Mr. Krueger's Christmas (1980)
Willy Krueger, a lonely and aging widower, lives in a basement apartment with only his cat George for company. Finishing his work for the day as the custodian for the building, he ventures out on Christmas Eve to buy a tree and on the way, he imagines he is a well-dressed gentleman while peering at some fine tailoring in a shop window along the snowy street. Returning home, he falls asleep listening to an LP by The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, dreaming that he is conducting them in carols of the season. Awakening to find some carollers outside his window, he beckons them to visit him offering hot chocolate, but they leave after only one song. In trimming the tree, he places upon it the mittens left behind by Clarissa, the youngest of the carolling group. Handling figures of the small nativity beneath his tree, Willy finds himself in the manger for the very first Christmas.
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Perfectly adorable
Disturbing yet enthralling
A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."
It is interesting even when nothing much happens, which is for most of its 3-hour running time. Read full review
This is an absolutely amazing short little film that really touches my heart every time I watch it. It reminds us all of the true meaning of Christmas, which is the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. It is a reminder to be kind and serve one another. This reminds us that we should seek to do good to all mankind and treat them with love and respect and help them feel loved. This is the true spirit of Christmas and is the reason for the season. I really think Jimmy Stewart did an amazing job of his portrayal of Mr Krueger. I really loved the scene of him in the manger telling the baby Jesus of his gratitude for all that he did for him. It is such an inspiring and heart warming scene. I would highly recommend this to all people
Unlike so many stars James Stewart was careful and choosy with the material he did when he became a senior citizen. No slasher flicks, no self caricatures capitalizing on his image for Mr. Stewart. This film that Stewart did for the Church of Latter Day Saints is a perfect example of his good taste.Jimmy Stewart is Willie Krueger, senior citizen and widower, who works as an apartment building janitor and lives alone except for his cat named George. With his wife dead and children scattered if any, Christmas is a lonely time for the elderly and particular this elderly. But he's a man content with the life he's led, it was a good if obscure one.He still would like some human company though and in his imaginings he finds himself directing the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in their Christmas holiday show and then in the presence of the baby Jesus in a nativity scene. Viewers will find that a most moving scene as he thanks the Babe for his life and the faith that he had to sustain him.Stewart's performance reminded me very much of Tyrone Power in The Long Gray Line. In that one Power aged almost fifty years and the scenes in that basement apartment reminded a lot of Power as an old man after the death of Maureen O'Hara. Of course Stewart did not need any aging makeup at this point in his career. I really believe that the folks at the LDS church who produced Mr. Krueger's Christmas were influenced by that John Ford classic.Mr. Krueger's Christmas has become a minor holiday classic in the tradition of that most famous of Jimmy Stewart films, It's A Wonderful Life. It's a simple and profound story and a great tribute to that most beloved of American players.
I have seen this movie every year for the past 25 years and I still get very emotional when I see it. It helps me and my family remember what the true meaning of Christmas is all about. My children really enjoyed it and they want to make it a tradition of watching this along with all of our other Christmas movies. Jimmy Stewart did such a good job in this movie. I could tell that he really liked directing the Choir and also how the choir responded to him. I remember reading in an article years ago, that Jimmy Stewart had always wanted to direct the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. He did a good job and you can see that by the way that the choir members responded to him. Thanks for a great movie.
This is such a wonderful, feel good movie! Jimmy did a brilliant job in it. I could watch it everyday until I die and I would still cry at certain parts. There are two scenes in the movie that were completely unscripted: the reaction of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir to Jimmy was real, and Jimmy's lines in the cave were his own emotions. This is such a good movie and radiates the love of Christ.