Determined to make her baby’s first Christmas-birthday a memorable one, Marci throws herself into both planning the perfect celebration for her daughter and building her new event-planning business. But as the business gets off to a rocky start and members of her family face their own challenges, Marci has more to discover about herself, about her family, and about the holidays.
| My Thoughts
Here I’ve finally continued the Chandler Family Christmas series with this fourth installment. My favorite of the bunch so far.
Why My Favorite?
Sure, some of the movie’s comedic and/or corny moments made me laugh. But what really got me this time? The story.
No, it isn’t full of astonishing twists or anything. But it’s a story with substance. With some emotional, genuine stuff that touched my heart real good. Even broke it just a little. And moved me to a few satisfying tears.
This is truly a family story, right here.
Continuing the Series?
It’s certainly best to watch this series of Christmas flicks in order. And I’m looking forward to checking out the last one in the series whenever the family Christmas spirit calls me to do that.
The Story Lady (1991) Also called The Christmas Story Lady Rated TV-G
| Description
• Family Drama
Grace McQueen (Jessica Tandy) is a retired widow who isn’t content to just settle back. She discovers the world of public access television and puts on her own children’s story hour—drawing the attention of a large company looking for its next moneymaker in children’s programming.
| My Thoughts
My goodness. I remember seeing the TV promos back when this movie was first set to air. Not sure how much I appreciated it then, but I’ve enjoyed watching the movie again and again in more recent years.
Warmth, Hope, and Inspiration
Not only does this hit my nostalgic spot in all of its “made-for-TV in the ’90s” glory, but there’s plenty of warmth and hope here in terms of friendship and family.
Plus, I love Grace’s sense of purpose: her desire to make a difference in others’ lives and her determination to make it happen even after having multiple doors closed in front of her. This is definitely inspiring comfort-watching for me, especially during the holidays.
This holiday season, Marci and Blair are preparing to be the perfect first-time parents—or they’re trying to, at least. But with baby concerns and much more swirling among the Chandlers right now, Marci’s mom is frustrated that no one in the family seems to be in the Christmas spirit.
| My Thoughts
So far, I can say it’s worth watching the Chandler Family Christmas flicks in order, starting with Marry Me for Christmas. I watched the second and third movies back to back.
Plenty to Discover
Granted, the main reason I watched Movie Three right on the heels of Movie Two is because the end of Two leaves Marci and Blair with key questions/challenges to face in their careers. But those challenges are conveniently eliminated offscreen at some point(s) in between Movies Two and Three. Nevertheless, there are new questions/challenges for the couple to face in this third movie.
In fact, although the title singles out the upcoming baby, that’s only one aspect of the story here. Everyone in the Chandler family has interesting stuff going on this time, with something new for each of them to learn or discover.
An Ex, and a Bundle?
Now, I felt pretty weird about one character dating one of her ex’s family members, having apparently not even taken much of a pause (or any pause at all?) in between those two relationships.
And, really. When I watch a movie that includes a prominent Christmas baby theme, I expect to see an actual baby at some point, even if just for one or two shots, instead of nothing but a faceless bundle of blankets in the mother’s arms.
The Story, the Children, the Comedic
At any rate, even though this flick doesn’t boast the greatest technical moviemaking in the flow and pacing of it all, the story is good. Also, unlike in a lot of other merry and bright made-for-TV holiday tales that include children, the child characters in this movie effectively add to the plot in a way that isn’t oversweet cutesy-cutesy. And, hey—while this may have been chiefly billed as a family movie rather than a comedy like the one before it, I think that [aside from a workplace villain whose comic villainy is just too on-the-nose and over-the-top to be funny] this third movie is actually somewhat funnier than the second.
Continuing the Series?
After seven years of not being aware that this is a series of five movies, I’m more than halfway through them now. 😀 I’m likely to check out the fourth flick sometime.
