Scanialara You won't be disappointed!

Smartorhypo Highly Overrated But Still Good

Dotbankey A lot of fun.

Hayden Kane There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

jjnxn-1 Minor reverie based on Truman Capote's short story about a trip he made as a youngster to meet the father who to that point was a stranger to him. What he finds is hardly the stuff of fairy tales. His father is a shyster living a flashy front but hollow beneath. On top of that he's a selfish, thoughtless, sometimes cruel man who has no idea how to relate to his lost needy little boy.The biggest deficit the film has is Henry Winkler in the lead. He's just not believable as a film-flam man who has the women of the town falling at his feet and pushing money in his pockets. He doesn't give a bad performance but he doesn't fit the part in the least. Then there's T.J. Lowther who plays the young protagonist, he has big mournful eyes and a quiet manner but he doesn't register enough on screen to keep the viewer interested in his plight.Fortunately the cast does include Swoosie Kurtz who makes anything she's in better as she does here and in a small role Julie Harris who does a great deal with her few minutes on screen. She's actually more memorable in her tiny bit that either father or son throughout the entire movie. The film has a lovely spic and span look, too clean to actually be real places but nice to look at nonetheless. This Hallmark holiday special marks the end of Katharine Hepburn's career. Playing Swoosie's rich aunt she is required to do little more than to grumble and grouse until loosening up a bit towards the end. By this time her palsy was severe enough to be ever present and impeded any real characterization but her star power is still there no matter how frail she is. It's certainly a more dignified exit from the stage than many of her contemporaries were able to manage. A respectable rendering of Capote's story, nothing magical but worth catching once to see a legend take her final bow.

Esmollin Truman Capote's story rises above some mediocre acting. I love his writing so I watched this. I didn't enjoy it as much as his Thanksgiving story, but it had its moments.I felt Winkler was badly cast. He seems like a New Yorker among Southerners, not sure if this was on purpose. Katherine Hepburn is fine despite her failing health.The boy was not a brat, as some reviewers have said. He is a troubled boy who Misses his mother and wants to know where she is. Sadly, his father does not tell him the truth, and this causes him to wish to be back with his aunt. Julie Harris is wonderful as his aunt. All in all, it's worth watching if you can overlook some of the performances.

happipuppi13 I'm not sure how some others arrived at a negative conclusion after seeing this movie. I checked it out from the library,having found out it was the last thing Hepburn ever did on film. Hepburn is basically by this time playing herself (and except for her most extreme movie roles) I think she always had to some extent.Her charm in the movie is simple and easy. Hers is really not the main role in the movie,that would be Buddy and his father. (Played by my favorite actor Henry Winkler.) While his character is obviously not aware that his best efforts in being Buddy's dad are only hurting him more,he is really just a man trying to re-connect with his boy.Buddy is not a brat but a child filled with hurt and confusion. (With a dad like he has,that is crooked and an embarrassment before the town it's no wonder! ...but all becomes rectified by the end I wont say how). It is after all,a holiday film. One watch is all it took to make me want to see it again....at Christmas.(Interesting to note: Kate's first movie "A Bill Of Divorcement" & last movie "One Christmas" both take place at Christmas.

Goon-2 I can't really enjoy a film if I do not care for the main character. This one is a bratty little kid named Buddy who gets sent to live with his father during the Depression-era Christmas season. Buddy had previously been living with some older-by-about-60-years cousin(the only character I kind of liked) due to the fact that his father is basically a scheming criminal. The father(Henry Winkler) pretends to be some great success for Buddy, but Buddy doesn't really buy it and neither does the rest of the town, which looks down on the dad. Although the father makes an enormous effort with Buddy, Buddy the monster never really accepts his father or his new living situation. This means Buddy yells, complains and has outbursts similar to annoying Kevin Arnold's at the end of a Wonder Years episode. Instead of people yelling at Buddy and teaching him to appreciate his life, constant praise is heaped upon him and it is clear that Buddy is supposed to be some wonderful, charming child. I didn't buy it and did not appreciate being subjected to the little brat! (for the record, the rest of the film is disinteresting, slow-moving and not worth investing one's time in)