Crwthod A lot more amusing than I thought it would be.

Jonah Abbott There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

Kien Navarro Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Ella-May O'Brien Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

taylorjan-63962 Eight stars as although its the usual story; bad tempered person who hates Christmas for personal reasons blah blah blah, there are some laugh out loud moments. Unfortunately the laughs are few and far between and the film could have been so much better with some original aspects to the story, instead of incorporating others into it.Whoopi Cushion is not the best actress and at one point her performance is pretty cringe worthy. There are some feel good moments and I had a few tears in my eyes, but its a story told over and over again and we know the outcome. Loved most of the film, the shopping channel's take on Christmas was brilliant. Hated the fact the makers couldn't spell the niece's name properly (Ieesha, for Ayesha - what!) and her awful rendition of Oh Holy Night (hear my vocal exercises as I sing!) totally spoilt it. I've added a spoiler alert to this review but we know the outcome as soon as the niece says 'oh auntie you must come to the church Christmas eve I'm singing solo'

wes-connors Because she had true Christmas spirit as a young lass, "Shop-A-Lot" TV producer/pitch-woman Whoopi Goldberg (as Lucy Cullins) is chosen to be the world's new Santa Claus. This decision was made (in a 1965 flashback) by traditional roly-poly red-suited Nigel Hawthorne (as Nick). Being "Santa Claus" is revealed to be a 200-year job. If the presently grow-up and grumpy Ms. Goldberg can't get her girlish Christmas groove back, Earth will suffer a massive flood. Call her Scrooge. For Goldberg's Los Angeles-based home-shopping channel, she hires Mr. Hawthorne as a seasonal sales-marketing Santa and he tries to win her over. For a TV movie, "Call Me Claus" is nicely produced. This was the last role for Hawthorne, who performs memorably. The soundtrack music (by Van Dyke Parks) pleasantly moves it along. Having a woman take over the role of Santa Claus is an interesting and welcome premise, but the story really doesn't work. As it's destined to get lost in future years, we won't have to explain to millions of confused young children how Whoopi lost the job.***** Call Me Claus (12/2/01) Peter Werner ~ Whoopi Goldberg, Nigel Hawthorne, Taylor Negron, Brian Stokes Mitchell

BigWhiskers I loved this movie and of course I had and still have a major thing for the late Nigel Hawthorne who is so charming and handsome even at 72 in this film. His portrayal of Santa Claus is so genuine and heartfelt , you really just want to hug him. The plot of him looking for someone to replace him as the new Santa is cute. He finds Whoopi Goldberg and he must convince her that she is the one. . I'm shocked that this movie did not get a theatrical release ,while a movie as awful as ELF with the abysmal Will Ferrell did. It's kind of sad to know that Nigel Hawthorne had been fighting cancer for months and still did this movie as sick as he was. Without Hawthorne this movie wouldn't have been worth watching.He pushed to promote it and get it released and then he sadly passed away the day after Xmas that year. Wonderful movie and should be given a re-release at Xmas time in theaters.

Nicholas Rhodes I acquired this one on a DVD from the USA, the only place its available. I found the film most entertaining, thanks to the performances of Whoopi Goldberg and Nigel Hawthorn whom I had known from the BBC series Yes Minister. Indeed I was distressed to learn that he had died whilst I was in the course of reading other comments about this film. Whoopi Goldberg, I knew and loved in Ghost, Jumpin' Jack Flash and the Sister Act movies.The storyline here is quite original, a little slow to get off the ground but that Christmas magic is there and I think we all, old and young, like films where Father Xmases, sleighs and reindeers are involved, especially if the reindeers have shiny/luminous noses.I was most touched by the flashback to Whoopi's childhood where she had asked the same Father Xmas to bring her Daddy back, this was probably the most emotional part of the film. The rest was more lighthearted and the only aspect I did not like was the over commercialisation of Xmas where you have to sell sell and sell more ! However the magic of the film makes up for the rest of this. It's a nice DVD to have at home and to put on a couple of times a year !