Kleypas' Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor TV movie Dec 9

LordRose · Joined: 25 Mar 2012 Posts: 86

I just watched it, and it was nice.

But I think I probably annoyed my family by complaining about every detail they changed. (And I restrained myself, really!) The (very) basic storyline was there, but a lot of the details were completely different.

Alex, in particular, became a completely different person. I suppose his original character was probably too dark for a TV movie, but did they have to make him silly? And a mycologist (working on his dissertation)?

I don't understand why they felt the need to change all the names, either. Sam became Scott, and all the last names changed. (And Holly's fairy's name. And the dog.)

Um, I think I'll stop now.

Tee · Joined: 22 Mar 2007 Posts: 4046 Location: Detroit Metro

I must be living in a fog. I truly meant to tune in that movie, but totally forgot about it because I rarely watch the channel it was on. When I checked the TV guide on line, I went right to the regular Hallmark channels for the movies appearing last night.

The question is does anyone know if this will be shown again soon and on which channel? Thanks.

Danielle D · Joined: 22 Mar 2007 Posts: 492 Location: Wheaton, IL

Tee · Joined: 22 Mar 2007 Posts: 4046 Location: Detroit Metro

Thank you, Danielle. I'll be sure to watch it this coming Sunday. I read some of the reviews of it online and I wouldn't say it was a hit with the few columns I saw. I thought Kleypas did a pretty good job with the book. Unfortunately, the stories that followed it weren't that great, IMO.

jaime · Joined: 23 Sep 2011 Posts: 356

Well, going by the movie alone I thought it was okay if you like cutesy programs with barely adequate acting.

Going by looking at it as adapted from the Lisa Kleypas book I thought the adaptation was poor, they only took the bare bones of her plot and all the characters were changed and not for the better.

The dog they got was adorable and I did like its acting.

xina · Joined: 22 Mar 2007 Posts: 6627 Location: minneapolis

cdnreader · Joined: 16 Feb 2009 Posts: 133

I have to agree with you Jamie. I don't know why they didn't follow the book more closely! Changing the last name from Nolan to Nagle and changing one of the brothers name to Scott? I don't get it.

Some of the fans on LK's FB page did express disappointment. But always she was very gracious about what Hallmark did.

Reminded of me what happened when they adaped Linda Howards's Loving Evageline!

I wonder if the screenwriter even read the book. I watched the beginning and the end but really thought it could have been better.

cdnreader · Joined: 16 Feb 2009 Posts: 133

I have to agree with you Jamie. I don't know why they didn't follow the book more closely! Changing the last name from Nolan to Nagle and changing one of the brothers name to Scott? I don't get it.

Some of the fans on LK's FB page did express disappointment. But always she was very gracious about what Hallmark did.

Reminded of me what happened when they adaped Linda Howards's Loving Evageline!

I wonder if the screenwriter even read the book. I watched the beginning and the end but really thought it could have been better.

Jocelyn · Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2012 11:31 pm Post subject:

I haven't read Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor yet (it's on the Kindle), so I didn't have a comparison. That said, I thought that all of the actors in the movie version were very attractive, but there was absolutely no chemistry between the H/h and the romance was only incidental. And at the end of the movie I felt like some of the story must be missing. So, it was disappointing for me, but then made-for-tv movies just aren't quite big enough for a romance novel...

I did very much enjoy the Hallmark movie "Love at the Thanksgiving Day Parade" and felt like they really captured the spirit of an old Doris Day/Rock Hudson rom-com. The Chicago setting was very well captured, the vintage costumes are exceptional, and details such as the split-screen telephone conversations are great. The actress playing the h is adorable. The characters really talk to each other and reveal themselves, so the chemistry is authentic and cute. You should check it out despite the title - it is playing on the Hallmark channel a few more times before Christmas. My other favorite Hallmark romance adaptations are "Solder's Love Story/Meet my Mom" and "The Magic of Ordinary Days." "Loving Leah" is pretty good, but they haven't played that one in a long time. Any other Hallmark romances that were exceptionally good?

Tee · Joined: 22 Mar 2007 Posts: 4046 Location: Detroit Metro

Sandlynn · Joined: 23 Mar 2007 Posts: 1601 Location: Washington, D.C.

They never play my favorite TV holiday movie anymore. Don't know why. It has a lot of good stars. It's a 1988 film called "I'll Be Home for Christmas." (Not to be confused with another holiday movie of the same name.) It's set during WWII and follows a family who is dealing with the war and who has a son fighting overseas. Some of the stars are: Hal Holbrook, Eva Marie Saint, Nancy Travis, Peter Gallagher, and Courteney Cox. Wish they'd dig it out of some vault and run it a few times during the season, or at least sell it on DVD.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095347/

utoeid · Joined: 05 Jun 2007 Posts: 109

I am sorry, this movie was a tepid facsimilie of Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor and that book is not even her best work. They deconstructed everything that made that book cute. It was cute but very cookie-cutter and any staff writer could have written that. In the future, Mrs. Kleypas needs to take a page out of the JK Rowling playbook and insist on maintaining the whole integrity of her work. The only really wonderful thing to come out of it is that the movie showcased two other brothers so I hope if there is a second and third attempt that they will stick to the books...

Please go back to historical writing and for goodness sakes write some more Travis stories.

kim76 · Joined: 23 May 2007 Posts: 95 Location: Ohio

Jocelyn, I also really enjoyed Love at the Thanksgiving Parade. The lead actor was dreamy and did have a wonderful Rock Hudson, Cary Grant classic thing going on. I really wish that the last scene had been pulled off a little smoother (I thought their chemistry just disappeared), but overall a very nice production that I'd watch again to put me in the holiday spirit.

I've been watching a ton of Hallmark Christmas romances this season...just DVRing away! I've really enjoyed Hitched for the Holidays, Call Me Mrs. Miracle, and Help for the Holidays. Also enjoyed A Princess for Christmas last year. But recently watched the dreadful (but could have been great) A Christmas Kiss (aired on ION last year). The story was wonderful, but the acting was just goofy at times and I could never decide whether or not the lead actor was attractive and his character should have been a typical alpha hero, but ended up being the dopiest pushover ever.

Back to the original post topic, I was also excited about Christmas with Holly (though the Friday Harbor series is my least favorite of Kleypas's work and I'm concerned about her new direction, especially the paranormal light, new agey stuff...I stopped reading Nora Roberts for the same reason). Couldn't get through more than 20 minutes of it. The Hallmark Showcase films have been big blocks of cheese for a while now, with the exception of Loving Leah which I actually bought.

cdnreader · Joined: 16 Feb 2009 Posts: 133

Thanks for the recommendations! I really enjoyed "Loving Leah" sorry I missed this the first time around.

Another favorite Hallmark is from 1998 called the "Love Letter" with Campbell Scott.

I would love to get more recs.

Tee · Joined: 22 Mar 2007 Posts: 4046 Location: Detroit Metro

I did get to watch it last night and I agree with all of you. I enjoyed it, but wouldn't have recognized the story as being Kleypas'. All the brothers' characters left something to be desired. The ending was horribly rushed. I saw five minutes left on the clock and I was sure the movie was running behind. But, no, they piled everything into those last minutes and I was thinking, "Duh?". They changed so much of it; it was good they also changed the title because there was only the barest of similarities. I didn't like the following books and, quite frankly, hope no movies are made based on them.