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Hallmark's warm, 1995 made-for-television movie The Christmas Box and its darker, 1996 prequel, Timepiece, are logically and delightfully paired in this DVD package. In the former, Richard Thomas plays Richard, a ski-shop owner consumed with work and unhappy about his family's insistence on sharing a lonely mansion with Mary, an icy, humorless widow (Maureen O'Hara). While Richard's wife and child develop loving ties with Mary, he suffers recurring dreams and grows convinced the house is haunted by a tragedy from the old woman's past. Timepiece jumps ahead 16 years from the resolution of that story, then takes us back to the 1940s, when Mary (Naomi Watts) and her late husband, David (Kevin Kilner), a wealthy arms supplier to America's war effort, marry and endure both a bogus murder trial and a crushing family loss. While it's wonderful to see O'Hara, Timepiece proves the grittier, more interesting film, helped mightily by a cast including James Earl Jones and Ellen Burstyn. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Beautiful stories
"The Christmas Box" is my favorite Christmas movie. It's about a guy who works too much and doesn't spend time with his family around Christmas time, and who has to learn what is important for a Christmas miracle. Very sad and pretty.

And "Timepiece" is even better. It's a prequel, sort of, which tells the story about Mary Parkin and what happened to her family. Also very sad and pretty, and it has Naomi Watts and James Earl Jones as well.

Two wonderful TV movies that are just amazing to watch at Christmastime with your family.

Cheesy, only a little touching; horrible acting
My review is in two parts - First 'The Christmas Box':

Summary:
Richard Evans (Richard Thomas) his wife, Keri Evans (Annette O'Toole), and their daughter, Jenna (Kelsey Mulrooney), are new to Salt Lake and are struggling to develop satisfactory lives for themselves. Richard has just started a ski shop, The Ski Company, and is spending long hours getting it up and running. Keri, meanwhile, is a stay at home mother, though she also manages their apartment complex. But Keri isn't happy with their current apartment and wants something better for Jenna.

When they see an advertisement for an elderly woman, Mary Parkin (Maureen O'Hara), who is looking to have a young family move in with her to help her out, Keri jumps on the opportunity and soon the Evans family has moved in with Mrs. Parkin, an extremely wealthy elderly lady who desperately needs someone to love.

Quickly, the Evans family, especially Keri and Jenna, become friends with Mary, but it isn't long before Mary begins experiencing serious health problems and begins a quick descent towards her to death. But before she can go, she is determined to help Richard not make the same mistake her husband made: losing sight of the importance of family by focusing too much on providing for them. Mary accomplishes this with the help of angelic visitations to Richard's dreams by Mary's deceased daughter, Andrea. Eventually, Richard does realize how important family is and ends up cutting back on his work to spend more time with his wife and daughter. And, to everyone's surprise, Mary ends up leaving her monstrous house to the Evans family.

My Comments:
You'll notice that my summary didn't include mention of a Christmas Box. That's because the Christmas Box in the movie plays such a minor role that it really isn't even worth mentioning. As it turns out, it is just the location where Mary has stored letters to her deceased daughter and, though it plays mysteriously a few times, Richard is the only one that hears it. So, I have no idea why this movie is called The Christmas Box when the box is not at all central to the story. A better, serious title would have been 'Angel in the Avenues'. Though I think I am more partial to 'Ingratiatingly Cheesy Christmas Movie' or my wife's suggested title 'The Cheeseball Mormon, Pseudo-Christmas Movie'.

I also nearly fell off my exercise bike (this isn't a movie you can feel okay about watching while doing nothing else) when I heard the protagonists name - Richard Evans? That's the book's author's name. Wow, how original! Oh yeah, and did you catch the name of his company - The Ski Company. Obviously creative names were not very high up on the priority list for this story.

Speaking of the story, it was incredibly predictable and not at all engaging. I knew the Evans family would be chosen to live with Mary, otherwise why would it be part of the story? I also knew that Mary would end up loving the family and giving them the house, or at least a ton of money - otherwise why tell the story? There are no surprises. But my biggest problem with the story is that it doesn't follow a traditional 3 act sequence. By 45 minutes into the movie (1/2 of the entire movie in this case), there was no introduction of the major conflict. It was only at about this point that Richard began having his dreams, but even they didn't result in or resolve a conflict. As a matter of fact, there never was a clear conflict and the movie was nearly over before the movie explicitly states what it is supposed to be about - the importance of family.

