When television stars attempt to cross the line into movies, the result can be a mixed bag of success. George Clooney successfully transitioned to the big screen from his television roots on ER, winning two Academy Awards to date and commanding top billing in powerhouse roles. On the flip side, Chevy Chase vaulted to stardom in the mid-1970s with Saturday Night Live but has since produced a plethora of deplorable movies, specifically the nearly unwatchable National Lampoon’s franchise.
Comedian Tim Allen rose to fame in 1991 as the star of the mega hit television series “Home Improvement.” In 1994, Allen made the victorious leap to cinema as the lead role in “The Santa Clause.” With a unique premise and host of comical characters, “The Santa Clause” is a perfectly funny blend of comedy and holiday cheer.
Continuing with the bravado and machismo made famous by the Home Improvement character Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor, Allen flawlessly steps into the role of Scott Calvin, a mild mannered businessman and middle aged divorcee. Calvin is a benign specimen in life, wanting nothing more than to be a good father to his eight year old son, Charlie.
Calvin’s world is thrust upside down, and his own sense of reality is put to the test, when a freak accident forces him to become the next Santa Clause. The very idea of the magical and enigmatic Kris Kringle being a tangible man is comical in its own right, and the concept of a Tim Allen played character having to take over his “job” is downright brilliant.
The casting of Tim Allen as Scott Calvin was a no brainer. Allen is flat out perfect in the lead role (his first leading role on film) bringing with him his trademarked brand of humor that can bring a smile to even the most staunchest of grinches. Allen mixes goofiness with a sharp tongue and rough around the edges style to become as regular of an everyday person a comic could be.
Director John Pasquin and a team of writers manage to perfect the tale by having the Christmas element toned down in a way other holiday themed movies can’t do. While the story opens on Christmas Eve, the entire middle portion of the film takes place on the days after December 25, and leading up to the following holiday season.
Joining Allen in a superbly selected cast is veteran actress Wendy Crewson who plays Scott’s ex wife Laura, and the always hysterical Judge Reinhold as Laura’s new husband Neil – a textbook psychiatrist who fails to recognize a child’s belief in Santa Clause and is therefore near catatonic at the idea of a grown man making such claims.
One of the best surprises from the film comes from the performance of a then-sixteen year old David Krumholtz. Playing the role of Bernard the Elf, Krumholtz is a perfect choice for the always serious elf who is forced to help Scott with his metamorphosis into the role of Santa Clause. Eight-year old Eric Lloyd is a great choice of Scott’s son Charlie, and shrewd writing keep minimum doses of screen time for the child, something always necessary and often forgone when dealing with kids on the big screen.
A great Christmas story from our generation, its hard to believe its been twenty years since the release of “The Santa Clause.” In the two decades since, it has grown to become a charming holiday piece.
by – Matt Christopher
