A Christmas Memory

Vastly superior to the more recent version with Patty Duke, based on Truman Capote's autobiographical piece of the same title (originally published in conjunction with Breakfast at Tiffanys).

Geraldine Page is absolutely magnificent as Sook, the simple but loving companion of Buddy, Capote's young self, a lonely boy not yet corrupted by the realities of life. This moving story of their special relationship revolves around the annual event of baking large numbers fruit cakes to give as Christmas presents to everyone from friendly passing acquaintances to the president of the United States.

Living as they do in near poverty, dependent on the seemingly grudging support of uninterested (?) family members, they must scrounge and forage for the necessary ingredients to make the cakes. Particularly touching is their visit to the local bootlegger to purchase a bottle of whiskey. Frightened tho they are of approaching this intimidating character, they screw their courage to the sticking place to achieve their goal, with a surprising result.

As a young teen, I happened to read this story shortly before seeing the television presentation. It was a real emotional double whammy to experience the sensitive story of the love between these two 'outcasts', first on the page and then upon the TV screen. Surprisingly, I also got to see it on the movie screen several years later, 1972 or 1973, in a southern CA movie theater, where it was, if I recall correctly, shown before a screening of The Devils. Strange, very strange, double bill!

Page, of course, was brilliant in her portrayal of this 'cracked teacup', her ability to allow a character to be as vulnerable, yet strong in some surprising ways, has never in my opinion seen its equal in any actor. And the young actor, Donnie Melvin as Buddy, delivers a performance of heart aching innocence so fine that it cannot help but thaw the meanest Christmas Scrooge.

Like many others I remember seeing this on television, and I've always remembered it because of Capote's narration and Geraldine Page's portrayal of Cousin Sook.

Recently I purchased a color version of the movie on DVD and watched it again for the first time in decades. It is as good as I remembered and very faithful to the original story, and also just like the story, it is short, less than an hour.

Some have posted that the color version is better, but it's the story and the acting that make this film special, not whether it is in b/w or color, so if you can't get it in color (which is difficult) get it in b/w and share this wonderful classic with those you love.

As good as everyone says! Beautiful-poignant-a Gem. It is so true that this should be shown again and again during Holiday time--so that the general public can treasure it's beautiful, heartfelt simplicity--its charm, its delight at life. Frank and Eleanor Perry had directed some other gems right around this time--"David and Lisa" and "Last Summer" very different--but with a way at looking so very close to the characters, going to the very core of their beings--examining their hurts, their yearnings. The fragile/strong Sook and the fragile/strong childhood Capote are joined at the hip--they are portrayed with loving detail by the great Geraldine Page and a youngster named Donnie Melvin. This almost seems to anticipate "Harold and Maude" where there are equal amounts of knowing laughter, profound statements said off the cuff by Sook and Maude, which resonate so deeply, tenderness, and heartbreaking sadness as life and inevitability, the march of time and the inexorable presence of death announcing that "all good things must come to an end". But in dreams and memories, those good things live on--and this long-forgotten masterpiece deserves to be one of those. The music score is by Meyer Kupferman, who I actually had the great pleasure of knowing. He was a great bear of a man, a respected contemporary composer, clarinetist and teacher. I only found out that he wrote the beautiful, colorful film score while recently watching a DVD I purchased from Amazon. (Expensive--probably because it is so rare--but worth its weight in gold). Now I so wish I had known that he was the composer of this lovely, touching film score--I wish I could have talked to Mr. Kupferman about his experience writing this gorgeous score! But instead, like this fragile film of a brief, treasured Christmas Memory, it will remain an elusive dream. The people die, life moves on--but the art, the magic, the memory lives on.

The late Geraldine Page is simply wonderful in this film, made by Frank and Eleanor Perry for ABC TV in 1966. (Sadly, the boy who plays young Truman isn't very good.) But it's a pity this version, which Capote narrates, has been buried or driven off the market by the regrettable, badly written, late 1990s remake with Patty Duke. I haven't seen this adaptation, which was also theatrically released in "Trilogy" with other Capote stories, on television since the mid 80s. Thankfully, it was still on local TV stations at Christmas time then (though in sadly battered prints), and I was able to record it for future years. No Christmas Eve is complete without a showing. It never fails to bring smiles and tears.

For many years, this 1966 production of "A Christmas Memory" (don't be fooled by the very marginal 1997 Patty Duke re-make) was broadcast annually on PBS. I recorded one of those broadcasts a long time ago and the tape has deteriorated considerably. So I looked on Amazon for a DVD; no luck. But Amazon listed a VHS format of it in black and white; why black and white, I'm not sure. According to the information on Amazon, the company which produced the b&w VHS has sole rights to sell the movie. So I bought it. The quality is fine but I'd much rather have it on DVD and in color. If you ever have a chance to see the movie on TV or buy it on home video, be sure to do so. Geraldine Page's performance and Capote's narration make it worth the hunt.

There's also a sequel of sorts: "The Thanksgiving Visitor." ( http://imdb.com/title/tt0324218 ) Another adaptation of a Capote short story with Page reprising her role as Sook.