Hello & welcome back to A Look at Disney and today, we continue our Santa Spectacle as we look at what is perhaps one of the most iconic takes on Santa Claus for '90s kids as we look as we look at 1994's The Santa Clause starring Tim Allen. With this outta the way, let's begin.
The Plot
Scott Calvin (I never picked up that he had the name initials as Santa Claus as a little kid) is a divorced father, that works as a business executive. We see that he has a tense relationship with his ex-wife, Laura and her new husband, Neal. Who is kinda annoying. Though things don't seem to be going so well for the Calvin boys as Scott burns the Christmas turkey. So, instead, they go out for dinner at Denny's. After dinner, they come home, and Scott reads 'Twas The Night Before Christmas to his son. Late, that night, they hear a clatter on the roof and discover a man on the roof with eight reindeer and a sleigh. Scott calls out to him and this causes the man to fall. And he leaves the Santa suit behind and in order to entertain his young son, Scott puts it on and they end up in the sleigh and completing the Christmas Eve run and are returned to the North Pole, where they learn of The Santa Clause from head elf, Bernard.
That he who puts on the suit assumes all responsibilities of Santa Claus. Hence The Santa Clause. BTW, do you know how many '90s kids I saw misspell Santa's last name as Clause because of this movie. Granted, I fell victim to it as well but wow, we must have really liked this movie or something.
We get a tour of the North Pole and while it's a small taste compared to what we will see in the sequels, it is gorgeous and I love it. It's just so lively and screams Christmas as you see it.
Scott learns that he has 11 months to get his things in order before the following Thanksgiving as he'll be needed at the workshop permanently. The next day, Scott and Charlie awaken back at Scott's house and Scott chalks the previous night's events up to being a dream but his son goes around telling everyone about what happened. After a rather embarrassing moment at Charlie's class, where he tells his class that his dad is Santa, Scott thinks it's best that they keep it a secret. And throughout the movie, we see Scott's transition into Santa Claus over the next year.
Such as shaving the beard but it always grows back or developing a taste for milk and cookies, even though he told a little girl at the beginning of the movie that he was lactose intolerant. This also comes along with Scott gaining weight and ending up at 192 pounds. And his hair starts turning white. I love these little changes such as how kids now seemed attracted to him such as when we see the line forming for Santa at Charlie's soccer game.
At Scott's firm, he objects to seeing the company putting Santa in a tank and his boss, Mr. Whittle (played by Peter Boyle, who would go onto play Father Time in the sequels) tells Scott to see a doctor about the aforementioned problems.
Things only seem to be getting worse on the family front because the more that Neal and Laura see of Scott, the more concerned that they are for Charlie and decide that he should have his visitation rights revoked. And we see that happen after Charlie tells the judge about his dad being Santa. Okay, I'm going to bring this up right now. I love this movie a lot and I love Tim Allen as Santa Claus, next to Mickey Rooney, he is the first Santa that I remember but I hate Neal and Laura in this first movie. I understand them worrying about Charlie's safety but they are just so unlikable in this first movie. I don't know if that was done to make us like Scott more after the transformation because Scott wasn't the greatest guy before he became Santa but you could tell that he loves his son and would never do anything to hurt him. I understand Neal and Laura being concerned for Charlie but I don't think that they were once ever fair to Scott.
We learn that Neal and Laura stopped believing in Santa, when they didn't get presents that they wanted. On a Thanksgiving night, Scott goes to visit Charlie and his son insisting that he's Santa reawakens the Christmas magic in Scott and just then, Bernard shows up and whisks the two away to The North Pole. Charlie helps the elfs prefect a new sleigh with all the great features including a CD. Cookie and Cocoa dispenser. Man, I want one of those. Charlie calls the house occasionally, which causes Laura and Neal to think that Charlie is being held against will. 🙄
Yeah, that should say everything that I want to. On Christmas Eve, Scott, now having embraced being Santa starts to delivers presents but as he soon as he goes to Neal and Laura's house, he is arrested. Like I said in the last review, this seems to be a thing with Santa.
A team of rescue elfs come to Santa's aid and break him out of jail with some rather strong tinsel. Neal and Laura finally believe that Scott is Santa and Laura burns the papers the custody papers by throwing them into the fireplace. I should also mention that Neal and Laura get the gifts that they didn't get, when they stopped believing. Bernard shows back up and gives Charlie a special snowglobe that'll allow him to see his dad, anytime he wants. And the two head off to Cleveland to complete the run.
I LOVE this movie. This is is one of my favorite Christmas movies and Tim Allen is up there as one of my favorite Santa Claus's. To my little 5 year old mind, back in 1994, he WAS Santa Claus. Yeah, I thought the guy from Home Improvement really was Santa Claus.
Characters
Main Character
Scott Calvin/Santa Claus played by Tim Allen
Like I said up top, Tim Allen is one of my favorite Santa's. He just brings something special to the role that is well... magical. Sure, you can still it's Tim Allen underneath everything but he puts his all into his Santa, while still feeling like a real person. He's likable but not fallible. And wants to do right by his son, no matter how hard that may be. And you clearly see that him becoming Santa was the best thing that could have ever happened to him as it made him a better person than he was at the beginning of the movie and it was nice to watch him grow and earn the title of Santa.
Supporting Characters
Charlie played by Eric Lloyd
Charlie is a cute kid and you can clearly see the love that Scott has for his son as he'd do anything for him and Charlie idolizes his dad and grows even closer to him, after Scott becomes Santa and we see that makes our relationship all the better.
Bernard played by David Krumholtz
Bernard as the head elf, has a much stricter and serious demeanor than the other elfs. Some might say that he's grumpy but he does to keep the elfs in line and it's clear that he has a good heart and truly does care and looks for the best. And he isn't annoying like his replacement but we will get to that.
Neal and Laura played Judge Reinhold & Wendy Crewson
Yeah, I don't like these two at all. I understand their concerns for Charlie but I think that they were way too hard on Scott. I mean, I get that it was an absurd situation but I felt like they went too far with how they were towards Scott. I will say that they get better in the sequel though. But as for here, I could do without them.
My Final Thoughts
Aside from my feelings on Neal and Laura, I love this movie. It's one of my favorites and one that I try to watch every year. I find that it still holds up remarkably well, twenty years after the fact. And as I said Tim Allen is one of my favorite Santas, he is just so likable in the role. Join me next time as we look at...
The Santa Clause 2
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