User reviews

I saw this movie when it first premiered, and missed it ever since. I only recently found it on a DVD, packaged with a collection of other Xmas specials. It was wonderful seeing it again, despite the fact that no attempt was made to restore the now seriously degraded film before digital transfer.

I remember two great TV Christmas films from my childhood and youth. One was The Gathering, which starred Ed Asner. The other was A Christmas without Snow. Both movies captured the spirit of Christmas from a time when the season was about faith, community and family, and reflection, rather than shopping, decorating and gluttony.

A Christmas without Snow is a charming film about the true meaning of Christmas, and the fact that keeping that meaning is rarely easy, but always rewarding. And the reward is, or should be, a sense of quiet satisfaction and contentment.

...and by that I mean this film premiered on December 9, 1980, the day after John Lennon was murdered. Thus I really remember seeing it, because I badly needed some cheering up, and this sweet little movie fit the bill. Plus John Houseman's speech on the meaning of the word "amateur" has stuck with me all of these years.

This is a very simple quiet holiday movie about a diverse group of people, many of them extremely lonely, who come together as a choir to learn and sing Handel's Messiah for a church Christmas performance. Micheal Learned plays Zoe Henson, the central character. John Houseman plays the choir director, Ephraim Adams, and as other reviewers have mentioned, he is basically doing his Professor Kingsfield act from the Paper Chase - extreme discipline and brutal honesty tempered with compassion.

The thing that has me scratching my head now that didn't 36 years ago - Why did Zoe insist on coming to a big city like San Francisco where she knew nobody, a thousand miles from her home in Nebraska? Why did she not inquire about the availability of teaching jobs before she ever left Nebraska? Because, you see, there are no available teaching jobs, so the best she can do is office temp work, leaving her with no money to go back to Nebraska where she has left her pre-teen son in the care of her own mother. Zoe is newly divorced, and the only thing I could figure out is that she wanted to prove to herself that she could do things on her own with no help from anybody. When I first saw it I was 22 and had a backpack mentality. You got a job in Idaho? Give me five minutes to get packed and I'll be there in three days.

At any rate, to socialize, Zoe joins this choir that involves a multitude of diverse characters. There is a desperately single woman of about 40 who does not want to be single who goes around shoplifting napkins for her trousseau, a teenage African American guy whose 70 year old grandma is supporting him while he finishes school - he wants to go to night school and work during the day so grandma can take a break - she'll have none of it. There is a lonely 40ish fellow about Zoe's age, and then there is Ruth Nelson as Zoe's older downstairs neighbor who suggested she join the choir in the first place. There are other subplots, but I'll let you watch and discover them.

Some things I noticed on the second viewing? Zoe has to improve her typing skills on a machine that was extinct 20 years ago - the typewriter. That Zoe at about 42 was having men throw themselves at her when I could not get a wisp of attention at 22. That phones were plugged into the wall and you had to go to them - wherever they were in the house - to talk on them. They were not coming to you. That electronic diversions of every kind were not ubiquitous and so people had to actually meet face to face if they wanted company, even the teenagers. And one really sobering thought - this was the city that was about to have huge portions of its population wiped out by the AIDS epidemic, and this is the calm before the storm.

I'd recommend it as a film filled with the spirit of Christmas, the spirit of helping others be just a little less lonely, the spirit of empathy. And always realize everybody is lonely in some way or another.

For those of you looking for copies - this film is out of copyright, which is weird for a film made less than 40 years ago. All of the public domain copies for sale via DVD are pretty atrocious, but there are a couple of good copies on youtube if you want to take a look.

We watched this movie two nights ago and found it quite different. The main character is a newly divorced woman who moves to San Francisco from Nebraska, leaving her pre-teen son with his grandparents until she can make enough money to send for him. Frustrated by the lack of available teaching positions, she works as a "floating" office temp. To have some consistency in her life she joins the church choir as it is beginning to rehearse Handel's Messiah. The movie is about this woman's interaction with the other choir members and challenges the choir faces leading up to the performance of this music. Watch for Ruth Nelson (Inez) as a sweet, older realist who is quite an encourager. She also played the encouraging teacher in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn from the 1940's.

