The Homecoming: A Christmas Story

Charming and heartwarming Christmas hokum personified, this 1971 CBS TV movie introduced us to the Walton family, those hearty folk of good pioneer stock soldiering their way--poor but happy--through the Great Depression. It's Christmas Eve 1933, and Momma (Patricia Neal) and the passel of kids await the return of Father, who's off working miles and miles away at the only job he could find. Chopping down the Christmas tree, baking pies, worrying about how they can afford to buy presents for the littlest ones, the themes and activities in The Homecoming are sweetly sentimental but never cloying, with a bit of bite in the aspirations of the older children, who yearn for more than seems possible in their limited circumstances: John-Boy (Richard Thomas) to be a writer; one of the daughters for a life beyond the kitchen. Based on the novel of the same name by Earl Hamner, Jr., The Homecoming became the inspiration for the popular television series The Waltons. Sporting a crisp, clean full screen picture (in its original aspect ratio), Dolby Digital mono sound, and--unfortunately--no extras, this Christmas favorite is recommended. (M. Johanson)