Confession: I’m really only posting this Episode 5 video for you to watch through the intro and opening theme (ending around 3:52 minutes), since I didn’t find a trailer to post.
| Description
• Period Drama Series
In this television series based on Louisa May Alcott’s classic sequel to Little Women, Jo Bhaer has the challenging responsibility of managing Plumfield, a boarding school for boys, after she endures a tragic loss.
| My Thoughts
Anyone else remember watching Little Men on what used to be the PAX TV network back in the ’90s? It was something of a relief to find out that this family program would be coming to the small screen after CBS made the mistake of cancelling Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman (instead of giving it the additional season it so deserved).
Oh, I can’t resist. Cue the Medicine Woman’s opening theme, real quick.
Unfavorable Timing
What didn’t necessarily work in Little Men‘s favor, I’d say? It indeed came so soon after Dr. Quinn, one of the last major, successful pillars of Saturday-night network television. In fact, PAX got a hold of Dr. Quinn to rerun while Little Men was having its first run. Airing the two family-oriented period dramas so close together made it easier to see certain differences.
One of these shows isn’t as seasoned as the other. Compared to Dr. Quinn, Little Men doesn’t have the same degree of grit, oomph, and overall sharp quality, nor is it on the same level in terms of critical historical events, figures, and details woven into the show.
The Central Romance
It’s no spoiler to point out that Little Men wastes no time in displaying its first major departure from the novels Alcott wrote about Jo Bhaer, née March. That is, the show eliminates Jo’s husband before the opening curtain of the first episode, affording him the immediate chance to appear as a headstone. Sure, I understand that a wide-open opportunity for a new romantic interest for Jo makes for (a-hem) a sexier situation than the scenario of having her love-bow already tied up tight. Tied nicely and safely with her Professor Bhaer.
But, goodness, I’m sorry—after I’d just spent six years witnessing the epic central love story on Dr. Quinn, I couldn’t help it that sometimes Jo’s new romance felt to me like, well…a “Michaela Quinn and Byron Sully” imitation. Another properly mannered career woman with children to care for, a woman who’s unsettled by her growing feelings for a rugged man who’s got some different views on propriety. But what develops between Jo and the rugged man who strides into her life doesn’t have the level of grit and oomph and heart-twists and harrowing adventures and downright chemistry and all that makes up the Michaela and Sully saga.
Milady Josephine?
And speaking of Jo as a proper woman, I sometimes found her to be a bit too proper in this Little Men adaptation. I mean, sure, rather than going by her full name Josephine, she still goes by the short nickname that’s carried over from her fairly wild and tomboyish earlier years. But onscreen here, Jo’s aura is sometimes quite prim as she holds herself up just so, holding her hands just so before her person, speaking with such clipped and exact diction.
As if in those moments, she should be called Josephine after all. Or Lady Bhaer.
Heartfelt and Wholesome
In any case, in keeping with my star rating at the top of this review, none of my light nitpicking here is to say that this is a poorly made show or anything. I actually think it’s quite a good piece of work. And especially at times when my brain would stop comparing this period drama to that previous period drama I love so much, I could enjoy Little Men the more for what it is.
A heartfelt, entertaining show. Wholesome without being too corny. (I mean, yeah, there’s a little corn, but nothing to make my eyes roll up clear to the stratosphere.)
Not to mention another comparison I have to make.
Diversity
Much as is the case with Dr. Quinn, Little Men incorporates some intentional ethnic diversity into its overall story from the start, early in its first season. That’s an important difference from a show like When Calls the Heart (another period drama that I enjoyed in some ways but decided to stop watching after five seasons, for various reasons). When Calls the Heart’s dash of diversity seems like an afterthought, added to the mix in later seasons, as if it belatedly dawned on someone: “Oh—yeah! People of other colors did exist and have actual lives at such a time and place, didn’t they?”
Anyhow. 🙂
A Worthwhile Rediscovery
I took a good deal of pleasure in rediscovering Little Men after a couple and a half decades. Even with what I saw as the less-than-ideal timing/proximity between this and Dr. Quinn—and the fact that family-oriented PAX TV didn’t last that long anyway—I think it’s unfortunate that this show didn’t have the ratings to make it past two seasons.
Prismatic Prospects 