Il Natale che quasi non fu

For those who love this film, it's now available on DVD, which I just got through watching. I guess I discovered it much too late in life. The review accessible via the "external reviews" link here pretty much sums it up for me. I found Alberto Rabagliati to be a rather drab and depressive, even depressing, Santa, and in 1966 veteran character actor Mischa Auer was as frightening to behold as the Crypt Keeper himself. Also, Paul Tripp's portrayal of the lawyer Mr. Whipple reminded me that I never wanted to see another singing attorney since the cancellation of "Cop Rock."

Oh well, maybe I shouldn't sneer at this film. I did appreciate it as an interesting relic of the 60s, and I can see it's well-loved by people on whom it was imprinted when they were young. After all, that's the very reason I still get misty over "Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol." Merry Christmas!

Santa says... (from the film)"Christmas isn't coming this year". I heard this line over and over in the endless commercials promoting it back when this film was released in the 60s. Of course back then I had to see it and I did in the cinema. Back in the day when going to the movies was an event. Remember no video or dvd back then! I just ordered it on dvd. I am sure I will not be disappointed I don't remember much about it but it should at least be interesting,taking yet another trip down nostalgia lane

I first saw this film back in 1966 at a Saturday matinée. Years later It popped up on HBO sometime in the early 80's. I have not seen it again until I saw the DVD on sale. Back around the time the film first came out. I was a kid living in New York City. This film holds special memoires for me. Paul Tripp was hosting a children's show called Birthday House at the time. I remember him talking to us kids watching at home about the movie. Sonny Fox was known for hosting Wonderama. Another children's show that aired on Sunday mornings on WNEW channel 5 in the New York area. Sadly this might be the only film record of these two people and the local children's shows that aired in the New York City viewing area during the 1960's.

I vividly remember going to see this in the movies when I was 5 Years old. The commercials promoting it on TV stick in my head also. As another reviewer said, going to the movies was a big deal then. Now that I am 43 I have been getting very nostalgic. I was very happy to see that this movie was available on DVD. When I watched the movie I was really surprised at how bad it was, as Billy Joel says in one of his songs "The good old days weren't always good" To start with the opening song "A Christmas that almost wasn't" sounds more like a halloween song, a little haunting. The colors in the movie were also very dark and drab. As for Santa "my God" what a depressing Santa he was a little whiner, I wanted to grab him ala the Godfather and say "You can act like a man" The whole movie is just cheaply done, songs and everything. This is a case of my childhood memories playing tricks on me. Oh well there's always Rudolph.

Santa Claus is about to be evicted by his landlord (played by an uncredited Rossanno Brazzi), but his lawyer, Paul Tripp, negotiates a deal to either pay his rent or stop giving presents to children.

I don't know when the 'Christmas is cancelled!' trope originated (TVtropes has a new format that makes it impossible for me to use that once-valuable resource), but this weird little movie, directed and written by Brazzi, is an early example. It's also a bit creepy. Its erratic pacing and clearly stagebound set gives it a Caligariesque feel, and bits that seem intended to be gags, like a bunch of little people walking under chief Elf Mischa Auer's crotch, seem bizarre.