KnotMissPriceless Why so much hype?

Interesteg What makes it different from others?

StunnaKrypto Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

SpuffyWeb Sadly Over-hyped

flackjacket Ah, yes... The nostalgia of childhood. There are so many TV shows, cartoons and Holiday "specials" I thought were the cat's balls when I was a kid. Some, that when I revisited them as an adult, I realized they sucked.For example, The Six Million Dollar Man, The Banana Splits, Zoom and Quick Draw McGraw. When I was a kid, I thought they were the best. But after seeing them as an adult I realized they were, in reality, pure crap.But that isn't the case with this Holiday "movie". There are things from childhood that are not just nostalgia, but precious memories. Like the old Gospel song says "how they linger". Yes, they linger much like a burning shart after eating tainted manicotti.This "movie" ranks up there with other precious memories from my childhood. Like the first time I projectile vomited across 3 desks in 2nd grade. Or, when our 1st grade teacher would come back from lunch drunk out of her mind and physically abuse the kids in the class. Or that time I had liquid diarrhea while walking home from school.Just like those precious memories, this "movie" sucked back then and sucks now, just as much, if not more. I remember the first time I saw it, I changed the channel for so many reasons. 1. I could eat a dictionary and poop better lyrics than the opening song. 2. The voices didn't match the extremely poor acting. 3. The colors were whacked, as if one had taken bad acid. 4. The "special effects" were incredibly bad. And 5. The story was boring as Hell.Yes sometimes nostalgia will gain loyalty from those with no taste who enjoyed this "movie" as a child. And sometimes, nostalgia and memories just can't polish a turd.

MARIO GAUCI This obscure Italian musical fantasy was actually made in the then-prevalent style: elaborately-mounted, garishly-colored and broadly comic in tone (bringing to mind both THE GREAT RACE {1965}, with Rossano Brazzi's Phineas T. Prune looking quite a bit like Jack Lemmon's Professor Fate from that film and CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG {1968}, which also involved a child-hating villain) – in fact, it comes complete with an animated title sequence! Incidentally, the anti-Christmas feeling inherent within the film would turn up again the same year in Chuck Jones' animated rendition of Dr. Seuss' HOW THE GRINCH STOLE Christmas (by the way, I will be checking out the 2000 live-action version as part of my ongoing Christmas binge)! Writer/director/star Brazzi – who, curiously enough, died on Christmas Eve 1994 – had already proved his vocal mettle (in heavily-accented English) with the popular musical SOUTH PACIFIC (1958). For the record, this was his first of only 3 directorial efforts – the others being no less intriguing, and admirably versatile, namely the caper CRIMINAL AFFAIR (1968) and the giallo PSYCHOUT FOR MURDER (1969; which I have opted to acquire in its original cut, since a 'harder' version was commissioned for the overseas market that reportedly saw the involvement of cult figure Renato Polselli!).Anyway, while the film under review emerges as no unsung gem, it was a harmless and surprisingly engaging addition to the Yuletide movie lore, its plot also recalling the seasonal perennials MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET (1947; in view of the fact that the real Santa Claus seeks employment in a department store to fill just that role!) and the much-filmed "A Christmas Carol" (given Prune's eventual softening). The songs (music by future Jess Franco{!} regular Bruno Nicolai and lyrics by one Paul Tripp, who also co-stars as the lawyer – Brazzi's own neighbor! – helping Santa thwart the villain's plans to disrupt the eagerly-awaited festivities) are hardly classics, but the title tune in particular is quite pleasant. Being an international production (here presented dubbed in English albeit still sporting the original Italian credits), Father Christmas is played by an unknown Italian actor (Alberto Rabagliati) – who, amusingly, gets the shivers in having to deal with children, since he usually encounters them while they are asleep (similarly, he and Tripp get carried away trying out the toys in the store, which merely elicits a head-shaking reaction from prospective customers)! His spouse, then, is played by Brazzi's own second wife (Lydia) and the wiry elderly clerk at Santa's workshop is the ever-reliable character actor Mischa Auer in one of his last films. Typically, a number of midgets are behind the bearded fat man in the red suit or, more precisely, the toys he distributes door-to-door all around the world every Christmas Eve.With respect to Prune's beef with the Christmas period, it transpires that he has purchased the entire North Pole so that, knowing Santa will not be able to pay the lease, he can evict the latter (which Brazzi takes great pleasure in, turning up every day like clockwork expressly to upset the old man's meal!) and, therefore, no toys will be manufactured and delivered from then on! In fact, Santa takes up the extra employment in order to meet his new landlord's demands (which the latter nips in the bud by purchasing the establishment too and firing St. Nick and his attorney on the spot!). Incidentally, one quibble I have with films purporting to present the Real McCoy: if Santa is supposed to be the be-all-and-end-all of Christmas gifts (in that he has to bring them personally to kids, with his herd of reindeer and all), where do the plentiful toys in sundry department stores across the globe come from?! As expected, Brazzi's scheme (aided in his nefarious exploits by cadaverous butler John Karlsen) is ultimately foiled, with children everywhere willingly giving their pocket money to save Santa from his predicament. Prune, on the other hand, is revealed to have believed in Father Christmas himself once upon a time…but his letter asking for a sail-boat had gotten misplaced, and this was the reason he grew up detesting all things connected to the proverbial 'jolly' season!

hfan77 I was five years old and living in New Jersey when the movie first came out and I remember seeing it at a theatre in Ramsey after seeing countless commercials for it. "The Christmas That Almost Wasn't" will always be a memorable movie to me, since it's the first movie I remember seeing with my parents and every time I see it, it brings back memories of watching "Birthday House" every morning with Paul Tripp, who acted, wrote the script and songs for the movie. I also remember seeing in the movie, Tripp's wife, Ruth Enders and the host of the local kids show at that time "Wonderama" Sonny Fox as Mr. Prim. Let's not forget the man who starred and directed, Rossano Brazzi, who played the bad guy Mr. Prune, who tried to evict Santa from the North Pole and stop Christmas. Fortunately, the children of the world came to the rescue to save the holiday from being canceled.Brazzi's portrayal of Prune was outstanding and was among Boris Karloff's portrayal of the Grinch in the cartoon that came out around the same time as the movie. One other thing i remember was Glenn Yarbrough's rendition of the title song.If you haven't seen this movie, get a date with Santa and buy or rent "The Christmas That Almost Wasn't." It could be your next holiday classic.

OnceUponATimeInTheWest Santa says... (from the film)"Christmas isn't coming this year". I heard this line over and over in the endless commercials promoting it back when this film was released in the 60s. Of course back then I had to see it and I did in the cinema. Back in the day when going to the movies was an event. Remember no video or dvd back then! I just ordered it on dvd. I am sure I will not be disappointed I don't remember much about it but it should at least be interesting,taking yet another trip down nostalgia lane