Rating: 
Summary: A Real Holiday Treat!
Review: "The Homecoming -- A Christmas Story" (full on-screen title) was made in 1971, and was the start of CBS' very successful series, "The Waltons". And what a great way to start! Patricia Neal gives a powerful performance as Olivia Walton, the head of the very large Walton clan. This entire cast, in fact, seems ideally suited for his/her role in this program. The true feeling and spirit of the holiday shines through in every single scene of The Homecoming Christmas special, with the producers re-creating a quite realistic feeling that it is indeed Christmas 1933, during the height of The Great Depression. The writing, acting, and the atmosphere are all first-rate! This is one of those programs that deserves to be watched every Christmas Eve, just like clockwork! Who could forget the great scene at the end of the movie, when John (Daddy Walton, played by Andrew Duggan) relays his encounter with Santa Claus! Watching him tell the kids of how Santa's sleigh "...went flying across the sky and landed right on top of this house!!", to me, is one of the best scenes in TV history! Watching that scene, you'd swear those kids were not actors at all .... but just wide-eyed excited kids hanging on Dad's every word! Thank you, Earl Hamner, Jr., for a timeless holiday special!
Rating:
Summary: Now how about "the Waltons" first 5 seasons on DVD?
Review: "The Homecoming: A Christmas Story" from 1971 (serving as a pilot for "the Waltons" series) is one of the best holiday films I've ever seen, and perhaps it doesn't get much replay because it's overshadowed by the memory of the subsequent series, but "The Homecoming" [with Patrica Neal & Andrew Duggan in the roles of the parents, played by different actors in the series--thought the kids and grandma are the same] is just a fine, understated poignant little gem, very early 70s in its melancholy mood (although it's set, naturally, in the Depression era 1930s).Hopefully, the DVD hasn't been badly cut the way the tape release was, for some reason. But why then hasn't "The Waltons" series been released? Contrary to smug, collective recollection, "The Waltons" was far better (and MUCH less sappy) than some people may think-- and the first 5 seasons were arguably the best. [And if they can release "Little House" on DVD, which really WAS a sad, sappy offensive piece of tripe, there is no reason the Emmy-laden "Waltons" shouldn't make it to our DVD shelves!]
Rating:
Summary: I enjoyed it very much
Review: "The Homecoming: A Christmas Story" The family is in a bit of a turmoil as they wait for their dad to return home for Christmas. Time passes but there is no sign of him. Neal is very convincing as the strong loving wife trying to hide her fear of what's happened to her husband from her children.
Rating:
Summary: Waiting for John Walton to come home for Christmas, 1933
Review: "The Homecoming: A Christmas Story" was not intended to be the pilot for "The Waltons" but it ended up that way. It is Christmas Eve 1933, during the Depression, and the Walton family is busy preparing for the holiday, but everyone is worried because things might keep Daddy (Andrew Duggan) from making it home to his family. The comic relief comes from the Baldwin Sisters, who are making their bootleg whiskey, much to the disgust of Olivia Walton (Patricial Neal), who is worried her husband will not make it home in time. Meanwhile, we learn that John-Boy (Richard Thomas) dreams of being a writer and going to the university, but has been hiding these desires from his parents. But what makes this show a yuletime gem is not the fact that it spawned a beloved television series but because it is an intimate little story where the love of family is expressed in by little but still important things. Like a stack of paper. Patricia Neal's performance stands out because she is really the only one in the cast who works on having an authentic regional accent. She also looks like she has been enduring the hardship of the Depression, which makes other cast members, most notably Edgar Bergen as Grandpa Walton, look out of place. I actually remember thinking these things when this television movie first aired, and not as a result of the casting changes made when "The Waltons" went into production. Originally televized on December 19, 1971, the script is, of course, by Earl Hammer, Jr. I think the television series made this movie seem a bit strange, but it deserves to be enjoyed on its own merits.
Rating:
Summary: A Real Holiday Treat!
Review: "The Homecoming -- A Christmas Story" (full on-screen title) was made in 1971, and was the start of CBS' very successful series, "The Waltons". And what a great way to start! Patricia Neal gives a powerful performance as Olivia Walton, the head of the very large Walton clan. This entire cast, in fact, seems ideally suited for his/her role in this program. The true feeling and spirit of the holiday shines through in every single scene of The Homecoming Christmas special, with the producers re-creating a quite realistic feeling that it is indeed Christmas 1933, during the height of The Great Depression. The writing, acting, and the atmosphere are all first-rate! This is one of those programs that deserves to be watched every Christmas Eve, just like clockwork! Who could forget the great scene at the end of the movie, when John (Daddy Walton, played by Andrew Duggan) relays his encounter with Santa Claus! Watching him tell the kids of how Santa's sleigh "...went flying across the sky and landed right on top of this house!!", to me, is one of the best scenes in TV history! Watching that scene, you'd swear those kids were not actors at all .... but just wide-eyed excited kids hanging on Dad's every word! Thank you, Earl Hamner, Jr., for a timeless holiday special!