This is one of those TV movies that builds quietly and steadily to an emotional finish. Michael Learned plays a recently divorced woman who moves to another city with her slightly rebellious teenager. She has to build her life again among strangers, and she begins by joining a local church and their choir. The choirmaster, played with real spleen by John Houseman, is a perfectionist and they clash right from the start. Learned has many other pressures in her life, not the least of which is an ex-husband trying to gain favor with his son, and she begins to feel that the choirmaster is more an enemy than a friend. Just when she's ready to quit the choir, several things happen that reaffirm her faith in God and in herself, and she stays.

This isn't shown anymore, and is difficult to find. But it's worth a look if you run across it, and it's perfect for the Christmas season.

Thus Made for TV-movie is in public domain. That means anybody can release this film on DVD or broadcast it for free. So I am hoping that someone will release a decent looking DVD. If someone did they might make a small fortune,

In this film there is several stories going on and they all revolve around a church in San Francisco.

There is one story of a woman who is new to the area and recently single.

Another story is about a tough task master of choir director.

There is more but in general the whole film could of ended a little sooner. The song at the end felt an EXTENDED scene you would find as an extra on a DVD. I think this scene was extended out to fill out a running time.

The nicest thing about this film was it one of the few movies out there that entire cast is over 30.

If you find a decent looking DVD let me know. I might enjoy it more if I had a clear copy of the film

Trials and tribulations of the various members of a not-so-hot San Francisco church choir while preparing their snowless California Christmas concert of Handel's "Messiah". Revolving around a divorcee (Michael Learned) newly arrived from Omaha, where, Christmas come, it snows. Distinguished cast of veteran, largely stage, actors, portraying distinct characters with distinction, in a somewhat- less-sappy-than-Hallmarkesque heart-tugger, presided over by the inimitable John Houseman in a superb signature performance. An appreciation of choral music highly recommended for fullest viewing enjoyment.

As the title suggests, not just a run-of-the-mill holiday movie.

Michael Learned stars as a newly divorced woman who has left her Midwest life and moved to San Francisco. Her son, oddly, was left behind with her mother and the plan is to eventually have him move in with his mother....eventually. In the meantime, she gets involved with a local church choir and their performance of Handel's Messiah. While there are a few subplots here and there, for the most part the film shows the choir practicing with their somewhat intimidating choir director (John Houseman--playing pretty much his Professor Kingsfield character from "The Paper Chase").

The film has some very nice acting and offers a slice of life. However, none of it is terribly interesting or compelling and if you don't like hearing chorale music, the film might be a big tough to take--especially since the focus seems to be more on the performance than on connecting with the characters. Overall, I found it to be mildly diverting and assume that the average person would find this all a bit boring. Additionally, the ending is a bit vague, and I am sure this won't satisfy many viewers.

I just watched this movie again, must be my fourth viewing, and it really holds up. It just never fails to get to me emotionally.

The story is simple, but it is the characters and their backgrounds that engage the viewer. There are no simple solutions to the problems presented, unlike the emotionally manipulative movies of today.

A young widow grieves for her dead husband, someone suffers a stroke, a father and son resolve a tremendous difficulty with a very slow smile at each other and no words are spoken.

Each story stands on its own. A microcosm of life. One does suffer, there is sometimes no magic solution, just a choir and an ambitious undertaking of "The Messiah" to get your mind off the same old, same old.

Michael Learned, what has ever happened to her, a great performance. Also John Houseman being John Houseman, a delight. Not one jarring note from the large cast.

An 8 out of 10. Catch this one if you can.

