Baby boomers like myself, growing up in the 1960's always looked forward to certain annual Christmas TV specials, when growing up. But, as I aged, I had to, and do, ask myself, were these specials to enlighten us, or to traumatize us???????????
I would go with the latter, as this list of the more popular specials aired in that era will demonstrate. With the exception of one personal one, these are specials I will never look at today.
Consider--
"Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer--" First broadcast in 1964, things end wonderfully here but not before Rudolph is bullied by his playmates and own father. It takes Clarice, the lead female deer to sing the haunting "There's Always Tomorrow" to comfort not only Rudolph but also those feeling bullied in home audiences. Add to that Rudolph runs away from home, after being bullied by his own father. Meanwhile, Herbie, the elf, is bullied by his colleagues for wanting to be a dentist, while they work away like overworked unionizers doing "Racing With The Clock" from "The Pajama Game," and then there is the Island of Misfit Toys," who are unwanted by all the children in the world. I mean, is this a downer, or what? I don't care how much happiness one gets at the end, to be subjected to this much trauma beforehand? This is what stays with one, not the happy ending!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"A Charlie Brown Christmas--" This 1965 cartoon set the gold standard for all future "Peanuts" specials. Its rollicking piano solo by Snoopy is a welcome relief from the trauma which included Lucy Van Pelt's (the gold standard for all future mean girls) relationship with Charlie Brown, to the plaintive moment when the Christmas tree falls, and Charlie Brown blames himself, as the bullied will do, when he says, "I've killed it. Oh, everything I touch gets ruined." This I can relate to, and despite the touching rendition of "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," I can never quite watch this again.
"Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol--" I had just turned eight, in 1962, when this was first broadcast. By the way, for Theater Queens, this was the first score Jule Styne and Bob Merrill wrote immediately after "Funny Girl," and it is every bit up to that effort. Now, most boomers remember the thieves'' song "We're Despicable," because of the melody, lyrics and how it is staged. And most are frightened by the Ghost Of Christmas Yet To Come. But what gets to me the most is the abandoned child Ebenezer singing "I'm All Alone In The World," reprised by the adult Magoo at the end of Act Two. And then, most of all, Belle's breakup song "Winter Was Warm," which captivated me as a child, and which I still sing today. By the way, this was hauntingly sung by Jane Kean, who went on to play Trixie in the Jackie Gleason technicolor version of "The Honeymooners" in the Sixties. Just writing about this gives me melancholy thoughts.
"The Little Drummer Boy--" Oh, my God, don't get me started with this one! The song is lovely, but the Christmas dramatization of it was extremely traumatizing for me, even when broadcast first, back in 1968, when I had just turned 14. By the way, I saw Disney's 1942 "Bambi" as an adult and have never gotten over it. And don't get me started on "Dumbo!" Greer Garson narrates the story, which follows the song, save one aspect. The boy, like me, is a friend to all animals, and his special and only companion, is a little lamb. Well, in a shocking act of dramatization, this innocent creature is shown being cruelly run over by a wagon, and the lamb is dead. Nice, huh? Now, this kid is alone! And we are made to feel that. The moving culmination, where he delivers the lamb to the manger of the infant Jesus, and, as a gift, plays his drum, restoring the lamb to life is beautifully rendered and moving, but can never erase the trauma of the aforementioned accident. After the first broadcast, I have never watched this one again. And I never will.
The Christmas Scene In 1944's "Meet Me In St. Louis--" This is very personal for me. Start with the most plaintive Christmas song ever written, "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, sung by the one who could do it best, Judy Garland. Following this, Tootie, played by Margaret O'Brien has a childhood nervous breakdown in a scene that was one of several earning her that year a special Juvenile Academy Award. The film is staged seasonally, so this does not come till near the end, so up to that the film is palatable. But when the Christmas dance comes, watch out. Still, this is one of the most perfectly made films ever, so the heartbreak of Judy and Margaret is beautiful to endure, though it can be a bit hard on younger viewers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
' "It's A Wonderful Life--" Is it? After seeing this 1946 film, I wondered. Name me a film that combines child abuse by a pharmacist, and father toward his wife and children, a special needs family member who is not especially treated well, denigrations of both spinsterhood and prostitution in the film's lead female characters, and lack of comeuppance for the culprit and you have Frank Capra's iconic Christmas classic. I don't deny its labeling or stature, or the quality of filmmaking at hand, but over the years, the aforementioned has come to bother me so much I do not think I can view this film ever again.
Well, dears, those are my observations. Let me know what you think.
And may the rest of this year be less traumatic than that depicted here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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2 comments:
I heartily agree with ALL of those, and I will add one of my own.
On “The First Christmas Record For Children” around 1960, Santa tells a little Christmas tree, voiced by Red Skelton, that two of his reindeer were knocked out cold when they ran into an iron curtain.
Early lessons in Communism.
Anyway, we were confused and frightened.
Scary Christmas.
Victoria, Thanks for sharing. I never heard that before, but I can see how it is upsetting. Interestingly, I watched Red Skelton's variety hour growing up. I loved him as a comedian. And he always ended with, "And may God bless."
I liked that.
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