"Eloise at Christmastime"
DVD Review
by Kevin Carr
| MOVIE: ** (out of 5 stars)
DVD EXPERIENCE: *** (out of 5 stars) STARRING Julie Andrews as NANNY Sofia Vassilieva as ELOISE Kenneth Welsh as SIR WILKES Debra Monk as MAGGIE Gavin Creel as BILL Christine Barnski as PRUNELLA STICKLER Jeffrey Tambor as MR. SALOMONE Rated G Studio: Disney Directed by: Kevin Lima Back to DVD Review Home |
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In case you didn’t notice from the name on the byline here, I’m a guy. I’ve been a guy all my life. So, while many young girls were reading books about Holly Hobby, Madeline and Eloise, I was reading books about Encyclopedia Brown, the Great Brain and Tom Swift.
However, I did work in the juv section of my local library when I was in high school, and I would do anything to avoid work. So, I’ve at least flipped through a couple Eloise books in my life. But suffice to say, they weren’t part of my childhood experience growing up. So bear with me if you think my critiques of this film are a bit harsh. After all, I am just a guy.
“Eloise at Christmastime” is a family film to continue the movie adaptations of the classic character of Eloise. It’s a period piece, although you might have that illusion blown on the occasional gaffs showing a modern car driving by outside.
Based on the classic children’s book of the same name, “Eloise at Christmastime” tells the story of the spunky girl Eloise who lives in the Plaza Hotel in New York. While her mother is on trips around the world, Eloise is left in the care of Nanny (Julie Andrews) and the other workers in the hotel.
As Christmas approaches, Eloise tries to play cupid to one of the hotel waiters by pairing him up with his former flame, the daughter of the hotel manager. Unfortunately, this former flame is engaged to someone else and they are planning their wedding for the holiday. Eloise finds out that her fiancé is a scam artist and is determined to break up the wedding.
Eloise is based on the children’s books by Hollywood diva Kay Thompson, who imbrued the feisty little girl with her own spirit of misadventure. I’m sure that Eloise is adorable in the books. Unfortunately, she comes across as an ultra-brat in this film. This is nothing against Sofia Vassilieva, who brings Eloise to life. There’s just some things that don’t translate so well to live-action - especially in the day of television shows like “Supernanny.”
Unfortunately, Eloise comes across as a know-it-all and a hellion. She’s a female version of Dennis the Menace. Much of the mischief that she gets into either has selfish motivations or is something that she really should have known better. Again, this works in a book, especially considering that Kay Thompson’s character of Eloise was supposed to show the world from the eyes of a diva child. But on the screen, she’s just a brat.
Case in point. In one scene, Nanny takes Eloise Christmas shopping. While Eloise knows that Nanny is searching for the perfect gift to give her secret admirer, Eloise never once allows - or even suggests - that Nanny take a chance to buy a gift. See what I mean? Brat!
The DVD contains a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film, as well as a documentary about Kay Thompson and how she developed the character of Eloise into a classic.
This is a fair family film and can be some fun - as long as your little girl doesn’t decide to start modeling her own behavior after what she sees on screen.
Specifications: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. Widescreen (1.85:1). French and Spanish language tracks. Spanish subtitles. English language subtitles for the hearing impaired.
