughout the film. For most of the movie he is in either a brown or blue short pants suit. Usually he wears short socks, but at the very end he is wearing blue knee socks with his blue short pants suit. His friend Toby who is about his same age wears knickers.

Created: December 20, 2001
Last updated: 5:00 AM 1/24/2008