It would take a lot to dislodge in my memory the Anne Bancroft/Shirley MacLaine portrayal of how the passion to dance opened a grand story line about deep wounds and profound regrets--life altering critical decisions. Turning Point had an indefinable sharpness and very raw edge to every part of the story line, including sub-plots. A Nutcracker Christmas doesn't even begin to shadow a remake, if that was even subliminally intended. BUT, it's almost as difficult to conceive that Hallmark would actually have the foresight to mount a production of this type. It's not quite as predictable--oh, there's still the boy gets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl in the end--but it just didn't seem as saccharin to me as most of all other Hallmark movies. It would certainly be nice if they could branch out and come up with story lines set in other disciplines of the arts. Find some better script writers who knew what they were doing and then casting appropriately. Also, it was disappointingly lacking in the actual on-stage dancing. I'm reminded of Clare Peller's line: "Where's the Beef"? Except in this case it should be "Where's the dancing?"
Review of A Nutcracker Christmas
