VividSimon Simply Perfect

Actuakers One of my all time favorites.

Curapedi I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

Philippa All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

gloomyrival There are many, many better Christmas movies out there to watch than this one. Mickey Rooney plays Mike Halligan, a retired New York City detective who dies before Christmas and is sent back to Earth to find an alcoholic angel and sober him up in time for Christmas to spread the Christmas cheer to the citizens of New York. Along the way, the retired detective kidnaps his grandson and is supposed to show him a real New York Christmas. The trouble is, there is nothing very Christmassy about death or New York City with no Christmas lights or decorations. Obviously filmed during the summer, this movie has no feeling for Christmas whatsoever. Scott Grimes, who plays the grandson, is a lousy actor for a kid, he can only portray a chipper, bright-eyed sparrow on the screen even when the scene calls for a deeper, emotional moment. Lots of sub-par acting and virtually no storyline make for a really bland Christmas movie that should be moving at times, but instead comes off as forced and weak. I don't understand all the high ratings for this film, it misses the mark so often and lacks any true depth of feeling in it's characters. Don't waste your time with this one, you will only be bored and disappointed I'm afraid.

muffinheuer2003 Any of you who would like this great movie with Mickey Rooney I have it on DVD. Please write me at heuerjessie@yahoo.com for more details. The price is very decent compared to what they are saling for.Mickey Rooney is great as always in this film. He is such a great actor! In fact, he's my all time favorite.Visit my web-site at www.mickeyrooneyfanclub.comAlso, I have many other rare films with Mickey Rooney. Just ask me for a title and I probably own it.I hope everyone has a great Holiday Season. We have lots of reason to be thankful! JESSIE

tanyaqua2 A wonderful movie to watch with the family at Chirstmas. Mickey Rooney plays a retired cop who takes his grandson across America back to New York to show him white Christmas. Thats the setup to get you into the festive spirit. But he has a heart attack. In heaven he makes a deal with an angel to return there in a weeks tine after showing his grandson New York at Christmas and the sense of Christmas that pervades the city. Scott Grimes is great as the grandson and those who think they have heard it all before from decades of coming back to earth movies will see that this is different as its a family film for Christmas. Loving, sweet and excellent all round. It captures the Christmans spirit which you will not see in other Christmas films. The reason you don't see it on TV anymore is that it was so successful that it was repeated year after year and now they trying to vary the schedule. But this is a must see.

jennt-1 We have had the movie on VHS for years, but would really like it on DVD! I see from other comments I am not the only person who is interested in this. Is there a place we can contact to request that this movie be made into DVD before VCRs have disappeared into oblivion?? Great, great movie and a real shock it is not more widely played on TV or available for sale on DVD. I don't know if anybody else noticed, but when I saw "Elf" with Will Farrell a few years back, I thought the last scene, with the singing, was VERY reminiscent of the last scene in It Came Upon the Midnight Clear--perhaps this movie inspired that scene in Elf??