[.ca] Homecoming: A Christmas Story

From Amazon.com:
A true television classic, The Homecoming was the second movie (after 1963's Spencer's Mountain) based on Earl Hamner's autobiographical writings about love, pride, faith, and survival in rural America during the Great Depression. The Homecoming introduced the Walton family, a 1930s mountain clan living a hardscrabble existence that forces patriarch John Walton (Andrew Duggan) to seek work, far from home, in the city. When John fails to return home, as promised, on Christmas Eve, his iron-willed wife Olivia (Patricia Neal) keeps a lid on their children's worry. Oldest son John-Boy (Richard Thomas), who privately dreams of becoming a writer but worries about disappointing his parents, is dispatched to find his dad. Graceful yet harder-edged than the subsequent TV series The Waltons (which recast several characters and ran for nine years), The Homecoming reveals, albeit understatedly, much about the pain of poverty even as the family draws strength and closeness through endurance. --Tom Keogh

An Excellent DVD:
I saw this movie when it was first on in 1971 and have watched it at Christmas most every year since. Years ago it was usually on TV around Christmas and I taped it in the early 80's and have been watching this tape in recent years. This year I purchased the DVD (for only about $11! - I think blank VHS tapes were that much in the early 80's). The quality is outstanding, even when viewed on my 19-inch computer monitor from a couple of feet away. You can clearly see every detail (1933 on the car license plate, prices on the wall in Ike's store, even snow flakes melting on someone's face). Picture quality on most DVDs made from TV shows or TV movies is nowhere near this good. Believe me, this DVD is a real bargain.

WE WANT THE WALTONS!!!!!!!:
I love the Walton series. I found this DVD by accident as I was searching other DVD's on Amazon. This DVD is very good.... quality wise. The story line is fantastic. A family that cares about each other. You don't see that much on TV any more. The story lauched the TV series "The Walton". I'm now waiting for the TV series (all 9 years) to be released on DVD by season sets. They have "Little House On The Prairie" out on DVD now, so lets get moving on this TV series. Does anybody out there hear me!!!!!! Also , how about the Walton movies that were made over the years. The ones from the 80's and the 3 movies that came out in the 90's. WE WANT THE WALTONS!!!! added 2/19/04.... ALRIGHT!!! You can now pre-order the first season of the Waltons here on Amazon.com.

The very first Walton's tv-movie before the tv series began.:
It all started with the Earl Hammer Jr. Novel. Then the motion picture Spencer's Mountain (1963) was released. In 1971, a teleplay by Earl Hammer Jr. was made into a tv-movie, The Homecoming--A Christmas Story (1971). In the cast is Academy Award Winner Patricia Neal (as "Olivia Walton"), Richard Thomas (as "John-Boy Walton), Edgar Bergen (without Charlie McCarthy, as "Grandpa Zebb Walton"), Ellen Corby (as "Grandma Walton"), Jon Walmsley (as "Jason"), Judy Norton-Taylor (as "Mary Ellen"), Mary Beth McDonough (as "Erin"), Eric Scott (as "Ben"), David W. Harper (as "Jim-Bob), Kami Cotler (as "Elizabeth") and Andrew Duggan (as "John Walton). Olivia Walton has heard on the radio of a bus crash. She fears her husband and father to all the children was on that bus or is somewhere. She sends John-Boy, who wants to be a writer, out in the cold of the Christmas Eve night to find his father with the help of a neighbor. This tv-movie inspired CBS (Columbia Broadcasting System) to make the hgighly-acclaimed tv series The Waltons. All the children, including Richard Thomas, and Ellen Corby as the grandmother continued their roles in the tv series for many years and six reunion movies thereafter.

Now how about "the Waltons" first 5 seasons on DVD?:
"The Homecoming: A Christmas Story" from 1971 (serving as a pilot for "the Waltons" series) is one of the best holiday films I've ever seen, and perhaps it doesn't get much replay because it's overshadowed by the memory of the subsequent series, but "The Homecoming" \owith Patrica Neal & Andrew Duggan in the roles of the parents, played by different actors in the series--thought the kids and grandma are the same\c is just a fine, understated poignant little gem, very early 70s in its melancholy mood (although it's set, naturally, in the Depression era 1930s). Hopefully, the DVD hasn't been badly cut the way the tape release was, for some reason. But why then hasn't "The Waltons" series been released? Contrary to smug, collective recollection, "The Waltons" was far better (and MUCH less sappy) than some people may think-- and the first 5 seasons were arguably the best. \oAnd if they can release "Little House" on DVD, which really WAS a sad, sappy offensive piece of tripe, there is no reason the Emmy-laden "Waltons" shouldn't make it to our DVD shelves!\c

A journey through time and tradition:
As most people know, this superb production served as a pilot for 'The Waltons' TV series. The cast (especially Patricia Neal, Ellen Corby and Edgar Bergen in a rare dramatic role but also including the kids for a change) is outstanding, and the sepia tone colour filter used in making the film bring an added dimension of realism to the Depression-era themes. If you enjoyed 'The Waltons', you'll love this prequel. You might also want to check out the 1963 theatrical movie 'Spencer's Mountain' (with Henry Fonda and Maureen O'Hara), also written by Earl Hamner, which is also a sort of prequel to 'The Waltons' and quite enjoyable.