Introduction
Welcome to my corner! Last week, I shared my thoughts about the film Gremlins. This week I'll be reviewing the film, Eloise at Christmastime. Enjoy!
Eloise at Christmastime
Eloise at Christmastime is a 2003 American Christmas comedy television film based on the 1958 book written by Kay Thompson and illustrated by Hilary Knight. The film stars Sofia Vassilieva as Eloise, a six-year-old girl who lives in the penthouse at the top of the Plaza Hotel in New York City. Julie Andres, Kenneth Welsh, Debra Monk, Gavin Crell, Christine Baranski and Jeffrey Tambor also star. It is a sequel to Eloise at the Plaza, and the story takes place immediately after the events of that film.
The film was directed by Kevin Lima, written by Elizabeth Chandler, produced by HandMade Films and Di Novi Pictures for Walt Disney Television, and filmed in Toronto and New York City back-to-back with the first film. It aired on ABC on November 22, 2003, as an episode of The Wonderful World of Disney. It was released on both VHS and DVD by Buena Vista Home Entertainment.
Plot: The owner of the Plaza Hotel's daughter is getting married, but Eloise decides she is marrying him for the wrong reasons and tries her hand at a spot of matchmaking, but will it work?
Eloise at Christmastime is a sequel to Eloise at the Plaza.
The acting in this movie is sublime, at least in my humble opinion. It's hard to go wrong with Julie Andrews, Gavin Creel, Christine Baranski and Jeffrey Tambor. One movie (technically two) with all of them just had to work. And, it did.
Even the child actress, Sofia Vassilieva, pulled off a great performance. And, let's be honest, not a lot of child actors can act in a convinced way, but she nailed it. In 2003, when Eloise at Plaza and Eloise at Christmastime were released, she was 11 years old. The character she played, Eloise, is six.
Gavin Creel played Bill, a Plaza Hotel waiter, also Eloise's best friend. He's also one half of the matchmaking pair that Eloise attempts to unite. I had, and honestly still have, the biggest crush on Bill from these movies. Such a good character, and nice looking to boot. Creel was a Tony award-winning Broadway star. He unfortunately passed away this year on September 30 from cancer.
Julie Andrews plays Nanny, Eloise's live-nanny. She's honestly the best part about the Eloise movies, apart from Eloise herself and the mischief she leaves in her wake. Nanny is English, proper, and rather nervous when it comes to her new boyfriend, but also quite protective over Eloise. I love Julie Andrews in everything.
Christine Baranski and Jeffrey Tambor play minor roles in the movie, but are still wonderful. Baranski does her thing in the minor villainous role as the event planner. She does villain beautifully. I love to hate the characters she plays in everything. But she doesn't always play the villain of course. Tambor plays the front desk man Mr. Salomone, who has a love hate relationship with Eloise.
The set for this movie was beautiful. I don't know what the real Plaza Hotel looks like, but they didn't actually film the whole movie there. I be that would've been expensive. They did film some of the outdoor scenes in front of the real Plaza, but both films were mostly filmed in Toronto, Canada.
Similarly, I've never read the Eloise books the movies were based on. However, I do have it on good authority that the movies were very close to the books.
There's not much about this movie that I don't like. The only thing I can think of that I don't like about this movie is the villain character, but you're not supposed to like them, so it's all okay.
I have many favorite parts. One of which, is the shopping spree scene where Nanny and Eloise go shopping throughout New York to find the perfect gifts for everyone on their lists. Nanny is just trying to find one gift for her boyfriend and is failing miserably. And Eloise has about a thousand gifts that she buys at various stores. Nanny is overwhelmed and also disappointed. At one point they're shopping at Toys 'R' Us and they're huge mechanical T-rex that looks real that Nanny screams and runs away from while she's looking for Eloise, who struck out on her own.
Another of my favorite parts is watching Eloise play matchmaker for Bill and the Plaza Hotel owner's daughter. They actually dated in their youth before her father sent her away to Europe to ensure a better future for her. To get them back together she has to plan her schemes, play her tricks and work her charm. It's hilarious and just great.
I'm biased, as I grew up watching both these movies on VHS tapes at home (I watch each of them at least once a year) but they are both perfect movies for families to watch. You will not be disappointed! It's available to watch on Prime Video. Go and watch it!
That's it for this week! What were your thoughts? Feel free to share them with us! You can call us, email us, visit us at the office, leave us a comment or message on Facebook, or even mail us something. Keep the comments, suggestions, questions, submissions, etc. coming our way! We'd love to hear from you!
