This is a feel-good Christmas TV movie starring Angela Lansbury as Mrs. Santa Claus, who, feeling neglected, leaves the North Pole with her husband's reindeer and sleigh to go out for a drive, but gets stranded in Manhattan during the Christmas season.This is a movie full of colorful costumes and bright cinematography to highlight the Christmas seasons. The dance choreography was great and the story was uplifting, if not a bit juvenile.There are plenty of spirited songs in the movie, which is perfect for those who enjoy musicals. I'm not a big fan of musicals and almost got driven up the wall with all those unending songs and thought the plot was a bit slow. But, it is still nice seeing Lansbury back on the screen, showcasing her many talents, and nice to have a meaningful movie on TV to bring the family together.

I would have liked Mrs Santa Claus to be a tad longer, but I was really surprised at how good this film was when I saw it for the first time four years ago on TV. While not my favourite Christmas film, it is a seasonal classic and for several reasons is very special to me.The production values are lovely. The sets are quite colourful with a magic quality to them. The costumes look warm and cosy. The scenery is breathtaking. And the photography is surprisingly skillful. Even the sleigh looks as though care was taken to construct it.Jerry Herman's music is just wonderful. The orchestration is very memorable and mellow. But I just adored the songs, especially the beautiful Almost Young, which is the best performed vocally and emotionally rendition of the film. All the songs benefit from great melodies and catchy lyrics.I love the choreography as well. There have been film musicals where it is sprightly and energetic such as in West Side Story, and some where it is messy and misconceived seen in The Wiz. Mrs Santa Claus's choreography left me transfixed, being neither being too simple or too difficult but showing evident care and skill.That's not all. The story is not predictable or badly paced in any way. It is original, brisk, exciting and fun. Also towards the end it is even heart-warming.The script is another strength. It is simple without being too simplistic or childish, mature without being too sophisticated or convoluted, charming and poignant without being schmaltzy and funny without any obscenities and crude humour. In short, it has something for the whole family, adults will love the choreography, script and titular performance and kids will love the production values, songs and story.The acting is also very well done. Angela Lansbury, a fine character actress who has always had a special place in my heart, is perfection in the title role. Acting-wise she oozes with charm, choreographically she is as light as a feather and natural and singing-wise she emotes and sings beautifully. She is very well supported by the charming Michael Jester, the solid Terence Mann and a slightly underused but still okay Charles Durning.All in all, Mrs Santa Claus is a seasonal classic in my view and a real treat for fans of a great talent like Lansbury. 9/10 Bethany Cox

This is a quality musical movie, with another ten star score from the great Jerry Herman, my favorite composer. Most others have said many of the things I wanted to say here, so I'll just say don't miss it. Someone questioned why politics were added. In Lansbury's biography, she states that she turned down the role at first because it was too "fluffy" and when they added the human rights thing she was more interested. Composer Jerry Herman was very ill with HIV at the time this was being filmed. She also did this as a favor to him. He really wanted her to do the TV movie of MAME, saying that she was still able to pull it off, but she felt she was too old for the role, and so to do something for her friend, she did this musical, and I am glad she did this (although MAME would have been awesome, and finally a good movie).The score, orchestrations are 10 out of 10, the only problem I had was with a few of the special effects, I felt they could have been a notch better.Lansbury and Durning are excellent. This is a great 2 hour experience of the kind of movie that is so rare, and it works because of all of the broadway talent involved, that's who should be making musicals. Director Rob Marshall (Chicago) did the choreography and that's superb.Great movie, great cast, great music! The DVD also has a great but short "making of." on it, the DVD is definitely in my collection! I wish some of Herman's other shows were good movies, Hello Dolly being the only good one, my opinion of course. There's The Grand Tour, Dear World, La Cage Aux Folles, Milk and Honey and Mack and Mabel, great musicals without being filmed.

Lansbury is charming as always in this musical from Jerry Herman about Old St. Nicks' Mrs. It's nice to see Lansbury singing again and having a good time.