An all star cast with a mediocre script allows this film to sparkle around the holiday season. Michael Learned plays a divorced mother who relocates to San Francisco, California from Omaha, Nebraska where she chooses to start over. She is a qualified teacher but can't get a teaching job. She finds happiness and fulfillment as a choir member at a local church. The new choir master is wonderfully played by John Houseman. The minister is finely played by James Cromwell. This television movie has a feel good feeling overall despite the quality. I love the San Francisco shots in the background. Overall, it's not a bad film even with an uneven script. I don't know why Zoe (Llearned's character) moved to the city while leaving her son behind in Omaha.

Had this been a movie just about a church choir coming together to produce Handel's Messiah, it could have been something notable and watchable. But "A Christmas Without Snow" has so many mini-plots and diversions that they detract even from the music. This film is a hodgepodge. It's slow moving, and we get just snapshots of the myriad characters – all of whom seem to have problems, if not pathos in their past.

The dull, aimless plot kills this movie. It tries to include everything, and thus does little justice to anything. So, while the acting is OK, the story seems forced. Was CBS trying to make a politically correct – for the time – Christmas story? By putting too much in and trying to be all- inclusive, CBS wound up with a film that gives so little. But for the music – the singing that the film does have, it wouldn't earn even the four stars I give it.

I fell asleep three times watching this on DVD. I can't imagine it holding the interest of children at all. While there aren't that many great Christmas films, many good ones have been made over the years. "A Christmas Without Snow" is a film best forgotten.

This seemingly forgotten telefilm is far and away better that the current crop of yuletide dreck being offered by the likes of the Hallmark Channel and various others. A Christmas Without Snow offers a great cast, intelligent writing, and characters we care about. As other reviews have stated, Michael Learned plays a divorcée starting over in San Francisco who, in an attempt to find some stability, joins a church choir which is about to attempt an ambitious mounting of Handel's Messiah. John Houseman is the no-nonsense director who demands perfection from his choir. As the choir progresses toward its performance of the musical masterpiece, we gain insight into the lives and personalities of various members. What other reviewers have missed is the sense of community among the diverse parishioners/choir members, something that reflects positively on the traditional Christian church. In almost vignette-type fashion, we get to know these people, their loves, hopes, hurts, and see them rally together to tackle the Messiah and also the various problems they encounter as a church and as individuals. There are no quick fixes, no tidy happy endings. Yet these people have each other and the satisfaction of working hard at their endeavors. There's support, there's love, and there's a lot that is healthy and thriving and growing. Intelligent and life-affirming without being syrupy. Recommended.

The film is about a divorced woman who moves to a new city to start a new life. She gets a new job and joins a church choir. The choir get a new choirmaster about the same time and he's tough on the choir trying to whip it into shape before Christmas. Several problems within the amateur choir: ageism, racism, broken organ, bad health, divorces, single parenting, relationships, and more.

The group starts out singing awful but by the end they all sing fairly well together.

The film is slow, rather boring most of the time but has it's moments of being mildly interesting. I'd say pass this film up to watch a good movie.

3/10.

In many ways, this wonderful movie shows its age, especially in its very hip portrayal of how modern people, albeit of the late 70's, should be acting. Fortunately, there is a great deal of traditionalism which is left standing, although one guesses that it is just as a warm fuzzy. As in the modern world, the people of the movie are overwhelmed with the difficulties of life. Perhaps, though, like the majestic pipe organ itself, the movie demonstrates how our being requires a complete overhaul, climbing out of the dirty reality of life into the beautiful world of the spirit.

The star of the movie is the music and it is warm and grand and as wonderful an occasion as one can possibly imagine. The movie itself is a wonderful enigma: it traces the sometimes empty and disillusioning physical reality of daily life and lackluster choir practices and somehow results in the very symbol of Christmas, much like that of the birth of Christ Himself. As He was born into this world, filled with sin and suffering, yet so we can transcend our physical reality into the spiritual reality of the greatest beauty. Handel wrote this wonderful music when he was almost unknown, didn't even become famous for it, and these unassuming, ordinary people perform it. There are always two levels to life and the movie lets you see them both.

