Papai Noel Existe!

In 1897, the New York Sun newspaper ran a short article in its editorial section that has become famous. The heading read, "Is There a Santa Claus?" It was in response to a short letter written by eight-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon of New York City. The article printed the letter and then, with rhetorical questions and prose, answered it. "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus," penned Sun editorial writer Francis Church.

This is a TV movie about that event. The essential details are true, and the main characters are real. But the story in this film is mostly fictional. Yet it works to make a fuller and more meaningful plot; and, therefore, a better Christmas movie.

The film was shot in British Columbia, Canada. The scenes and settings seem to be authentic for 1890s New York or any North American city at the time. The cast has some big name actors and others - all of whom give very good performances. Katharine Isabelle is superb as Virginia O'Hanlon. Tamsin Kelsey is especially good as Evie O'Hanlon, wife of James. She plays an Irish immigrant woman who keeps a bright outlook for her small brood, in spite of the hard times.

The portrayal of hard times for immigrants adds some meat and meaning to the story. Richard Thomas plays Virginia's father, James. He and his friend, Donelli, spend cold days looking for work after being fired as dockworkers. The story gives a light portrayal of the ethnic tensions of the time. During the immigration of many Irish, Anglo-Protestants resented their competition for jobs. And, neighbors in tenement apartments help one another, by sharing food. A Jewish landlady widow, Mrs. Goldstein (played by Lillian Carlson) cooks too much brisket for just herself, so she begs the O'Hanlon's to take it off her hands.

Charles Bronson is very good in his role as Francis Church. But the character he plays was not the real Francis Church. Here, Church has been drinking heavily since losing his wife and daughter a year earlier. The film doesn't say, but it's implied it was a disease or epidemic. That's another nice touch in showing that aspect of history in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The real Frank Church was in his 50s and had covered the Civil War more than 30 years earlier.

It's true that Church didn't want to write the editorial, and didn't want his name associated with it. Only many years later was his authorship of the article made known. Even then, one wonders, because Church was supposedly an atheist. Yet he wrote in that editorial, "No Santa Claus! Thank God! He lives, and he lives forever." That's hardly something an atheist would write, and it's not very likely that he would have had to write that.

Edward Asner plays another real person well -- Edward P. Mitchell, the managing editor. Other reporters and people on the Sun staff are fictional. Yet Colleen Winton plays Andrea Borland very well, and Shawn Macdonald plays the copy boy, Teddy, very well.

The biggest fictional aspect was Virginia's family and where they lived. They weren't likely to be living in tenement housing as in the film. Virginia's dad, James, was a doctor. At the time, he was a coroner's assistant in Manhattan.

In the movie, the editorial in response to Virginia appeared in the sun around Christmas Eve. But the actual date it was printed was Sept. 21 - three months before Christmas. In later years, Virginia explained that around her birthday in July as a child she would begin to wonder what she would be getting for Christmas. So, she wrote her letter in July. And, the Sun editors didn't do anything with it for several weeks. And no one knows why they didn't wait until Christmas to publish it.

Even then, the article wasn't considered anything special at the time. But readers remembered and asked about it in subsequent years. So, more than 10 years after its first publication, the Sun again printed the article just before Christmas.

The story about the famous letter and Sun newspaper editorial is an endearing one. And the filmmaker's embellishment of the story helps make "Yes Virginia" a wonderful Christmas movie and look at history.

Here are a couple favorite lines from this film.

Andrea Borland, "Did you like my story on the Vanderbilt ball?" Edward Mitchell, "I printed it, didn't I?" Andrea Borland, "Well, half of it." Edward Mitchell: "That was the half I liked."

Mrs. Goldstein, "As my dear dead Saul used to say, 'It isn't a silver lining what makes the coat. It's the person wearing it.'"

Charles Jarrott, who directed The Last Flight Of Noah's Ark, also directs this wonderful tv film that teaches the young and young at heart the true meaning of Christmas. Virginia O'Hanlon wrote probably the most famous letter to the editor of all time and Francis Church the most famous reply. This delightful movie captures turn of the century New York and the hardships it's people endured perfectly. Its a beautiful film to look at. The little girl playing Virginia is a delight as is Richard Thomas as her father. The biggest surprise of all is casting Charles Bronson as Francis Church. Believe it or not, he really does a fine acting job. I have always enjoyed Bronson's action films, but I never thought he could really "act" in the traditional sense. He proves me wrong with his sensitive portrayal. Bronson plays a man who recently lost his wife and there is even one scene where he is getting ready to kill himself. Charles Bronson really had lost his wife Jill Ireland to cancer the year before this film was made and I feel it helped him in his role. In a sense, he is able to find himself again writing to this little girl. This wonderful film is viewing for the whole family. In fact it is too good just to be shown at Christmas. It reminds us of a simpler time when families were loving and kids really appreciated the true meaning of Christmas. The message this film teaches will never go out of style.

It would be difficult to say at this point if it were Richard Thomas or Charles Bronson who carried this timeless beauty so successfully to it's moving conclusion, but all performances were top notch. This movie NEEDS to be released to all for the upcoming Christmas season as it would quickly become a classic. These are the Christmas lessons we all try to teach the young this time of year and movies like this one are needed to do it so nicely. I hope to see this one on the DVD new release list soon!

While this is a made for TV film with some of the production weaknesses that are typical of films made for television, nonetheless this is a classic Christmas movie in a class with "It's a Wonderful Life" and "Miracle on 34th St.", primarily for it's ability to make the viewer cry with joy, even with repeated viewings.

Like the movies above, not all the characters are happy due to the difficult circumstances of their lives. The primary characters are struggling with despair. Like "It's a Wonderful Life", the lead characters are brought back from the brink through belief in something larger than themselves: The spirit of Christmas and the Hope that it brings to all of us.

I wish it would be released commercially at some point so that it could gain a larger audience. Contains great performances by Richard Thomas and Charles Bronson. Lou Asner is at his typical crusty best as the soft-hearted news boss.

I have been searching for this forever (years ago it didn't even show up at IMDb). I only wish I would have taped it when it aired and I cannot understand why such a beautiful movie is no longer aired, there is so much crap out there and this gem gets missed - it's mindboggling! Lifetime are you listening? AMC ? anyone? wake up!!!! I would really love to see this either out on DVD or aired this Christmas season! The story, performances and history all make this movie a standout. I again wonder WHY???? it isn't aired or accessible to viewers. I remember thinking Richard Thomas reprised his role as John Boy....Ed Asner and Charles Bronson, as always, were fantastic as were the rest of the cast.