Ernest Saves Christmas
I mentioned in my previous post that I watched this movie last night. You might be wondering why I consider this movie, of all Christmas movies, to be a bonafide classic.
Sure, it's a comedy. No qualms about that. There's a lot of laugh-out-loud scenes, slapstick humor, and rambling digressions from my old pal Ernest P. Worrell. Sure, it's a very simple, straight-forward story that probably won't appeal to people searching for Christmas movies packed with gritty serious drama. Sure, there's a lot of fantastic elements in it that will turn off people who prefer urban, down-to-earth settings over cheap-looking theatrics.
But there's a whole lot more to this movie than that. A deeper meaning is present here in this plot, and it teaches a bigger lesson than just plain entertainment. Ernest Saves Christmas is about more than Santa Claus' decision to retire and pass on his toy sack to an unknowing successor, enlisting the aid of Ernest along the way. Of course Ernest saves Christmas, but there's something else that gets saved as well. Hope. Faith. A child-like innocence in the magic of the season is saved from the cynicism and holiday-jaded people that threaten to destroy it forever.
Like I said, in this movie "Santa" (Douglas Seale), after holding down the job much longer than he should have, comes to Orlando, FL to seek out his replacement. His candidate is a man named Joe Curruthers (Oliver Clark) who just recently had his children's television show canceled and is working out of the children's museum when we first meet him. Immediately we see why Santa has chosen him. Unlike many of the other adults who show up in this film, Joe is honest, kind-hearted, and loves children sincerely. On his way from the airport, Santa bumps into our star, Ernest, who works as a cab driver in this movie, and hitches a ride to the museum to meet with Joe.
During the ride, we see how much Ernest loves Christmas. He loves everything about it. The trees, the songs, the laughter and smiles, chestnuts on an open fire, sleighbells in the snow ... The things he says about the holiday may read like cliches if we heard them today. Not to me. Whether it's Jim Varney's passionate tone or just the magic of the movie, I don't know. But this is a man with a child's heart and faith. It's so unbelievable to see an adult with the kind of innocent joy Ernest has about Christmas. Here's a man willing to screech to a halt on a crowded road in order to rescue a Christmas tree that falls into traffic. A man who believes without hesitation that the old man he's giving a ride to the museum is none other than Saint Nick himself. Just because he says so. That's all it takes.
Ernest: "I don't mean to insult you seeing as how we just met, but you know who you kind of remind me of?"
Santa: "Santa Claus?"
Ernest: "I guess you hear that a lot, huh?"
Santa: "Yes, well, it's to be expected."
Ernest: "Because you look like him?"
Santa: "Because I am him."
Ernest: "Well, how about that...?"
Unfortunately, Santa's plan runs into some complications. First he loses his sack (it gets left in Ernest's car and winds up in the hands of another co-star, whom we'll address in a minute), then gets taken away by the police who think he's delusional, disoriented. It's up to Ernest and the aforementioned co-star to get Santa out of the slammer and get to Joe before 7:00 on Christmas Eve, or both Santa Claus and the magic of Christmas is lost.
Even worse, other people have their eyes on Joe, too. They want him to play a role in a holiday film that they're putting on. It's your basic garden-variety slasher flick, but it has serious implications for our future Santa Claus. Agreeing to this movie means compromising his morals, good character, everything the children loved his show on TV for. Everything decent about himself. But then again, the other option is putting his faith and trust in some old cook who shows up at his doorstep and tells him he must become the new Santa. What path will Joe take?
The other big subplot in this film is that of our other co-star: Harmony Starr (Noelle Parker). She's a kid who has run away from home and has taken to subterfuge and deception. She lies about her circumstances (even her own name is false; it's really Pamela Trenton) and scamming restaurant owners to get a meal. Because this is her only viable means of getting by (or so she thinks), she's convinced that this is how the world works. There's no room for blind faith in a Santa Claus or even Christmas. It's a cynical world in which only the smart and clever survive.
Of course, Pamela's struck immediately by Ernest's joy and innocence. It's meant to provide a stark contrast of beliefs, but the true confrontation is between Pamela and Santa, who is perceptive enough to see right through her facade. He brings her deception and cynicism to the forefront, but she still attempts to deny it and changes the subject to either Santa or Ernest. She steals Santa's sack of toys and plans to use it as her ticket to the life of riches and worldly wealth she's always wanted. But as she waits for the train to depart Orlando, she starts having doubts and wonders if this is what she really wants, who she really is. The pivotal moment comes when she hears a boy trying to convince his younger sister there's no such thing as Santa Claus. Harmony exits. Pamela returns. So Ernest not only saves Christmas, but he saves her child-like innocence and fher aith. That is the true salvation.
Anyway, I love this movie. Watch it for yourself and see what you get out of it. And hey, enjoy the comedy and the laughs for what they are, too.
