A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)

Director: Bill Melendez
Studio: Lee Mendelson Film Productions, Bill Melendez Productions
Starring: Ann Altieri, Chris Doran, Sally Dryer

Synopsis:
A depressed Charlie Brown seeks the true meaning of Christmas.

Impressions:
This icon of the Christmas season has a fascinating story behind it. Almost everything that defines it was resisted by CBS at the time, but credit to the crew for sticking to their guns. Yes, it's definitely a diamond in the rough, having been made on a short schedule in a time when animation was slumping and using child actors who had little or no acting experience. The roughness is a big part of its charm and it's certainly an earnest story. It's very interesting to see how people were bewailing the over-commercialization of Christmas over fifty years ago and a lot of our holiday struggles are nothing new. The jazzy score by Vince Guaraldi warrants particular note, especially the signature tune "Linus and Lucy" that became the theme song of the entire franchise. A lot of people have a lot of sentimental value tied into this and I'm no exception. All it needs is a little love.

Rating:
Treasure It