Little motivation guides this tale of father and son being reunited and the conflicting in their relationship. Henry Winkler gets the award for Daddy Dearest, the most selfish, the most opportunistic and perhaps the biggest sleaze-ball in all of 1930's New Orleans. Sent away from his beloved cousin (the much older Julie Harris in a minute long cameo), he is reunited with his big jerk of a father who manipulates wealthy older women into marriage, treats them like dirt under his fingernails. Shocked by seeing his father for who he is, he still tries to keep the hope alive that his parents will get back together. Desperately trying to get in the good graces of New Orleans matriarch Katharine Hepburn so he can bilk her niece Swoosie Kurtz out of her fortune, even using his son as sympathy bait.
A seemingly rushed screenplay is the weak link between this and Truman Capote's short story, a follow-up to "A Christmas Memory". Hepburn really has nothing juicy to do other than be imperious, and of course later soften for no apparent reason. Kurtz is excellent but it is virtually impossible to like Winkler for any reason. Hepburn made three films released in 1994 and this one turned out to be her last film after a 60+ year career.
The most touching relationship here is between the two young boys, one white and one black. I can't really find anything to recommend in this film because there's a lack of believable motivation and the Christmas theme is actually angry in tone. Stick with Capote's other short stories. This one is depressing without a cure.
A seemingly rushed screenplay is the weak link between this and Truman Capote's short story, a follow-up to "A Christmas Memory". Hepburn really has nothing juicy to do other than be imperious, and of course later soften for no apparent reason. Kurtz is excellent but it is virtually impossible to like Winkler for any reason. Hepburn made three films released in 1994 and this one turned out to be her last film after a 60+ year career.
The most touching relationship here is between the two young boys, one white and one black. I can't really find anything to recommend in this film because there's a lack of believable motivation and the Christmas theme is actually angry in tone. Stick with Capote's other short stories. This one is depressing without a cure.