The Christmas Candle

Christmas movies are a cottage industry. I don't mind watching them because I know the ending will always be happy. Now "The Christmas Candle" is not a great film. The film fails on at almost every level. The film is almost " A Touched By Angel" episode! It never rises above that level. It could of been better What it does well is that it sends the message about hope faith and miracles. The film however redeems itself in the final act and that was a miracle.

The film looks beautiful. The sets make you think you are back in the late 19th century. The films screenplay however is borderline terrible but it does have a great final act.

In this film Deep in the heart of the English countryside lies the enchanting village of Gladbury. Legend has it every 25 years an angel visits the village candle maker and touches a single candle. Whoever lights this candle receives a miracle on Christmas Eve. But in 1890, at the dawn of the electric age, this centuries old legend may come to an end.

Now despite the flaws it is still worth seeing. Family Safe. Most kids will be bored and so will most adults. I did however love the final 10 minutes

Other than my lifelong love of Christmas, my main reasons for wanting to see 'The Christmas Candle' were that the messages appealed to me, they are nice messages and still important and relevant in this day and age, and because of the cast, which is a talented one. Lesley Manville especially and Samantha Barks is an immensely talented performer in acting and singing. Despite liking Susan Boyle's voice and liking what she stands for, there were doubts as to her acting ability.

While not exactly loving 'The Christmas Candle', so much is done right here and do agree (if not as vehemently, and in a way as disrespectfully, as with others) that it does not deserve some of the over-the-top criticism it has garnered. Can understand some of the flaws (as they are there), but then there have been some that can easily pass as straight out weird and nit-picky. Is it perfect? No, not to me. But a big part of me really couldn't help appreciate the film and what it had to say and its good intentions are present throughout. As said, its good things are a lot and the best of those good things are done extremely well indeed.

Shall start with the drawbacks. There are parts that are a bit contrived and others that are too sentimental, with the conclusion being one of the prime examples of the latter (too sappy for my taste). Would have liked some of the messaging delivered with more subtlety in the script at times.

Although Boyle does sing angelically, her acting inexperience does show. Compared to the more seasoned actors, she seemed a little stiff but does still do her best.

However, 'The Christmas Candle' is incredibly well made. The scenery is exquisite and the time and place is remarkably authentically evoked in the production and costume designs. The photography enhances all this beautifully and atmospherically. The quaintness and charm of the setting translates very well here while not making too picture perfect. Also a beauty is the music score, it brings a lump to the throat and often haunting without being too syrupy or over-emphasising the mood.

Despite the script not being perfect, it is well-meaning and doesn't sound like it doesn't have any substance to it. It flows quite well too and doesn't come over as stilted. Again the story has imperfections, but it didn't come over as dull to me, it was coherently structured and it was moving. The messaging didn't come over as vague and, while subtlety would have been more welcome perhaps, it is hardly out of date and important in society today in a way if one is not too cynical. The characters engage and one admires and relates to their trials and tribulations and how they go about them. Barks and Hans Mattheson are charming and sincere leads and Manville, Sylvester McCoy and John Hannah are distinguished support, McCoy's more understated than usual performance stands out.

Concluding, very worthwhile and, while with its drawbacks, deserving of more credit. 7/10

Great message, great theme, great movie! At a time when the country is down, this movie provides the inspiration of faith - faith in God and faith in our common man, and provides insights int the moral high ground, which is so desperately needed in today's society. Some critics would endeavor to apply some sort of anal-retentive logic, which, if otherwise applied to any current Hollywood movie, would deem them absurd, at best. This movie effuses the smell of ambrosial roses when compared to the wreaking odor of the garbage that currently comes out of Hollywood. Many critics miss the striking symbolism and moral overtones involved in this movie, and they fail to elucidate on the natural emotive response that the audience is sure to feel during this wonderful drama.

One of the best Christmas movies! Has romance without being a "rom-com". Sentimental without being cheesy. Faith filled without being preachy. Some predictability but some sweet surprises too.

The Christmas Candle (2013) -

I loved how completely different this film is from the other Seasonal Specials out there and I loved the message that it was trying to send. Don't wait 25 years for a miracle for yourself, when you could be the miracle someone else needs.

So while the candle was a magic idea, the sense of community that the Reverend Richmond (Hans Matheson) built was a far greater power.

It's more of the idea previously explored in 'A Christmas Carol'. How long is the chain you have forged in life? Could you make it shorter by visiting an elderly relative or giving items to a food bank? The small things count as much as the big ones, especially if you do lots of the them and it's like Julie Andrews said in her song 'The Secret Of Christmas' - "It's not the things you do at Christmas, but the Christmas things you do all year through" and that's exactly what the reverend was saying in this film regardless of the miracle candle.

What I also enjoyed about this one was that, despite it centring on a reverend new to a very religious parish, where they all had faith in a candle allegedly sent by God, it wasn't overly religious in the usual God-Bothery, Bible-Bashing way. Yes faith was discussed, but as I've mentioned above, the message of loving one another was the prominent one, even the Nativity and such are hardly explored.

There were some religious elements that I did find odd and I didn't understand why he couldn't give comfort to the sick man. I could only assume that he was having a crisis of faith in that moment?

If I could change anything about this film, which was otherwise relatively well cast, it would be Susan Boyle. There is no denying that the woman does have the voice of an Angel, but I couldn't be sued for libel for saying that she can't act for toffee and it was actually a bit cringey to watch her try.

There were some great actors working here though, that probably don't get the credit they're really due. Samantha Barks for one and James Cosmo for another. She was effortless and he must be one of the hardest working men in the biz. If you haven't seen him in 'All The Queen's Men' (2001) it's definitely worth a watch.

John Hannah did the great job he always has too.

I watch it every Christmas and each year I find more to love about it.

850.77/1000.