The Christmas Pageant (2011 TV Movie) User Reviews

You Know the Story

[boblipton · 6/10 · 12 December 2011]

This is an utterly predictable but sweet and well-told story. Melissa Gilbert plays a stage director who has annoyed everyone in Manhattan, so when she gets an offer to direct a Christmas pageant somewhere upstate, she takes the gig. The usual heartwarming journey of self-discovery and love ensues.

Miss Gilbert gives a very graceful performance and is willing to undergo the indignities that the occasional bit of farce demand. The roles are one-note affairs, although the way the love interest slides in is interestingly handled. In short, this is the usual Hallmark Channel non-fantasy Christmas story.

Hallmark channel... OK Christmas-time pagaent

[ksf-2 · 6/10 · 7 November 2013]

Just enough familiar faces in "Pagaent" to keep me interested. Edward Hermann is Garrett Clark (LOVED him in Overboard, with Goldie Hawn). In our film, his wife Ethel is played by Candice Azzara ( You'll know her as Rodney D's wife in "Easy Money"). Unfortunately, the comedic scenes here are pretty hokey... our star Melissa Gilbert has a spilled food scene at dinner, but the timing isn't right or something. She plays Vera, who has come from the big city to be director of a small town play. Sound familiar ? I couldn't stop thinking of Christopher Guest's "Waiting for Guffman". Vera manages to tick off most of the cast, and no-one seem s to like the changes she wants to make. This film also has similarities to "Big Eden", except in that one, the townspeople really like the outsider, big city person who returns to the small town. Of course, Vera must meet a townie, and there are ups and downs as we watch the courtship, helped along by a precocious little girl. It's OK. Things happen, decisions must be made. On the Hallmark Channel. Directed by David Cass, who directed Gilbert in two earlier films. Cass also has an interesting Bio on IMDb.

Melissa Gilbert at her best

[jewelch · 6/10 · 19 November 2020]

Wow: this has it all. Funny,serious,love story and yes even a little action. Yes I Highly recommend this. James Welch Henderson, Arkansas. 11-18-2020

I really really wanted to like it.....

[diane-wiley · 3/10 · 29 November 2013]

Okay, so the production values were good, the lighting and set decoration was good, the costumes and make-up were good ... however, that's about it for this one. You would think that a company the size of Hallmark, with their own cable channel, would be able to pay for better script-writing and direction and turn out better quality movies. Sadly, somehow, they just keep turning out the same, repetitive formula: Fired-executive/Scrooge/down-on-their-luck individual meets small-town-person-with-a-heart-of-gold (usually with a precocious/precious child or two in tow) whose spouse has just died. Good grief, Hallmark seems to kill off a lot of spouses (see Christmas Ornament, Mrs. Miracle, Trading Christmas, etc., etc.). Arrggghhhhh! It just seems that, in the interest of filling time-slots, they settled for mediocrity in direction and script-writing. Ho Ho HUM.

Another Small Town Christmas Story

[atlasmb · 6/10 · 9 August 2021]

Like many of the best holiday films, this Hallmark production focuses on people connecting.

Vera Parks (Melissa Gilbert) is a New York City stage director in need of work, but the only job her agent can find is directing the nativity story in an small upstate town. Even when she gets to Ashton Falls, the job seems unrewarding, but her eyes are opened by advice from unexpected sources.

The town is populated by a cast of actors who are convincing in their roles. Notable among them is a young actress named Lennon Wynn, who provides the perspective of a child in the story.

Romance is part of this story, but the primary emphasis is on self-fulfillment.

Horrible movie

[janmanuel2 · 2/10 · 25 November 2018]

Melissa Gilbert is so annoying in this movie. She also looks terrible - why, with all their money, do some stars get the worst plastic surgery? She should have left her looks alone. I know there is usually a character in Hallmark Christmas movies who is resistant to the good spirit of the holidays, but there is nothing appealing about her character. She's just nasty. This is a boring waste of time.

Cute Hallmark Card Christmas Story

[villigord · 3/10 · 11 November 2013]

Overall, this was exactly what was expected from a cute Christmas show - no more, no less. Ed Hermann is annoying as the B&B proprietor and his wife is a cookie cutter Mrs. Claus type. Robert Mailhouse overdoes the love interest and I kept seeing his daughter in her commercial role as 'Lemonade Susie'. The worst character is Melissa Gilbert as a completely unbelievable Broadway director from the Big Apple. Bad plastic surgery, too much baggy clothing to hide an aging heavy body and too many red hair extensions make her more pathetic than likable. Regardless, if you enjoy Christmas programs that romanticize small town 'Its a Wonderful Life', this is for you. I gave it three stars only because its Christmas fun. Enjoy it with a cup of peppermint tea and honey.

