Product: A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
Rating: 5.0
A Gunuine Christmas Classic For All Ages
Perhaps the most endearing of all the Charlie Brown specials is "A Charlie Brown Christmas", the first in a long series of made for t.v. half hour films portraying the famous Peanuts Gang.For almost forty years, watching "A Charlie Brown Christmas" has been an eagerly anticipated event for millions of households. I recall watching it as far back as twenty-two years ago, and have watched it every Christmas since."A Charlie Brown Christmas" was made in a time when commercialism was running rampant all over the country. Stores advertising to shoppers what they ought to buy, long before Thanksgiving had come and gone. Unfortunately, we still see this blatant commercialism today, which makes this short film so very poignant and all the more special.Charlie Brown is assigned to direct the school Christmas pageant, much to his glee; for he feels accepted and worthy. When Lucy tells him to go out and get an alumminum tree, he takes Linus along with him. What Charlie Brown ultimately gets is a small, sickly looking tree, which is rapidly loosing its needles. But, Charlie can see how much the tree "needs him", somebody; something which he can identity with.When he returns, he finds the gang dancing to un-Christmas like music, instead of rehearsing their lines. They stop to take a look at the tree he brought, immediately burtsing out in mocking laughter. Apparently Charlie Brown has failed again. In disgust and humiliation he flees, taking the tree with him. And when he comes upon Snoopy's dog house, all decked out in Christmas lights, not to celebrate the joyous holiday, but to win money in a contest, Charlie Brown has had enough, and almost loses all faith in Christmas.Linus saves the day, somehow able to bring the tree back to life, and make it look much healthier and stronger. But it is when he explains the meaning of Christmas that the "gang" gets the point of Christmas, and what Charlie Brown was trying to do."A Charlie Brown Christmas" ends with newfound meaning for Christmas, hopefully not soon forgotten by either the Peanuts Gang, or, more importantly ... us.