Simple Gifts (1977)

December. 03,1977

| Animation TV Movie

A collection of animated Christmas shorts: An original Maurice Sendak piece about a boy with nothing to give for Christmas -- An excerpt from the early part of Virginia Woolf's "Orlando" set in a time of extreme cold in Tudor England -- A short based on the Toonerville Trolley -- A bittersweet excerpt from Moss Hart's autobiography "Act One" narrated by Jose Ferrer -- A reading from the Christmas day entry from the diary of 11-year-old Teddy Roosevelt -- A reading of a letter by Captain Edward James Hulse describing the surprising Christmas Truce of 1914 -- An animated version by R.O. Blechman of his own book "Tutto Esaurito" (No Vacancy) about the travels of Mary and Joseph.

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Cast

Colleen Dewhurst as Self - Host

[1992] Bed & Breakfast [1991] Dying Young [1987] Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel [1986] Sword of Gideon [1986] As Is [1986] The Boy Who Could Fly

Hermione Gingold as Narrator (segment "The Great Frost") (voice)

[1984] Garbo Talks [1983] How to Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Days [1975] Tubby the Tuba [1972] The Special London Bridge Special [1967] Jules Verne's Rocket to the Moon [1966] Munster, Go Home!

José Ferrer as Narrator (segment "A Memory of Christmas") (voice)

[1990] Hired to Kill [1987] The Wind in the Willows [1985] Seduced [1985] Hitler's SS : Portrait In Evil [1985] Covenant [1984] George Washington

Reviews

AnhartLinkin

1977/12/03

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

InformationRap

1977/12/04

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

Siflutter

1977/12/05

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

Kien Navarro

1977/12/06

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.