I saw this film for the first and the last time as a thirteen year old in the 1970's. I think that it was screened on ITV.
Holden is superb in the role, as are all the other actors, but the ending tears your heart out to such an extent that I can't watch it again. I openly wept and I'm sure that many other people did. If the purpose of film is to captivate and entertain then 'The Christmas Tree' gets top marks but if the purpose, in this case, was to instil a 'feel good' feeling into the viewer then the film fails...spectacularly so.
Well made, moving and well acted but so moving that it grabs your soul and makes you feel deeply, deeply sad.
Holden is superb in the role, as are all the other actors, but the ending tears your heart out to such an extent that I can't watch it again. I openly wept and I'm sure that many other people did. If the purpose of film is to captivate and entertain then 'The Christmas Tree' gets top marks but if the purpose, in this case, was to instil a 'feel good' feeling into the viewer then the film fails...spectacularly so.
Well made, moving and well acted but so moving that it grabs your soul and makes you feel deeply, deeply sad.