Product Details

• Actors: Don Beddoe, Frank Cady, Candy Candido, Chick Chandler, Jimmy Conlin
• Directors: Various
• Format: Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, DVD, Full Screen, Live, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (DTS 5.1)
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: 20th Century Fox
• DVD Release Date: November 4, 2003
• Run Time: 88 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0000C0FJG
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #140,762 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "A Christmas Wish (aka The Great Rupert)" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

A charming and wholesome 1950 holiday film about a New York family (led by Durante) who are down on their luck at Christmas time. Shortly before Christmas, they move into a ground floor apartment building where Rupert the squirrel lives in the attic rafters. Just when it seems that the holiday will come and go without so much as a Christmas tree, Rupert acts as the family's beneficent guardian angel - not only saving Christmas, but changing their lives forever. (Originally titled The Great Rupert, the title has been changed to A Christmas Wish, which more adequately describes the story and showcases the delightful holiday theme.)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

59 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Re-discover this Wonderful Jimmy Durante Christmas Film, September 16, 2003

By 

JPL (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Christmas Wish (aka The Great Rupert) (DVD)

A Christmas Wish is a heartwarming holiday classic that truly captures the magic of Christmas. This well-written film combines a genial underdog (Durante) whom you can't help rooting for, an inspiring tale of young love, unforgettable comedy bits by Durante, and an irresistible guardian angel who saves Christmas.

The film has a touching love story between Terry Moore (Mighty Joe Young) and Tom Drake (Meet Me in St. Louis). Rupert the Squirrel (created using George Pal's Academy Award winning puppet animation technique) will charm young and old alike. Jimmy Durante shines when he sings Jingle Bells and other Christmas Carols.

Originally titled "The Great Rupert", this film has been restored perfectly and is being released in color for the first time. It looks absolutely beautiful. There also is an engaging special DVD commentary by star Terry Moore (secret wife of Howard Hughes). If you've already seen It's a Wonderful Life and are looking for something charming and new for Christmas, this is a great choice.

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Very Mild Mannered and Entirely Inoffensive, November 14, 2005

By 

Gary F. Taylor "GFT" (Biloxi, MS USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Christmas Wish (aka The Great Rupert) (DVD)

When a slightly miserly landlord takes to hiding his savings he inadverdently intrudes into a squirrel's nest--which wastes no time in shoving the money out of his nest and into the hands of the down-on-their-luck Amendola family, who rent an apartment below. Originally released under the title of THE GREAT RUPERT, in 1950 the film was primarily admired for its then-artful blend of live action and puppet animation to create Rupert, the squirrel; today, however, it is best regarded as a very mild mannered and entirely inoffensive little movie that just happens to offer the legendary Jimmy Durante one of his final film roles.

The script and story are as memorable as school cafeteria banana pudding, but the performances are reasonably engaging. As head of Amendola family, Durante is brash is only Durante could be, doing doubletakes and pounding out an occasional tune on the piano in his unique style. He is well supported by the likes of Terry Moore, Tom Drake, and such veteran character actors as Queenie Smith, Frank Orth, Sara Haden, and Jimmy Conlin. It's all in good fun.

The 20th Century Fox release consists of two versions of the film: the original black and white and a colorized version. There is nothing visually impressive about the film, so it is not hurt by colorization per se; as for the colorization, it is reasonably well done, at least so far as such effects go. Most astonishingly, the release includes a commentary track by Terry Moore and various people associated with the colorization and the DVD release.

The commentary track is not tremendously informative; Moore freely admits that she had seen the film only once before, and that some fifteen years earlier. Even so, Moore proves good company, offers the occasional insight into the cast, and now and then proves unwittingly amusing--with her comments on actor Tom Drake, who was both gay and deeply closeted, a case in point. On the whole, I'd say the commentary is actually more engaging than the film itself, but whatever the case Durante fans, Moore fans, and those in search of truly innocent family fare should find it pleasing.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Can't wait for the release!, October 4, 2003

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Christmas Wish (aka The Great Rupert) (DVD)

I often watched this movie on Christmas with my children and more recently with my young grandchildren because it touches the very essence of the Christmas season. I've always loved Terry Moore from her serious and not so serious movies (especially Mighty Joe Young) and of course Jimmy Durante is a clown that everyone loved and loves.

I personally feel The Great Rupert should have been produced originally in color and released as a Christmas movie. I'm so I'm so happy to learn it is now considered a Christmas classic and is available in color. Can't wait to see it in color and listen to Terry's commentary.