Song of the Day: Delirious? - "Rain Down"
Verse of the Day: "Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?" - Hebrews 12:7
Sure, it's a comedy. No qualms about that. There's a lot of laugh-out-loud scenes, slapstick humor, and rambling digressions from my old pal Ernest P. Worrell. Sure, it's a very simple, straight-forward story that probably won't appeal to people searching for Christmas movies packed with gritty serious drama. Sure, there's a lot of fantastic elements in it that will turn off people who prefer urban, down-to-earth settings over cheap-looking theatrics.
But there's a whole lot more to this movie than that. A deeper meaning is present here in this plot, and it teaches a bigger lesson than just plain entertainment. Ernest Saves Christmas is about more than Santa Claus' decision to retire and pass on his toy sack to an unknowing successor, enlisting the aid of Ernest along the way. Of course Ernest saves Christmas, but there's something else that gets saved as well. Hope. Faith. A child-like innocence in the magic of the season is saved from the cynicism and holiday-jaded people that threaten to destroy it forever.
Like I said, in this movie "Santa" (Douglas Seale), after holding down the job much longer than he should have, comes to Orlando, FL to seek out his replacement. His candidate is a man named Joe Curruthers (Oliver Clark) who just recently had his children's television show canceled and is working out of the children's museum when we first meet him. Immediately we see why Santa has chosen him. Unlike many of the other adults who show up in this film, Joe is honest, kind-hearted, and loves children sincerely. On his way from the airport, Santa bumps into our star, Ernest, who works as a cab driver in this movie, and hitches a ride to the museum to meet with Joe.
During the ride, we see how much Ernest loves Christmas. He loves everything about it. The trees, the songs, the laughter and smiles, chestnuts on an open fire, sleighbells in the snow ... The things he says about the holiday may read like cliches if we heard them today. Not to me. Whether it's Jim Varney's passionate tone or just the magic of the movie, I don't know. But this is a man with a child's heart and faith. It's so unbelievable to see an adult with the kind of innocent joy Ernest has about Christmas. Here's a man willing to screech to a halt on a crowded road in order to rescue a Christmas tree that falls into traffic. A man who believes without hesitation that the old man he's giving a ride to the museum is none other than Saint Nick himself. Just because he says so. That's all it takes.
Ernest: "I don't mean to insult you seeing as how we just met, but you know who you kind of remind me of?"
Santa: "Santa Claus?"
Ernest: "I guess you hear that a lot, huh?"
Santa: "Yes, well, it's to be expected."
Ernest: "Because you look like him?"
Santa: "Because I am him."
Ernest: "Well, how about that...?"
Unfortunately, Santa's plan runs into some complications. First he loses his sack (it gets left in Ernest's car and winds up in the hands of another co-star, whom we'll address in a minute), then gets taken away by the police who think he's delusional, disoriented. It's up to Ernest and the aforementioned co-star to get Santa out of the slammer and get to Joe before 7:00 on Christmas Eve, or both Santa Claus and the magic of Christmas is lost.
Even worse, other people have their eyes on Joe, too. They want him to play a role in a holiday film that they're putting on. It's your basic garden-variety slasher flick, but it has serious implications for our future Santa Claus. Agreeing to this movie means compromising his morals, good character, everything the children loved his show on TV for. Everything decent about himself. But then again, the other option is putting his faith and trust in some old cook who shows up at his doorstep and tells him he must become the new Santa. What path will Joe take?
The other big subplot in this film is that of our other co-star: Harmony Starr (Noelle Parker). She's a kid who has run away from home and has taken to subterfuge and deception. She lies about her circumstances (even her own name is false; it's really Pamela Trenton) and scamming restaurant owners to get a meal. Because this is her only viable means of getting by (or so she thinks), she's convinced that this is how the world works. There's no room for blind faith in a Santa Claus or even Christmas. It's a cynical world in which only the smart and clever survive.
Of course, Pamela's struck immediately by Ernest's joy and innocence. It's meant to provide a stark contrast of beliefs, but the true confrontation is between Pamela and Santa, who is perceptive enough to see right through her facade. He brings her deception and cynicism to the forefront, but she still attempts to deny it and changes the subject to either Santa or Ernest. She steals Santa's sack of toys and plans to use it as her ticket to the life of riches and worldly wealth she's always wanted. But as she waits for the train to depart Orlando, she starts having doubts and wonders if this is what she really wants, who she really is. The pivotal moment comes when she hears a boy trying to convince his younger sister there's no such thing as Santa Claus. Harmony exits. Pamela returns. So Ernest not only saves Christmas, but he saves her child-like innocence and fher aith. That is the true salvation.
Anyway, I love this movie. Watch it for yourself and see what you get out of it. And hey, enjoy the comedy and the laughs for what they are, too.
Song of the Day: Delirious? - "Rain Down"
Verse of the Day: "Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?" - Hebrews 12:7
posted by david @ 4:06 PM
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