Chiamatemi Babbo Natale

The movie starts out slowly, but, gently evolves into a tale of overcoming past pain and disappointment. As with most Christmas stories the premise is sort of limited but has a great ending. Destined to become a classic, in my humble opinion.

When I first turned this film on I thought "Here's a film that's going to get a bad review", but actually as it progressed I found I quite liked the silliness of it all and realised that it is just the right amount of daft. It bears a likeness to "Miracle On 34th Street" in some respects and "The Santa Clause" in others, with a little bit of "A Christmas Carol" for good measure thrown in and it's funny and charming.

Whoopi is not expecting Saint Nick, who is superbly played by Nigel Hawthorne, to turn up and try to recruit her, but that's what happens. With the help of his really creepy head elf, Ralph, Nick gets work on Whoopi's TV show and the merriment ensues.

By the end of the film I was really feeling a bit of a glow and I didn't touch the port until afterwards I swear!

Because she had true Christmas spirit as a young lass, "Shop-A-Lot" TV producer/pitch-woman Whoopi Goldberg (as Lucy Cullins) is chosen to be the world's new Santa Claus. This decision was made (in a 1965 flashback) by traditional roly-poly red-suited Nigel Hawthorne (as Nick). Being "Santa Claus" is revealed to be a 200-year job. If the presently grow-up and grumpy Ms. Goldberg can't get her girlish Christmas groove back, Earth will suffer a massive flood. Call her Scrooge. For Goldberg's Los Angeles-based home-shopping channel, she hires Mr. Hawthorne as a seasonal sales-marketing Santa and he tries to win her over. For a TV movie, "Call Me Claus" is nicely produced. This was the last role for Hawthorne, who performs memorably. The soundtrack music (by Van Dyke Parks) pleasantly moves it along. Having a woman take over the role of Santa Claus is an interesting and welcome premise, but the story really doesn't work. As it's destined to get lost in future years, we won't have to explain to millions of confused young children how Whoopi lost the job.

***** Call Me Claus (12/2/01) Peter Werner ~ Whoopi Goldberg, Nigel Hawthorne, Taylor Negron, Brian Stokes Mitchell

Am very glad about giving 'Call Me Claus' a chance. Expectations were mixed. Despite loving Christmas, many festive films and specials and liking Whoopi Goldberg and especially Nigel Hawthorne (the latter sadly in his last film) as actors, the advertising didn't look great and it did sound like pretty cheap and cheesy. There have been numerous instances where films don't look great from how it's advertised but manage to be good and victims of bad marketing (my exact experience with 'Lilo and Stitch' for example).

'Call Me Claus' is a long way from perfect, not one of the best Christmas films and it's not my definition of great. It was though a lot better than expected and an example of a film to not judge by its marketing, very like not judging a book by its cover. Goldberg is not at her best here, but the film does serve as a poignant reminder of how great an actor Hawthorne was and it is a not half bad last film for him. Although flawed, 'Call Me Claus' struck me as quite decent.

There are many good things here. The best thing about 'Call Me Claus' is Hawthorne, who is perfect in the title role. Playing it with a twinkling charm, gently humorous comic timing, a jovial air and poignancy. The supporting cast all do well if never on Hawthorne's level. The script has genuinely amusing and never crude or juvenile humour, truly moving pathos without going over the top on the sappiness and is also surprisingly relevant. The cynicism never gets mean-spirited. The characters didn't come over as dull, nor did they come over as annoying.

Story is very charming, warm-hearted and goes at a pace that doesn't feel routine or sluggish. The chemistry between the cast comes over as warm and natural. The music gives a nice festive cheer and at least fits.

Goldberg though left me a bit mixed. She has moments of sass but there are instances where she did seem to be mailing it in or holding back. 'Call Me Claus' does look as though it was made on a limited budget in a short period of time, with production values that could easily pass for a film made ten years or so prior.

Do think as well that the ending does require a number of attempts of swallowing, which is not easy to do for one that is rather unrealistic and too neat.

In conclusion, not bad at all and did find a lot to like about it. 6/10

I acquired this one on a DVD from the USA, the only place its available. I found the film most entertaining, thanks to the performances of Whoopi Goldberg and Nigel Hawthorn whom I had known from the BBC series Yes Minister. Indeed I was distressed to learn that he had died whilst I was in the course of reading other comments about this film. Whoopi Goldberg, I knew and loved in Ghost, Jumpin' Jack Flash and the Sister Act movies.

The storyline here is quite original, a little slow to get off the ground but that Christmas magic is there and I think we all, old and young, like films where Father Xmases, sleighs and reindeers are involved, especially if the reindeers have shiny/luminous noses.

I was most touched by the flashback to Whoopi's childhood where she had asked the same Father Xmas to bring her Daddy back, this was probably the most emotional part of the film. The rest was more lighthearted and the only aspect I did not like was the over commercialisation of Xmas where you have to sell sell and sell more ! However the magic of the film makes up for the rest of this. It's a nice DVD to have at home and to put on a couple of times a year !