Honestly, it’s a crime that when people talk about Christmas classics, they immediately jump to the Grinch or Kevin McAllister while completely ignoring Angela Lansbury’s turn in the 1996 movie Mrs. Santa Claus. It’s weird. You’ve got a Broadway legend, Jerry Herman—the guy behind Hello, Dolly!—writing the music, and a plot that actually tackles social issues like women's suffrage and child labor. Yet, it feels like it’s tucked away in a dusty corner of television history.
Let's be real. Most holiday films are about a guy in a red suit or a kid who gets left home alone. This one? It’s a feminist manifesto wrapped in tinsel and 1910s New York grit.
The Plot Most People Forget
The year is 1910. Santa is busy. Like, "ignoring his wife" busy. He’s obsessed with his new "Great Circle Route" for Christmas Eve, and Anna Claus is just... there. She wants to help. She suggests a new route, but Santa—played by Charles Durning, who was basically the go-to "jolly old man" of the 90s—is stuck in his ways.
So, what does she do? She takes the sleigh out for a test drive herself.
She ends up stranded in the Lower East Side of Manhattan because one of the reindeer, Cupid, gets an injured leg. She can't get back to the North Pole. She’s stuck. But instead of panicking, she takes the name "Mrs. North" and moves into a boarding house. This isn't just a fish-out-of-water story. It's an awakening.
Why the Movie Mrs. Santa Claus Hits Different
The movie Mrs. Santa Claus wasn't just a TV special. It was a massive production for CBS at the time. It was the first original musical written for television since Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella in 1957. That’s a huge gap. You can feel the Broadway DNA in every frame.
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Angela Lansbury was in her 70s here, but she has the energy of a teenager. Watching her lead a protest song for women's right to vote in the middle of a New York street is something you just don't see in modern Hallmark movies. It’s gritty but polished.
Think about the themes.
Most Christmas movies are about "saving Christmas." Anna Claus is out here trying to save the working class. She gets a job in a toy factory—ironic, right?—run by the villainous Mr. Tavish, played by Terrence Mann. She sees the child labor. She sees the 14-hour workdays. She sees the lack of rights for women.
It’s a surprisingly political movie for something that features singing reindeer.
The Music of Jerry Herman
If you know musical theater, you know Herman’s style. It’s bouncy. It’s optimistic. It’s incredibly catchy. Songs like "Avenue A" and "Whistle" stick in your head for days. But the standout is "It's Not Where You're Going (It's How You Get There)." It basically summarizes the whole theme of the film.
The production design by J. Michael Riva is also worth mentioning. They built a massive 1910 New York set on the backlot of Universal Studios. It doesn't look like a cheap TV movie. It looks like a period drama. The costumes by Bob Mackie—yes, the guy who dressed Cher—are vibrant and historically inspired, even if they have that slight theatrical exaggeration.
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Why It Isn't as Famous as It Should Be
So, why isn't the movie Mrs. Santa Claus on every "Top 10" list?
Part of it is the timing. It came out in the mid-90s, right when the transition to digital media was starting. It wasn't a theatrical release. It was a "Made-for-TV" event. For a long time, those movies were seen as "lesser than."
Also, it’s a bit long. At nearly two hours, it asks for a lot of attention from kids who just want to see Santa's workshop. But for adults? It's a goldmine. It explores the dynamics of a long-term marriage. Santa and Anna aren't just icons; they're a couple going through a rough patch.
- He’s neglectful.
- She’s seeking identity outside of his shadow.
- They have to find their way back to each other as equals.
That’s a pretty sophisticated plot for a holiday special.
Looking Back at the Legacy
When you rewatch the movie Mrs. Santa Claus today, it feels surprisingly modern. The conversations about immigrant rights in the Lower East Side—represented by characters like the Italian immigrant Marcello and the Jewish suffragette Sadie—are still relevant. It’s a movie about the American melting pot.
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It also reminds us of how much we miss Angela Lansbury. Her warmth is the glue that holds the whole thing together. Without her, it might have been too saccharine. With her, it’s a masterclass in performance.
There are some technical limitations, of course. The CGI on the flying sleigh hasn't aged particularly well. It looks a bit "Power Rangers" in some shots. But who cares? The heart is there.
Actionable Steps for Your Holiday Watchlist
If you want to experience this properly, don't just put it on in the background while you're decorating.
- Find the Remastered Version: It’s available on various streaming platforms (usually around November) and DVD. Look for the highest quality you can find because the Bob Mackie costumes deserve to be seen in detail.
- Listen to the Soundtrack: If you're a fan of Mame or Hello, Dolly!, the cast recording is a must-listen. Jerry Herman considered this some of his best late-career work.
- Contextualize it: If you're watching with family, talk about the 1910 setting. It’s a great way to introduce the concept of the suffrage movement to kids in a way that isn't a boring history lecture.
- Double Feature it: Pair it with something like Miracle on 34th Street. It creates a nice contrast between the commercialism of Christmas and the community-focused message of the Claus family.
The movie Mrs. Santa Claus isn't just a holiday flick; it's a piece of musical theater history that deserves a spot in your annual rotation. It’s smart, it’s loud, and it has more to say than almost any other film in the genre. Stop sleeping on it.