The House Without a Christmas Tree (1972) (TV)

Director:

Paul Bogart

Writers:

Eleanor Perry (writer)
Gail Rock (book)

Release Date:

3 December 1972 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A young girl named Addie, living in Nebraska in 1946 wants nothing more for the holidays than a Christmas tree...

Plot Keywords:

Christmas | Holiday | Tree | Family Relationships | Father Daughter Relationship

Awards:

Won Primetime Emmy. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Jason Robards	...	Jamie Mills
Mildred Natwick	...	Grandma Mills
Lisa Lucas	...	Addie Mills
Kathryn Walker	...	Miss Thompson
Alexa Kenin	...	Carla Mae
Murray Westgate	...	Mr. Brady, the druggist
Maya Kenin	...	Mrs. Cott (as Maya Kenin Ryan)
Brady McNamara	...	Billy Wild (as Brady MacNamara)
Gail Dunsome	...	Gloria Cott
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Patricia Hamilton	...	Narrator (uncredited)

Directed by
Paul Bogart

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Eleanor Perry		writer
Gail Rock		book

Produced by
Alan Shayne	....	producer

Original Music by
Arthur B. Rubinstein		(as Arthur Rubinstein)

Film Editing by
Ed.J. Brennan		(video tape) (as Ed J. Brennan)

Art Direction by
Ben Edwards

Costume Design by
Jane Greenwood

Production Management
John Delmage	....	unit manager (as John A. Delmage)

Art Department
David Jaquest	....	property master

Sound Department
John Grimsditch	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Barney Stewart	....	lighting director

Casting Department
Karen Hazzard	....	casting

Other crew
Joan Chilcott	....	production assistant
Maurie Jackson	....	technical director
Don MacAdam	....	video
Norman Sunshine	....	collages
Gerry Wilkinson	....	floor manager

Production Companies

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)

Distributors

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1972) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (1992-1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Domestic Television (1998-2005) (USA) (all media)
• Paramount Home Video (1998-2007) (USA) (VHS)
• CBS Paramount Domestic Television (2005-) (USA) (all media)
• Paramount Home Video (2007-) (USA) (DVD)

Runtime:

75 min (excluding commercials)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Unrated

Company:

Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The miniature Christmas lights that can be seen on the tree in the drugstore, and in with the Christmas decorations that Addie's father brings home, did not exist in 1946. This type of Christmas light was not introduced in America until about 1950, and didn't really become a dominant force in holiday lighting until the 1960's. The light strings that would have been used in 1946 would likely have been 8-bulb sets using c6 bulbs, or 15-bulb sets using c7 bulbs.

Quotes:

Billy Wild: Hi, got your paper.
Addie Mills: Thanks.
[Slams door]

Movie Connections:

Followed by The Thanksgiving Treasure (1973) (TV)

Superb rendition of a classic story

CBS was known, in the old days, for it's quality adaptations of literature, be it classic or contemporary. As a child of the 60's and 70's, I remember all of these with great warmth, but none more than "The House Without a Christmas Tree" (except possibly for "J.T.", the story of the little boy and his cat). This is a simply told story, but it shines with an inner light. Lisa Lucas plays Addie, a 10 year old girl who lives with her widowed father and his mother in Clear River, Nebraska during the late 40's. Her father is still terribly torn apart over the death of his wife, so torn apart that he can't stand to celebrate Christmas and remember how happy he was when she was alive. To this end, he won't allow a Christmas tree in the house. Addie is determined that she will have a tree this year, and tries every minute she can to weedle him into getting one.

There are true emotions in this film; Addie is hurt by her father's seeming indifference to her, and doesn't understand why he won't buy a tree. He can't bring himself to explain, so these two headstrong people continually clash. Addie's grandmother softens what she can, but her son won't listen to her. He is sometimes cruel to his daughter, to hide his own wounded feelings. He and Addie come to a truce of sorts at the end, but it's not a neatly wrapped up conclusion, and it feels just like a real father-daughter relationship. Jason Robards is devastating as the father. His eyes are so expressive; the pain bleeds out of them, and just as conversely the love he truly does feel for Addie also shows in them. Mildred Natwick is just fine as the grandmother. She is the warm, comfy composite of every grandmother who ever lived, but she also adds a bite to the character that is refreshing. The Nebraska setting does just as much to enhance the story.

This was broadcast in 1972 on CBS, and not shown again till Disney picked it up in the very early 80's, along with the other two movies taken from Gail Rock's wonderful reminiscences of growing up in rural Nebraska, "The Thanksgiving Treasure" and "Addie and the King of Hearts". This film is available on VHS tape, and is highly recommended for the whole family. My own children always adored it.