The Night They Saved Christmas (1984)

Such a frustrating disappointment

Excellent but underrated film

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

BEWARE OF FALSE REVIEWS & REVIEWERS. SOME REVIEWERS HAVE ONLY ONE REVIEW TO THEIR NAME. NOW WHEN ITS A POSITIVE REVIEW THAT TELLS ME THEY WERE INVOLVED WITH THE MOVIE. IF ITS A NEGATIVE REVIEW THEN THEY MIGHT HAVE A GRUDGE AGAINST THE FILM . NOW I HAVE REVIEWED OVER 300 HOLIDAY FILMS. I HAVE NO AGENDA.The Night They Saved Christmas is a 1984 American made-for- television Christmas film directed by Jackie Cooper and executive produced by Jack Haley, Jr. and Robert Halmi, Jr. The film, about an oil company dynamiting in the North Pole in search of an oil field unaware that they are endangering Santa Claus, starred Jaclyn Smith and Art Carney and premiered on ABC on December 13, 1984.This film is worth watching. It has a charming cast and a story line that hits all the right notes without diving into the deep end. This is a Television-Movie so the Special Effects are limited and not the best however the film story works and that is what counts.

I think this is a great movie, and that Art Carney made a wonderful Santa Claus. This is one of my "must watch" movies every Christmas. June Lockhart makes a great "Mrs. Santa" as well and you get a good glimpse into Santa's modern North Pole workings. The father, busy trying to hit the oil that he knows is there, and trying to appease a very demanding and inconsiderate boss, is losing touch with his youngest. His wife has had enough of the constant up-rooting of the family, and informs him that she and the kids are going back to civilization after the New Year, with or without him. Next he is confronted by "Ed" who is Santa's "Chief Elf" who tries to convince him that his use of explosives is endangering the existence of "North Pole City, and there is good chance he will blow up Santa Claus". He thinks it is s joke, being pulled off by a well known company prankster, but when his wife and kids go with Ed, and do not return, and the prankster knows nothing about any of it, things turn serious. Even with his wife and kids missing, the boss doesn't lighten up one bit, but rather threatens his job if he doesn't find that oil and soon. Find the oil, wife and kids missing, hateful boss, wife ready to leave him, and some elf says he's destroying Santa...what next?

I first saw this movie when it was on TV. I just loved it. It made me believe in Santa Clause. It shows such imagination. A very heart warming story. I think everyone should see it. I watch it several times during the Christmas season. The movie depicts Santa's north pole like I think it would look. It's the best depiction ever. The movie is such a feel good movie. I cry a happy cry every time I watch it. If this movie doesn't make the scroogeiest person believe in Santa, nothing will. My thanks to the cast for making this movie. I have a young great niece and nephew and I intend to have them watch this movie this year. I know they will love it.Thank you for making the best Christmas movie ever.

THE NIGHT THEY SAVED CHRISTMAS has to be one of the most annoying movies ever-(made-for TV or otherwise). The storyline is really insipid, the performances-with all due respect to Art Carney-are unbelievably bad.A real good-for-nothing holiday non-classic. MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATRE 3000 can't even salvage this one.Rating: 1/4 * out of *****