Ed's Review Dot Com

Daniel H Blatt Productions, Viacom Productions

Valerie Bertinelli, William Russ, David Cubitt, Jennier PIsana, Maria Ricossa, Patricia Gage, Peter Falk

This is the second of the “Max” movies starring Peter Falk as an mysterious Christmas Angel.   Kathleen McAllister (Valerie Bertinelli) is a nurse who works in an Emergency Room that is about to be closed.  They need money to keep it open and she’s running a charity fundraiser to try to save it.  A photographer takes a random photo of a man with a flag next to Santa.  Kathleen sees the picture on the front page and figured out it was her brother who disappeared some years ago.   Funny thing is that the Santa in the photo is not there when it was developed.  The photo touches people so much especially after he saves a man from a heart attack, that she dubs him “John Christmas” and offers a reward to anyone who can find him and identify him so that he can be honored as a hero.  But John Christmas has a secret that is eating him alive, and he just doesn’t want to come home.

There is a twist in the end of this story that might be obvious to some, but is still an excellent story.  Even though it’s set around the Christmas season, the meaning and feelings of this transcend all seasons.  It’s a very touching movie with a great message.  Other Max movies are “When Angels Come to Town” and “A Town without Christmas”