A Christmas Without Snow

This is one of those TV movies that builds quietly and steadily to an emotional finish. Michael Learned plays a recently divorced woman who moves to another city with her slightly rebellious teenager. She has to build her life again among strangers, and she begins by joining a local church and their choir. The choirmaster, played with real spleen by John Houseman, is a perfectionist and they clash right from the start. Learned has many other pressures in her life, not the least of which is an ex-husband trying to gain favor with his son, and she begins to feel that the choirmaster is more an enemy than a friend. Just when she's ready to quit the choir, several things happen that reaffirm her faith in God and in herself, and she stays.

This isn't shown anymore, and is difficult to find. But it's worth a look if you run across it, and it's perfect for the Christmas season.

In many ways, this wonderful movie shows its age, especially in its very hip portrayal of how modern people, albeit of the late 70's, should be acting. Fortunately, there is a great deal of traditionalism which is left standing, although one guesses that it is just as a warm fuzzy. As in the modern world, the people of the movie are overwhelmed with the difficulties of life. Perhaps, though, like the majestic pipe organ itself, the movie demonstrates how our being requires a complete overhaul, climbing out of the dirty reality of life into the beautiful world of the spirit.

The star of the movie is the music and it is warm and grand and as wonderful an occasion as one can possibly imagine. The movie itself is a wonderful enigma: it traces the sometimes empty and disillusioning physical reality of daily life and lackluster choir practices and somehow results in the very symbol of Christmas, much like that of the birth of Christ Himself. As He was born into this world, filled with sin and suffering, yet so we can transcend our physical reality into the spiritual reality of the greatest beauty. Handel wrote this wonderful music when he was almost unknown, didn't even become famous for it, and these unassuming, ordinary people perform it. There are always two levels to life and the movie lets you see them both.

I dislike how Zoë treats Henry and Muriel is certainly somewhat of a caricature. However, no one could imagine how difficult it must be to grow up as a pastor's son or daughter and the strain is something we should think about. Yet ultimately, we hear the glory of the music and we are raised to another level, despite Houseman's constant outward bitterness and overly irritating grousing at every corner. As in daily life, you often have to see beneath the surface to find the prize.

In the end, I felt sorry for Henry, Muriel and even Mrs. Burns. Their lives were, at the end of the movie, somewhat empty... except for the beauty of the music in which at least two of them were a part, singing glory to God and peace on earth. Even though the Messiah was first performed at Easter, one can't help feeling the Christmas spirit through Handel. This is a must-see for anyone who loves Handel and Christmas. God bless us everyone!

Thus Made for TV-movie is in public domain. That means anybody can release this film on DVD or broadcast it for free. So I am hoping that someone will release a decent looking DVD. If someone did they might make a small fortune,

In this film there is several stories going on and they all revolve around a church in San Francisco.

There is one story of a woman who is new to the area and recently single.

Another story is about a tough task master of choir director.

There is more but in general the whole film could of ended a little sooner. The song at the end felt an EXTENDED scene you would find as an extra on a DVD. I think this scene was extended out to fill out a running time.

The nicest thing about this film was it one of the few movies out there that entire cast is over 30.

If you find a decent looking DVD let me know. I might enjoy it more if I had a clear copy of the film

I have to admit I wasn't expecting much from this 1980 TV movie. However, "A Christmas Without Snow" is a nice little film to put on in the mood for the Christmas holiday. It is about a church choir getting ready to sing Handle's "Messiah" for the Christmas concert at their church. There are some trials and tribulations along the way, but I'm not going to spoil the movie for others. I'll give you a hint, the hardships are overcome with the spirit of Christmas. There are two standouts in this movie. One is James Cromwell as Reverend Lohman. Mr. Cromwell makes one believe he truly is the pastor of this San Francisco church. The other standout is the late Ramon Bieri, he was typically cast in tough guy, villain, or corrupt official roles. In this film Mr. Bieri plays a "salt of the earth type of man." In fact, Mr. Bieri portrays a man one would like to have as his next door neighbor/friend. Clearly James Cromwell and Ramon Bieri stand out in this Christmas TV flick. Check it out and you will enjoy it.

We watched this movie two nights ago and found it quite different. The main character is a newly divorced woman who moves to San Francisco from Nebraska, leaving her pre-teen son with his grandparents until she can make enough money to send for him. Frustrated by the lack of available teaching positions, she works as a "floating" office temp. To have some consistency in her life she joins the church choir as it is beginning to rehearse Handel's Messiah. The movie is about this woman's interaction with the other choir members and challenges the choir faces leading up to the performance of this music. Watch for Ruth Nelson (Inez) as a sweet, older realist who is quite an encourager. She also played the encouraging teacher in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn from the 1940's.