Rating:
Summary: Now how about "the Waltons" first 5 seasons on DVD?
Review: "The Homecoming: A Christmas Story" from 1971 (serving as a pilot for "the Waltons" series) is one of the best holiday films I've ever seen, and perhaps it doesn't get much replay because it's overshadowed by the memory of the subsequent series, but "The Homecoming" [with Patrica Neal & Andrew Duggan in the roles of the parents, played by different actors in the series--thought the kids and grandma are the same] is just a fine, understated poignant little gem, very early 70s in its melancholy mood (although it's set, naturally, in the Depression era 1930s). Hopefully, the DVD hasn't been badly cut the way the tape release was, for some reason. But why then hasn't "The Waltons" series been released? Contrary to smug, collective recollection, "The Waltons" was far better (and MUCH less sappy) than some people may think-- and the first 5 seasons were arguably the best. [And if they can release "Little House" on DVD, which really WAS a sad, sappy offensive piece of tripe, there is no reason the Emmy-laden "Waltons" shouldn't make it to our DVD shelves!]
Rating:
Summary: Waiting for John Walton to come home for Christmas, 1933
Review: "The Homecoming: A Christmas Story" was not intended to be the pilot for "The Waltons" but it ended up that way. It is Christmas Eve 1933, during the Depression, and the Walton family is busy preparing for the holiday, but everyone is worried because things might keep Daddy (Andrew Duggan) from making it home to his family. The comic relief comes from the Baldwin Sisters, who are making their bootleg whiskey, much to the disgust of Olivia Walton (Patricial Neal), who is worried her husband will not make it home in time. Meanwhile, we learn that John-Boy (Richard Thomas) dreams of being a writer and going to the university, but has been hiding these desires from his parents. But what makes this show a yuletime gem is not the fact that it spawned a beloved television series but because it is an intimate little story where the love of family is expressed in by little but still important things. Like a stack of paper. Patricia Neal's performance stands out because she is really the only one in the cast who works on having an authentic regional accent. She also looks like she has been enduring the hardship of the Depression, which makes other cast members, most notably Edgar Bergen as Grandpa Walton, look out of place. I actually remember thinking these things when this television movie first aired, and not as a result of the casting changes made when "The Waltons" went into production. Originally televized on December 19, 1971, the script is, of course, by Earl Hammer, Jr. I think the television series made this movie seem a bit strange, but it deserves to be enjoyed on its own merits.
Rating:
Summary: A meaningful and entertaining holiday film.
Review: Although those of us from Central Virginia can tell that the outdoor scenes were shot elsewhere, the cast and crew do an outstanding job of recreating Depression-era life and reinforcing family values. Watch this film with your kids.
Rating:
Summary: A family tradition
Review: As long as I can remember, I have watched the "Homecoming" each year. When I got married and began having children, I wanted them to enjoy the refreshing closness of a family working together and experiencing love for everyone around around them. So I taped the movie one day from television and each year my family would watch it together as we decorated our family tree. We then moved to Panama as missionaries and that first year was extremely difficult to celebrate Christmas in 100 degree weather. We went to watch the movie and the video was damaged and we were unable to locate another to purchase. This is our first year home from the mission field and I thought I would take a chance to see if Amazon had the video. I should have know that Amazon would come through for us as in the past. Now this year will feel more complete for us as we now go to our next mission in Maryland.
Rating:
Summary: A great holiday classic
Review: As you may already know, this was the pilot for The Waltons t.v. series. Patricia Neal stars as Ma Walton. She does a fine job of it as well. Sometimes, it's a shock to see another person in a role you know so well but that's not the case here. In fact the whole cast did a splendid job. The Homecoming was so well cast that all of the child actors remained in their roles for the televison program. The roles of Ma, Pa and Grandpa Walton (played by Edgar Bergen)were recast along with the owner of the general store and the Baldwin sisters. Grandma Walton (Ellen Corby) continued the in role even after suffering a stoke a few years later. I give the producers high praise for not casting her aside like an old shoe.
If you think a Christmas t.v. show should be heartwarming, then you can't go wrong here. Set in the time of the depression, somewhere in the blue ridge mountains, lives a large family trying to make ends meet. There will be homemade gifts for Christmas but the children don't really mind. A far cry from kids of today. Here, people still attend church, look after their neighbors, children mind their manners and don't talk back to elders. It's the kind of place we older folks wish we could bring back, minus the lack of money of course.
The family is in a bit of a turmoil as they wait for their dad to return home for Christmas. Time passes but there is no sign of him. Neal is very convincing as the strong loving wife trying to hide her fear of what's happened to her husband from her children.
This is a great film for the kids to watch along with their parents. Parents, purchase with confidence. This film is kid friendly.
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