As far as the acting goes, I really can't believe people continue to cast Richard Thomas in, well anything. He should be blacklisted just for being as annoying as he is. Every time he came on screen I cringed. He is utterly unconvincing, he overacts, and has no theatrical delivery. I've seen better child actors; a lot of them, actually. The only person I didn't want to see die in the movie is the only one that did - Maureen O'Hara. She wasn't outstanding, but she wasn't nearly as bad as the rest of the cast. Too bad she's had to die.

Overall, I definitely would not recommend this movie for anyone who has good taste or who appreciates good acting as this movie appeals to neither. It is painful to watch despite its aim at being a wholesome, uplifting movie. I should also note that the sequel is a better, though it isn't great.

Heartwarmers
As incredibly sappy as it sounds, "The Christmas Box" and its prequel "Timepiece" are heartwarming. Now both are included on DVD, letting us into the bittersweet story of the Parker and the Evans families, from the 1940s to the 1990s.

In "The Christmas Box," the Evans family is interviewed by elderly, wealthy widow Mrs. Parkin (Maureen O'Hara) for a live-in status, since their apartment is too small for them now. To their surprise, they are brought in on a trial basis, and mom Keri (Annette O'Toole) and daughter Jenna (Kelsey Mulrooney) rapidly grow closer to the old woman. But Richard (Richard Thomas) is often busy -- so busy that he's almost never there for his family. But Mrs. Parkin's mysterious past, a cache of old letters, and a strange question lead him back to the first gift of Christmas.

"Timepiece" shifts back in time to the end of World War II. David Parkin (Kevin Kilner) is the owner of a successful, extremely busy company. He takes on a new secretary, Mary Anne Chandler (Naomi Watts), and begins to fall in love with her. But she has a secret: She's pregnant and unmarried. Undaunted, David marries her and they raise her daughter as their own. But when David's friend Lawrence (James Earl Jones) becomes the target of a gang's racism, something tragic will happen to the new family.

The films are rather different in tone, although both will probably leave you with a warm fuzzy feeling, especially during the Christmas season. "Christmas Box" is a Christmas movie with a touch of mystery (who are the letters to? And what happened in Mary Anne's past?), whereas "Timepiece" is a straightforward family/friends story with a touch of tragedy and Christmas. They both have some major differences from the original novels, but the spirit of them is still in there.

The acting is more or less spotless in both movies. Richard Thomas and Annette O'Toole are fantastic as the couple who bickers a bit, but love each other dearly; O'Hara is astounding as Mary Parkin in her old age. James Earl Jones (of "Star Wars" fame) and Naomi Watts (of "Ring" fame) are also wonderful in "Timepiece." The child actors are somewhat flat at times (especially the kid who plays Andrea) but they don't detract from the stories at all.

Tis the season to be mildly sentimental, which is why people watch "It's a Wonderful Life." For a couple of beautiful, lovable films with good acting and a bit of heartbreak and a dollop of romance, this is a must-have. Genuinely charming. ... Read more

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Lauren Bacall plays the title role (which is actually a supporting role) in this smart and snappy children's film adapted from the newberry Award-winning book. As Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, she's a very wealthy individual auctioning off a statue that may or may not have been sculpted by Michelangelo. The story quickly shifts over to Claudia (Jean Marie Barnwell), the middle child of the family. Of the three kids, she's the only girl, a straight-A student, and the one their mom relies on to help her with the chores. Claudia feels both taken for granted and neglected, so she devises a plan for her and her younger brother (who's got some money because he cheats at cards) to run away and have adventures. Her plan includes camping out in the Metropolitan Museum, which happens to be the same museum that bought the enigmatic sculpture. While the family searches for the missing kids, Claudia becomes obsessed with solving the secret of the statue. Is it or isn't it a genuine Michelangelo? Like Claudia herself, the script is smart, and it never condescends. The direction is equally smart, and the cast is universally good--which is saying something considering there are so many child actors involved. With messages like "feelings matter as much as learning" and "if you believe in yourself, then you don't need to cheat," From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler is an excellent way for a family to spend time together in front of the TV. The story was previously adapted for film in 1973, but this version was made for television in 1995. --Andy Spletzer ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Decent adaptation for a TV movie.
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (Marcus Cole, 1995)

While doing the research on this film, I discovered that there have actually been two film versions of E. L. Konigsburg's delightful novel, with this one being the more recent. Most reviewers seem to prefer the 1973 version. Maybe they're right. But not having seen it, I have to say I liked this one well enough as a trip down memory lane.

