Call Me Claus

Rating:
Summary: Whoopi Goldberg's Finest Moments
Review: Whoopi Goldberg is an acquired taste, but to my mind she has never been funnier or had more affect than in this soon to be holiday classic. I don't see why, with a little luck, CALL ME CLAUS won't soon be regarded as the beloved Xmas perennial that is the happy fate of MIRACLE on 34TH STREET or SCROOGED. Or even A CHRISTMAS STORY or CHRISTMAS IN CONNECTICUT or COME TO THE STABLE. Nigel Hawthorne, from the PBS MAPP AND LUCIA shows, and nominated for the Oscar for his part in THE MADNESS OF GEORGE III, outdoes every other part he ever had the privilege of playing and gives us the authentic Santa Claus for once and for all. You will laugh with recognition at Hawthorne' elfish grin and big red heart. Too bad he died so soon after making CALL ME CLAUS because as soon as this telefilm comes to an end, you're all primed for a sequel!

While Hawthorne is warm and tender, Goldberg is (at first) strident and severe, but soon liike Scrooge she melts right into the part of Lucy Cullins. Many of my friends credit the broadcast of this late 2001 film with helping them cure their depression and trauma over the events of 9-11-01, when it looked like for many the spirit of Christmas had been permanently extinguished, and then along came Whoopi and Sir Nigel, like two nutty Wise Men, to light the lamp of mirth and joy once again. Hosanna to entertainment for it goes a long way towards curing the ills of those sorry old world.