A Child's Christmas in Wales

On this, the 20th anniversary of this wonderful production, I hope that more people will have the opportunity to experience it for the first time. I tend to think of it as a reassuring antidote to the constant ills of everyday life. In a time when many new Christmas specials seem to have a somewhat cynical slant, the wonderful "A Child's Christmas in Wales" is something which is most welcome. Denholm Elliot is wonderful in his role as Old Geraint who shares his Christmas memories of his Welsh childhood with his grandson Thomas. A beautiful production which is well acted and directed, it has an ending which will bring a sentimental tear to your eye. It's one of the best.

This re-telling of the classic story "A Child's Christmas in Wales" is almost the cinematic equivalent of hearing Dylan Thomas reading his own story. In the film, Denholm Eliot is the narrator and tells the story to his grandson as they celebrate a family Christmas together.

As in the story, the movie is mostly flashback images of Christmases long past - cats, opening the presents, a fire at Mrs. Prothero's house, aunts and uncles celebrating and snow falling on the town making it whiter than Lapland. We think what rich memories for a child to carry into adulthood. Most of us have our own images of Christmas past and these are etched in our memory for life. This film gives us a glimpse of the wonder of Christmas through the eyes of one child and how he responds to the pictures he sees as his grandfather tells the story.

I once heard that when Dylan Thomas recorded this story, it was at a session in New York City and he didn't show up for the first one. He did show up the second time but there was only enough material to fill one side of an old record album. Someone went out and found a recent copy of Harper's Bazaar and Thomas read the story to complete the record. Without this accidental recording, we might have never come to appreciate this great story, which in turn gave rise to this beautiful, little film.

A Child's Christmas in Wales is a timeless classic. In fact I watch it, without fail, every Christmas Eve. To me this movie allows me to once again look at Christmas through the eyes of a child. Dylan Thomas's lush description of a Welsh Christmas is both a beautiful and poignant work that translates masterfully to the small screen. The inclusion of beloved British actor Denholm Elliott, as the wistful grandfather, eagerly telling his grandson of the great, snowbound Christmases of his childhood, only adds to the nostalgic air of this masterpiece. What makes this movie so amazing is its appeal to both young and old alike. When I first saw it on the Disney Channel as a young boy, I instantly loved it's simple story, vivid photography, and heart-warming humor. Now as an adult I appreciate even more the message it so wonderfully sends.

It is the endearing story of Thomas (Mathonway Reeves), a young Welsh boy, and the night of Christmas Eve. Denholm Elliott deftly portrays his loving, poetic grandfather, Geraint. His kind parents are played by the talented Michael Fawkes and Glynis Davies. The story begins on the night of Father Christmas' great journey. Thomas, as any young boy his age, is already planning to stay awake until the patter of hooves can be heard on the shingles and a pair of slick, black boots can be seen emerging from the hearth. According to Welsh tradition, one gift may be selected on Christmas Eve to be opened before all of the others. This year Thomas has chosen to open the present from his grandfather. It turns out to be a richly crafted snow globe. This, of course sparks Geraint's narration on how, the rainy Christmases of today, were nothing, no nothing when compared to the Christmases of his youth. When all the white Christmas rolled down toward the Welch-speaking sea like a snowball rolling whiter and bigger and rounder. And where the snow was not only shaken from whitewash buckets out of the sky, but seemed to come out of the ground itself.

The majority of the movie is a flashback, to one typical Christmas in Geraint's childhood. The flashback scenes are lovingly constructed, with wonderful narration, by Elliot, and heartfelt humor from Dylan Thomas's original story. What Christmas after-after all, would be complete without the fattened uncles resting after dinner by the fire, examining their cigars? Or the busy aunts bustling in the kitchen? It will most surely remind older generations of the way Christmases were, but younger generations can easily relate to both. Seeing a magical wonder in the winters of old, and a new found miracle in the modern Christmas. With great cinematography, acting, and an unforgettable ending, A Child's Christmas in Wales is a story for all ages. It is the perfect film to watch on Christmas Eve and establish a family tradition for years to come.

I haven't read other reviews on this, but can't understand the voting - most people have given it 10 - which I can understand, but then a group have given it 3 - how anyone can watch this evocative movie and give it 3 is beyond me. It is probably the only Christmas movie that I feel I must watch every time that it's on - it shows a simpler time, a raw view of Christmas through the eyes of a Welsh child. It's simple effective and a great antidote for the glitzy artificial 'made for TV' Christmas schmaltz so evident during this season. Well worth the time to watch. Denholm Elliot's voice over is melodious and you can almost feel the snow and the excitement of the young protagonist. 8/10

Watching this story on video has become a part of our family's Christmas tradition. The story is a gentle evocation of a Christmas past that grows more joyous with the passage of time. Denholm Elliot's narration, as the grandfather, is most effective in bringing the beautiful imagery of the poem to life.