PRANCER
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 1996 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****): * 1/2
"Looks like Santa's only going to have seven reindeer this year," says the man when one of the town's life-size reindeer decorations falls and breaks on the street below. Jessica Riggs (Rebecca Harrell) decides this was Prancer so when a wandering, live reindeer crosses her path, she calls it Prancer as well. Director John D. Hancock's 1989 movie was simply called PRANCER.
Christmas is coming soon, but Jessica's family is not full of Christmas cheer. In the cliched role of the gruff old dad who is too busy to listen, Sam Elliott plays her father, John. Since he is in the process of trying to sell his only tractor, she asks him, "Dad, are we poor?" Not very convincingly he reassures her with, "We're not poor. We're down on our luck." She soon finds out that he would like to ship her off to live with her Aunt Sarah (Rutanya Alda) while keeping her older brother, Steve (John Duda). Jessie is "almost nine," so her labors are not yet worth enough to pay her keep, but Steve is old enough to help with the failing apple farm.
The by-the-numbers story by Greg Taylor is so predictable that you could easily write it yourself. The reindeer gets hurt and comes to stay in the family barn where Jessica tries to nurse it back to health in secret. All along, she believes that he is the real Prancer, so she must get him well by Christmas Eve.
The show mixes the Santa legend with the belief in God. When Jessica's friend, Carol Wetherby (Ariana Richards), says she does not believe in either, this really hurts Jessica. Since Jessica believes that her mother is in heaven, she starts crying. She says that without a God there is no heaven, and, if that is the case, where is Jessica's mother.
Rebecca Harrell gives a compelling and poignant portrait of a girl with a host of troubles. She sings so badly that the teacher asks her to sing softly. Her dad wants to ship her off, and, of course, he wants to get rid of her reindeer. (In a sight gag that seems like it will never end, the reindeer keeps walking in front of the window, but the dad keeps not noticing.) The most surprising aspect to me was that the only noteworthy acting is by Rebecca Harrell, but this is the only movie she has ever made.
Cloris Leachman gives one of her worst performances as Mrs. McFarland. She is the canonical old woman who screams at the children not to trespass on her land. Waving a shovel and wearing two inches of ridiculous white pancake make-up, her character dissolves into parody.
The production is a beautiful one full of magic snow scenes lit by moonlight. Misha Suslov's cinematography and Maurice Jarre's piano music are magical. Would that the rest of the show were so good.
The story wanders aimlessly, and the pacing is way too slow. Perhaps with better dialog and stronger acting the director's relaxed timing might have worked, but not in this weak script.
The predictable ending could have been improved if it had been less explicit. Then again, a subtle show, this ersatz tearjerker is not.
PRANCER runs 1:43. It is rated G. There is no sex, nudity, violence, or profanity. Young kids may be scared when the dad realistically threatens to shoot the reindeer. "It wasn't that good of a movie," says my son Jeffrey, age 7 1/2. "It could use more action." I agree that it certainly needs something, but I would start by demanding a better script and a new director. Although an acceptable family film, I cannot recommend PRANCER, and I give it * 1/2.
**** = One of the top few films of this or any year. A must see film. *** = Excellent show. Look for it. ** = Average movie. Kind of enjoyable. * = Poor show. Don't waste your money. 0 = One of the worst films of this or any year. Totally unbearable.
REVIEW WRITTEN ON: December 25, 1996
Opinions expressed are mine and not meant to reflect my employer's.
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