An older, but yet fun Hallmark Channel holiday film worth watching!
PURCHASE THIS FILM ON AMAZON PRIME
TITLE: Christmas at Cartwright’s
FILM YEAR: 2014
DURATION: 87 Minutes
BLU-RAY DISC INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition
COMPANY: Hallmark Channel
RATED: TV-PG
Directed by Graeme Campbell
Written by Margaret Oberman
Executive Producer: Howard Braunstein, Patricia Heaton, David Hunt, Deborah Marks, A.J. Morewitz, Thomas Walden
Produced by Steve Solomos
Co-Producer: David Anselmo
Music by Sean Nimmons-Paterson
Cinematography by Peter Benison
Edited by Roger Mattiussi
Casting by Sharon Forrest
Production Design by Tim Bider
Art Direction: Richelle Wilks
Set Decoration by Deirdra Morris
Costume Design by Ginger Martini
Starring:
Alicia Witt as Nicky
Gabriel Hogan as Bill
Wallace Shawn as Harry
T.J. McGibbon as Becky
Linda Kash as Peg
Gabrielle Miller as Fiona
Jayne Eastwood as Mrs. Rositani
Ron Lea as Mr. Mathews
Miku Graham as Liz
Marsha Regis as Mrs. Laurence
With the holiday season at hand, single mom Nicky Talbot is unemployed and struggling to afford a nice Christmas with her 8-year-old daughter. Hearing that Cartwright’s Department Store is hiring temporary holiday help, Nicky rushes in to apply, but is rejected by Senior VP Fiona Aldrich, who considers Nicky a threat to the relationship she hopes to have with Bill, a charming and handsome store manager. In a whimsical turn of events, Harry Osbourne, claiming to be a consultant from corporate headquarters, encourages Nicky to dress up and begin working as Cartwright’s store Santa Claus. With the magical help of Harry, Nicky keeps the job, but nobody knows Cartwright’s Santa Claus is a woman. Will she be able to keep her job if her secret gets out?
We have made it to day 36 of my holiday film marathon and for today’s holiday film, I am watching the Hallmark Channel 2014 telefilm “Christmas at Cartwright’s”.
The film stars Hallmark Channel Christmas Queen Alicia Witt (“88 Minutes”, “Friday Night Lights”, “Urban Legend”) who has appeared in many holiday films since 2014’s “A Very Merry Mix-Up”, Gabriel Hogan (“Tacoma FD”, “Condor”), Wallace Shawn (“Young Sheldon”, “The Princess Bride”, “My Dinner with Andre”), T.J. McGibbon (“X-Men: Apocalypse”, “The Umbrella Academy”), Linda Kash (“Best in Show”, “Man of the Year”, “Cinderella Man”), Jane Eastwood (“Dawn of the Dead”, “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”) and more.
“Christmas at Cartwright’s” revolves around single mother Nicky (portrayed by Alicia Witt), who has been job hunting since the loss of her last job months ago. While her daughter Becky (portrayed by T.J. MicGibbon) hopes that her mother can remarry, so she can be happy again.
As Nicky and her daughter are walking, they say something at the same time and when Becky makes a wish, this may change the luck for her mother.
As Nicky tries to apply for a job at the Cartwright department store, she meets Bill (portrayed by Gabriel Hogan) and he wishes her the best in getting a job at Cartwright’s. But when the hiring director Fiona (portrayed by Gabrielle Miller) sees Nicky and Bill together, she gets jealous and doesn’t hire her.
While she didn’t get the job, while taking the elevator, she finds herself in the employees location and the elevator is stuck on that level. As she walks around, she finds herself in a dressing room with santa outfits and the door locks up from behind her and she is trapped in the room.
When Harry (portrayed by Wallace Shawn), a Christmas consultant from headquarters, goes to check for the new Santa, he mentions that it pays well, there are bonuses and benefits and knowing she needs a job badly, Nicky becomes the new Santa at Cartwright’s (despite not being officially hired), but what happens when Bill asks Nicky out for a date. Can she keep her secret identity as Santa without anyone knowing that a woman is playing Santa?
While my favorite Alicia Witt holiday film is still “A Very Merry Mix-Up”, this is another older holiday film in which she plays dual roles, during the morning and later in night as mom, but during work, as Santa Claus.
And through the guidance of Harry, Nicky as Santa Claus has become a hit! Because she can communicate with the children and making them think that Santa knows everything. Of course, no one knows that inside the Santa suit is a woman (who was not hired for the job), but she does her best trying to make money to take care of her daughter and also pay the rent. But it becomes complicated when the major department heads at Cartwright’s has fallen for her. She is falling for him too, but she can’t risk anyone knowing that she is the Santa at Cartwright’s.
An older, but yet fun Hallmark Channel holiday film worth watching!
PURCHASE THIS FILM ON AMAZON PRIME