Veteran TV director Cole (Beyond the Prairie: The True Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder) directs from Betty Goldberg (Trapper John, M.D.)'s script. Cole casts Lauren Bacall as the mysterious and un-first-named Mrs. Basil, Jean Marie Barnwell (Angie) as Claudia, and Jesse Lee (Bobby of the newer Brady Bunch stuff) as Claudia's brother Jamie. The story, for those of you who have been living under a rock for thirty years: Claudia feels neglected at home and wants to run away. She enlists the help (and money) of younger brother Jamie. The two of them, through a series of minor misadventures, end up hiding in New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, where Claudia becomes obsessed with a mysterious angel statue that may or may not have been carved by Michelangelo, and she sets about authenticating the piece.

Really, it's about what one would expect from a TV movie, in terms of direction, acting, etc. Nothing here that's going to win any awards. But who cares? For those of us who loved the novel, there's enough of it here to jog your memory (and hopefully you won't be too bogged down by the piece of it that mysteriously vanish). *** ½

Fine book and a Fine film!!
I, as most of the other reviewers, began with the book as a child and saw the film later. This was one of my favorite books as a child and I remember the film THE HIDEAWAYS that was made 30 years ago. I loved the book and the THE HIDEAWAYS was okay, although it has some noticeable changes from the book. When I purchased this more modern version of the book I did not think I would enjoy a more contempory version of the story. I was wrong! Sure there are some changes from the book but not enough to alter the story line greatly. What I really enjoyed were the characters. Lauren Bacall did a very good job in her role as Mrs. Frankweiler, as did Jean Marie Barnwell in the role of Claudia and Jesse Lee in the role of Jamie.

So, while there are some changes as others have noted, this film still maintains the best elements of the book. I only wish more films adhered to the books from which their story was taken. Also, this story stands up over time. My 9 & 7 year old son & daughter enjoy this story as much as I did and still do.

"Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler": Very disappointing film version
After reading E. L. Konigsburg's book, I was very excited to see this film adaptation of it. But it's not all that great--I was very disappointed. There are several differences between the movie and the book, one so much so that it ruined the whole picture for me.

The basic plot remains the same as the book: Claudia knew that she could never pull off the old-fashioned kind of running away...so she decided not to run FROM somewhere, but TO somewhere. And so, after some careful planning, she and her younger brother, Jamie, escaped. Soon, while exploring the Muesum, they set their minds to solving the mystery of Angel, a statue new to the muesum's collection, rumored to have been created by the ledgendary Michaelangelo.

But several minor details were changed. The entire character Saxonburg (although minor) has been deleted from the screenplay. Also, because of this, the way that Claudia and Jamie do eventually get home is different. (In the book, Saxonburg takes them home; here, their parents come and get them.) Also here, Jamie puts in a phone call to Mom and Dad, which sturs things up a bit. This was not done in the novel. An assortment of other things have been changed as well.

Lauren Bascall does a nice job as Mrs. Frankwiler, and the rest of the casting is good. But because of the changes from novel to screenplay, I dislike this version. Read the book (of the same name; winner of the Newbery Medal) first. Then try this, just to see how you like it. Also try the film "The Hideaways", another film version of this story. Hopefully it will be better!

An OURSTANDING movie!
I read this book when I was in 5th grade and I adored it. I was so excited when I found the movie and it was great too. Great job!

An OUTSTANDING movie!
I read this book when I was in 5th grade. I LOVED the book and I was so excited about seeing the movie. The movie was great. Even though there were afew minor changes in it. Great job! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Did I miss the point?
I am sorry, neither the movie or it's presentatiob on DVD grabbed me. I am sure there are some people out there that really love this film, in which case grab it. If you are not sure then avoid it, I certainly will in future ... Read more