A pretty annoying movie (sorry)

[atomicholly · 1/10 · 10 December 2018]

The fact that her ex-boyfriend and all the townies tried to guilt her into giving up the once in a lifetime opportunity for a silly lil pageant?? Going all the way to New York to interrupt her rehearsal. To once again guilt trip her?? Friends, real friends, support each other and would have supported her in her endeavors to get her career back in track, but no they instantly asked her to give up her well paying, high profile job for their annual Christmas pageant. Why can't she have both her dream career and maintain those relationships? Ugh humbug

Wonderful Christmas Movie

[toridec · 10/10 · 22 December 2011]

Love Melissa Gilbert in everything she does and once again she brings a wonderful story to life with an exceptional cast of actors. The story covers every emotion and has lots of sentiment. Of course it's a Christmas movie so it's going to have a lot of predictability but I for one love holiday movies and it's the type of movie you watch over and over as it's so entertaining. I'm a mush for Robert Mailhouse and the actress who plays his daughter is very charming. Can't say anything but good things here and it will make you wish you lived in a town just like the one pictured here where kindness and warmth prevail. Loved seeing the cameo of Steve Lawrence as well,he looked great. You won't be disappointed. I've watched it 4 times already. Enjoy:)

Lots of stretching of imagination won't make this film any better

[SimonJack · 5/10 · 14 January 2019]

"The Christmas Pageant" takes a stab at a different movie for the holidays, but it doesn't quite work. And, while romance isn't the constant thread in this film, it still fits in that largest group of films made for Christmas time release.

The idea of a Broadway director being canned and having a reputation so that she can't find a job is quite a stretch to begin with. That she would then wind up being paid to direct an adult Christmas pageant in upstate New York is another stretch. But, stretches are okay if the movie can convince the audience. That takes a very good plot and good acting. In this case, it hinges on one role - that of Vera Parks, the director.

The scene that leads to her firing from her last off-Broadway play is laughable. Melissa Gilbert as Parks shows about as much temper, impatience and nastiness as Winnie the Pooh. Her mannerisms and attitude don't come near convincing one that she is a hard-nosed director whom cast members can't get along with or tolerate. No, Gilbert needed to show some real nastiness in her early scene, and she just doesn't have it. Nor does she have it when she goes to tackle the small town Christmas pageant.

So, the rest of the story plays out mostly with a small bunch of local folks, most of whom have their own little eccentricities or problems. And, Vera discovers that her former fiancé of 10 years earlier is a widower with a cute and clever young daughter. Can anyone guess how this might end? It gets five stars precisely because of the corny characters who give this so-so film a little feeling of fun anyway.

A festive delight!

[rockinannie · 10/10 · 16 November 2019]

This was a great movie starring Melissa Gilbert as Vera Parks a high class city woman who is used to directing high class plays. Vera loses her job again and her ex boyfriend Jack some how brings her to his little town to direct the local Christmas come to find out he is the one paying her. In this movie Vera some how has something with her cuz everyone of the people in the small town Christmas play love her. Even Beverly who is skeptical at 1st and thinks she'll ruin the plays soon loves Vera too. Vera then gets a job offer for a high class play and decides to leave the small town. But Vera has met so many friends in this small town and has even rekindled an old romance with Jack and has grown a close bond to Jack's little girl Kristen. While Vera is directing the new play the town members come to her and Vera comes back. Vera brought out the best in everyone and even a shy woman with stage fright that has a wonderful singing voice she shows can sing in front of a crowd and face her fears. This is a feel good Christmas movie and it you want a movie with a good story and a festive holiday delight well this is a good movie to see.

A Great Feel Good Christmas Story!!

[nataliecarson · 10/10 · 21 October 2018]

I was skeptical because some reviews for this film were mediocre. I ran across one that said this movie was underrated. That reviewer was right! I enjoy Melissa Gilbert so I decided to give this film a chance. I am so glad I did. My whole family enjoyed it. If you're looking for a good movie to get you in the holiday spirit or just a feel good movie, this is it!! You won't be disappointed!