Christmas in My Hometown

My wife and I watch a variety of Christmas movies each season - this one we viewed for the 1st time and thoroughly enjoyed it. It is my top favorite. Tim Matheson and Melissa Sue Gilbert have perfect chemistry in this movie...they are PERFECT for each other and appear completely natural. If you want to watch a great Christmas movie that will warm the soul...this is the one!! The story is that the Bean Tractor Co. is having financial issues and may need to layoff or close the plant. Tim (Jake) is chosen to go to the Athens, Nebraska plant unannounced to see what his thoughts are as he is a senior executive. He meets lovely Melissa Sue after his car skids off the road in a snowstorm several days before Christmas...the chemistry between them starts right away - two hearts meeting. Merry Christmas to all in 2008!

'Christmas in my Hometown' is standard Lifetime TV holiday fare. Tim Matheson plays a well-meaning, but out-of-touch business executive at a tractor manufacturing company to one of its factories in Athens, Nebraska to determine whom to fire as part of the company's plans to downsize. The small, good-natured town (which surprisingly (or not) has zero minorities) of course, relies on the factory to support their families, as well as the life of the town itself. Posing as a representative from a farming company needing to fill tractor orders, he gains the trust of the town and in particular, a woman (Melissa Gilbert) and her young daughter who buys his story, trusts him, and then, along with the whole town, shuns him when they find out that he might be cutting their job.

Filled with lots of sentimental tripe, it is predictable family entertainment from beginning to end, and interchangeable as far as Lifetime TV holiday movies go. But, nonetheless, it is an innocuous little distraction when you just need to put up your feet and watch a movie that might make you smile a bit during the holidays.

This is one of the better Christmas movies made way back in the last century yet still holds up today. Starring Tim Matheson and Melissa Gilbert.

As far as the goof everyone is pointing out when Jake uses the phone in his hotel, it's obvious that the phone has no cord attached. I guess that means it's a cordless phone!

This wonderful movie is available through Amazon. Use the title Holiday For Love. That's where I got mine. It's one of my very favorites! Melissa Gilbert is so believable in this movie. It's one of her best - and she has a long list of great movies!! She's one of my favorite actresses of all time. Michelle Tractenberg (plays her daughter, Noel) is also absolutely great. What a natural little actress she was at the time this movie was made. She was in Ice Princess a few years ago. She's grown up and is still a beautiful and accomplished actress. If you haven't seen this movie, get a copy right away. I'm sure it will be one of your favorites, too! C. Rutherford

Melissa Gilbert and Tim Matheson are terrific together. They have a strong chemistry on screen. I also love Noel, the daughter, and all the cast. This is such a wonderful, inspiring, homey, family oriented movie. I hope strongly they make a video. I want it so badly.