Turner Pictures (I)
Dyan Cannon, Kris Kristofferson, Robert Machray, Robert Noble, Gene Lythgow, Richard Roundtree, George Putnam, Mary Watson, Michael Potter, Jimmy Workman, Toni Attell, Vivian Bonnell, David Arnott, Peter Kent, Sonny Carl Davis, Bob Braun, Tony Curtis, Kelly Cinnante
Elizabeth (Dyan Cannon) is a journalist become successful cooking show star, everybody’s perfect example of the perfect homemaker. Forest ranger Jefferson (Kris Kristtofferson) rescues a lost little boy in the forest and when he returns, his cabin has burned down. He becomes a national hero for saving the little boy. Elizabeth’s producer (Tony Curtis) decides to take advantage of Jefferson’s new found popularity and invites him, on Elizabeth’s behalf, to spend Christmas with them in her cottage in Connecticut. Problem is that Elisabeth is a career businesswoman, and a phoney. She can’t cook or do any household work, and there is no house in Connecticut. Neither is there a family. So they rent a home, hire actors to play the parts of son-in-law, grandchildren, and hires everyone to help fool Jefferson and the American Public (they’re doing a live TV broadcast from the house in Connecticut) into believing she is able to do it all. Trouble is that she and Jefferson build a strong bond and find out they are really liking each other.
This is a worthy remake of the original 1945 Christmas in Connecticut, even though it was made as a TV Movie. They upgraded the story to make it a TV star, not a newspaper columnist. The guest is also updated to a hero forest ranger, rather than a WWII hero. The other major difference is how the comedy has changed in 47 years! It’s much edgier now, and more in your face. But aside from that, the story is just as delightful and entertaining. When everything unravels, it’s worthy of Lucille Ball! Dyan Cannon does a really good job as the phony TV cook trying to play housewife. I still think the original is superior and fresher, but certainly this is a very decent remake of the original and well worth watching.