I dislike how Zoë treats Henry and Muriel is certainly somewhat of a caricature. However, no one could imagine how difficult it must be to grow up as a pastor's son or daughter and the strain is something we should think about. Yet ultimately, we hear the glory of the music and we are raised to another level, despite Houseman's constant outward bitterness and overly irritating grousing at every corner. As in daily life, you often have to see beneath the surface to find the prize.

In the end, I felt sorry for Henry, Muriel and even Mrs. Burns. Their lives were, at the end of the movie, somewhat empty... except for the beauty of the music in which at least two of them were a part, singing glory to God and peace on earth. Even though the Messiah was first performed at Easter, one can't help feeling the Christmas spirit through Handel. This is a must-see for anyone who loves Handel and Christmas. God bless us everyone!

I have to admit I wasn't expecting much from this 1980 TV movie. However, "A Christmas Without Snow" is a nice little film to put on in the mood for the Christmas holiday. It is about a church choir getting ready to sing Handle's "Messiah" for the Christmas concert at their church. There are some trials and tribulations along the way, but I'm not going to spoil the movie for others. I'll give you a hint, the hardships are overcome with the spirit of Christmas. There are two standouts in this movie. One is James Cromwell as Reverend Lohman. Mr. Cromwell makes one believe he truly is the pastor of this San Francisco church. The other standout is the late Ramon Bieri, he was typically cast in tough guy, villain, or corrupt official roles. In this film Mr. Bieri plays a "salt of the earth type of man." In fact, Mr. Bieri portrays a man one would like to have as his next door neighbor/friend. Clearly James Cromwell and Ramon Bieri stand out in this Christmas TV flick. Check it out and you will enjoy it.

Well, this film is certainly not the greatest holiday movie ever; that honor would belong to either "It's A Wonderful Life" or the Alastair Sim version of "Scrooge." But it's the one movie I pull out every single year without fail. Michael Learned (the mother on "The Waltons") plays a lead character heading up a wagonload of talented actors, including John Houseman, Beah Richards, and James Cromwell.

Zoe Jensen (Learned) is a Nebraska divorcee trying to reestablish herself in San Francisco and quickly starts her new social life by joining a church choir preparing Handel's "Messiah" ; Houseman is a retired choir director who is extremely demanding. Houseman's performance is the usual exemplary work, even if his "conducting" is often off the beat, as he gazes at his off-screen conducting coach.

Zoe's social circle quickly expands to include fellow Dane from the old country, Henry Quist (Ramon Bieri), neighbor Muriel (Valerie Curtin), the church's pastor (ever-reliable James Cromwell), a black student and his supportive grandmother (Calvin Levels and Beah Richards), the erstwhile accompanist/organist (the very talented Ed Bogas), and a diverse group of many others. Director and co-writer John Korty helps contribute a very believable script with three-dimensional characters, in a story sprinkled with cliffhangers.

I watched this TV-movie on the night it first aired on CBS, the night after John Lennon's assassination, so between "A Charlie Brown Christmas" and this event, as well as the present film, I ended the day emotionally wasted.

Zoe is a divorced woman who moves to San Francisco to start a new life. She's left her son with her mom while she gets situated. Zoe decides to join a very small church choir. They have just hired a strong minded choirmaster. Even though they are just amateurs, he demands perfection from the members. They are a quirky group, who we get to know as the movie progresses. After going through personal issues with members and the choirmaster, a broken organ and other small dramas, she isn't sure its worth staying in the choir. She hopes she made the right decision to stay. Their performance of the Messiah, looks like it may not happen when and unfortunate incident happens just before Christmas. The movie is a little slow, but if you enjoy a nice little movie, with an interesting story line, good acting and enjoy listening to Handel's Messiah (which is sung throughout the movie), you will enjoy it.