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The Christmas Candle
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox film
| name = The Christmas Candle
| image = The Christmas Candle film poster.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Official poster
| director = John Stephenson
| producer = Tom Newman
Hannah Leader
Steve Christian
Ivan Dunleavy
Huw Penallt Jones
Brian Lockhart
| writer = Candace Lee
Eric Newman
Max LucadoRoberta Miller, [http://www.christiantoday.com/article/screenwriter.candace.lee.on.new.film.christmas.candle/32495.htm Screenwriter Candace Lee on new film Christmas Candle], 'Christianity Today', 15 May 2013
| starring = Hans Matheson
Samantha Barks
Lesley Manville
Sylvester McCoy
James Cosmo
Susan Boyle
Barbara Flynn
John Hannah
| music =
| cinematography =
| editing = Emma E. Hickox
| studio = Pinewood Studios
| distributor = Pinewood Studios
EchoLight Studios
| released =
| runtime =
| country = United Kingdom
United States
| language = English
| budget =
| gross = $2.5 million
}}
'The Christmas Candle' is a 2013 British-American Christmas drama film directed by John Stephenson.
Introduction
It is based on Max Lucado's novel 'The Christmas Candle'. The film is an Impact and Big Book Media Production presented by Pinewood Pictures being distributed by Rick Santorum's film production company EchoLight Studios in the US and by Pinewood Pictures in the UK.Caitlin McDecvitt, [http://www.politico.com/blogs/click/2013/09/rick-santorum-to-release-a-christmas-movie-173504.html Rick Santorum to release a Christmas movie], 'Politico', 9/25/13 It is Susan Boyle's debut on the big screen. Boyle also contributes an original song to the film, "Miracle Hymn".
Locations
It was shot in Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and in the Isle of Man.[http://www.pinewoodgroup.com/production/christmas-candle Pinewood Group] Locations included Stanway House,[http://www.gloucestershireecho.co.uk/Susan-Boyle-Cotswolds-film-Christmas-Candle/story-18298991-detail/story.html Article in the 'Gloucestershire Echo']. Accessed 6 December 2015. Tudor House in the Worcestershire village of Broadway,[http://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/10870590.Golden_voiced_Susan_is_now_star_on_Broadway_/ Article in 'Worcester News'] and the Wiltshire village of Biddestone, including the White Horse pub.[http://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/news/10293022.Village_of_Biddestone_enjoys_Hollywood_moment/?ref=twtrec 'Wiltshire Times' article]. Accessed 6 December 2015 Studio work was completed on the Isle of Man in the Mountain View Media Village studios in Lezayre.[http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/sam-so-thrilled-to-be-filming-in-the-island-1-5555710 'IOM Today' article]. Accessed 6 December 2015.Summary
In the fictional village of Gladbury, every twenty-five years an angel visits the candlemaker and bestows a miracle upon whoever lights the Christmas Candle. The whole town believes in the candle except the new pastor, Rev. David Richmond. It is 1890 and the Haddingtons make candles and the town and church use them. It is the Christmas season and the pastor preaches the Advent themes and lights a candle each Sunday. He tries to convince the town folk to believe in God and not candle miracles.
The angel appears and marks a special candle. Whoever lights that candle will receive a miracle. Mrs. Haddington wants to keep the candle for herself to have her son to return and live in Gladbury. The magic candle is misplaced but Bea passes out candles to a boy who can't talk, a woman who wants to find her husband, a blind man and twenty-six other candles to people who all have individual needs. The preacher wants people to pray to God and not seek hope and change in a candle.
Reverend Richmond at his own expense has the church wired with new and modern lightbulbs as a further example for folk not to rely upon candles. At a church service he has the candles extinguished and the lights turned on. It goes terribly wrong. The bulbs explode and a fire is started. A man dies in the ensuing panic. Few parishioners attend next Sunday. Christmas Eve service comes and the candle miracle is to be revealed. Many people think that they had received the blessed candle for Mrs. Haddington passed out many candles and not just one. The boy can talk, a man got a job, a woman's debts were forgiven, a man's beloved cat is saved, the woman is engaged and the blind man could see just before he died. The minister thinks God has answered their prayers.
The Christmas candle has not yet been lit. The Pastor had sent for pregnant Ruth to come to Gladbury. Her wagon has wrecked and when the candle is lighted in the attempt to find her it shines with a preternatural light and she is rescued. It turns out that the Haddington's son is the father of Ruth's child and, in that way, he does indeed return to town. Even the minister's faith in miracles is restored.
Theology
'The Christmas Candle' makes use of the Bible and the main character, the pastor, quotes Jesus from the Gospels while focusing on the Advent season. The viewpoint of the movie is a mixture of Protestant and Roman Catholic theology, where the main character is struggling to find his lost faith.
Cast
Reception
On the aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film received 21% positive reviews based on 24 reviews with an average rating of 4.2/10. The New York 'Daily News' described it as a "Dickens-meets-Sunday-school movie", and that it was "as artless as the setup [was] muddled". The 'New York Post' referred to it as a "throwback, made-for-TV-style film" with a "cheesy climax". 'The Arizona Republic' judged it as "resolutely stiff and hollow".
Rare positive reviews included 'The Portsmouth News', which gave the film 4 stars writing "Boyle's performance is endearing and her stunning vocal talent continues to dazzle while the gentle chemistry between Matheson and Barks complements the piece without upstaging the film's central ideas." The 'Los Angeles Times' wrote, "Hammy histrionics of a Hallmark movie are present, but its message of community and faith shines brighter." The Dove Foundation awarded 5 Doves as a "Family-Approved" film.
The film expanded from five to over 390 venues for its second week.
See also
* List of Christmas films
References
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