La conteuse d'histoire

Anything with Jessica Tandy, Hume, or her daughter is always fantastic. From Foxfire to Dances with the white dog, all their movies are A-1. Even Lifeboat made by Hitchcock was great. A credit to their profession. This movie also was great and endearing. Will watch once and again. Will recommend to others. Will always love them all. The world mourned when they died. But it rejoices when they are on the silver screen. All their movies tug at the heart. They always will. Never miss any with Jessica, Hume Croyn in it. Will love their work as long as can watch. I been watching now for 46 years and will continue until I am laid at rest.

I love this movie. It really touches my heart... especially the little note disclosed with the beautiful doll house that Grace sent Alex and Julie. Grace is telling Julie and us, the audience, that "family spirit," the virtue our parents' treasured, is very important.

This is a plain movie, talking about family love and children that we can get plenty of on TV. However, this is the value of the movie. There's no exciting plot, beautiful costumes or actions, only everyday life and the things that we sometimes forget to see or are blind to because of fame or money.

Alice Lin, National Changhua University of Education, TAIWAN

A grandmother who cannot find anything worthwhile to do with her time, begins reading classic storybooks on Public Access Cable TV. When everyone starts watching her, the networks get interested....I just want people to know that this title is available on Amazon now. But they changed the title to, 'The Christmas Story Lady' - this is sad as many people will not find it. I guess they are looking for a new audience. But I am so happy that I finally have it on DVD. I had bought a VHS tape a few years ago and it was going bad. This is a really wonderful Christmas movie and I can't think of anyone who would not like it. Jessica Tandy is wonderful. Stephanie Zimbalist is wonderful. Lisa Jakub is wonderful. Fun, also, to see Jessica's real-life daughter, Tandy, playing her daughter in the movie.

Great family film for all ages. Could be called a "Christmas" movie, but the Christmas part plays a small role. Lisa Jakub's film before she plays the daughter on Mrs. Doubtfire. Jessica Tandy does a fine job as the "story lady" - a grandmother for all the children watching her on her community access TV show.

The moral of "The Story Lady" is something along the lines of the dangers associated with commercialization. Which makes it ironic, in a way, that the story arc of the film itself makes very nearly the same mistakes it warns against. The most powerful passages of this film revolve around the first scenes of Grace McQueen (Jessica Tandy) at the public access cable studio. Tandy has by far the superior acting capability to carry a film based solely on this premise. Somewhat unfortunately, then, does Robert Zeschin's script take a much more unnecessarily complex route.

But such are the dangers of low-ambition TV movies. Jessica Tandy is this film. She is the reason it exists, and why it is so much worth watching. Everything else (save for a wonderful performance from young Lisa Jakub) is par for the course. In spite of that, there's no reason not to like, even love "The Story Lady". Tandy creates a character of wondrous depth and reality. There's nothing remotely false or off about her performance. I very much encourage you to see this film.