#139 The Family Film Menu of Choices

This morning I was browsing the TV listings for “Family Best Bet” featuring the movies with a Christmas theme. Family films aren’t very friendly to the traditional--a mom, a dad and a couple of kids--family. In fact, the term “family film” at any time of the year almost assures a plot with a single mom or dad, or a dead parent, or a deserting parent, a stand-in parent, or no parent showing up for any significant role in a child‘s life.

Here’s what’s available on TV this week in the Columbus viewing area :

Mr. St. Nick: Kelsey Grammer is junior Claus who doesn’t want to follow in Dad’s snowshoes. There is a Mama Claus, but I think the Latino cook provides more guidance.

Miracle on 34th Street: the 1994 version, but Mom is still a widow with the cynical daughter.

Mrs. Winterbourne: Ricki Lake in 1996 plays a pregnant single mother-to-be taking someone else’s identity.

Secret of Roan Irish: girl with dead mother and alcoholic father lives with grandfather, wants truth about a baby washed out to sea.

Babes in Toyland: Drew Barrymore in 1986 fights evil plot to take over Toyland--parents aren’t apparent.

Borrowed Hearts: Roma Downey, single mom, pretends to be executive’s wife.

The Santa Clause: Tim Allen, cynical divorced father playing St. Nick.

The week is offering two versions of a classic, the Christmas Carol, 1938 with June Lockhart as one of the children and her parents as Bob and Emily Cratchet and a TV adaptation (1999) with Patrick Stewart. So, we have to go back to an early 19th century story for a traditional family for the holidays.