For those who have seen the 1999 James Garner/Julie Andrews TV movie "One Special Night", they will be reminded of that when they see this earlier TV movie from 30 years before starring Lloyd Bridges and Shirley Jones. They are heading by bus to the same New England town at the holiday season, with Bridges visiting institutionalized wife Lynn Carlin and Jones visiting her son who was in the hospital. While there, Jones gets the best Christmas present, a husband who wants a divorce, and Carlin becomes suicidal, leaving both Bridges and Jones to become very vulnerable. Conversations over affairs makes it clear that Jones doesn't want to have one, and Bridges is far too confused by his feelings to pursue one. They begin a friendly holiday encounter similar minus anything sexual, so this becomes much more romantic as they really begin to care about each other. But is it as friends who can really communicate or something more?
Both this and "One Special Night" deal with strangers whose sudden encounter surprises them, and they take place in snowy, country locations. That really adds to the feeling of the holiday. Separately, Jones and Bridges go to see a W. C. Fields movie at the local theater, and while Bridges is there, he encounters Cloris Leachman whom he knew when he was in college in the area. As much as I like Leachman, she's rather annoying in this, someone who doesn't stop talking while in the theater and then whose presents later ruins a ice cream date between Jones and Bridges. A flashback scene has Jeff Bridges playing his father's character when younger, while the actress playing the young Leachman looks really nothing like her.
The adorable Nydia Westman (a veteran character actress who was playing old ladies in the 1930's) is memorable as the inn's maid, a good natured and cheery woman whom you just want to hug. Carlin is extremely frantic as the wife, rather depressing in her few scenes. Carrie Snodgrass has a small role as a young woman staying at the end with her boyfriend whom Bridges and Jones spend some time with. This is at its best when it just has the two leads by themselves discussing real life issues and becoming close as stranger sometimes do in tender situations when they need someone to confide in. This is certainly not a traditional Christmas movie, nor is it "Same Time Next Year". The important thing is that it's about two characters you really come to like, played by two actors you most likely have always liked.
Both this and "One Special Night" deal with strangers whose sudden encounter surprises them, and they take place in snowy, country locations. That really adds to the feeling of the holiday. Separately, Jones and Bridges go to see a W. C. Fields movie at the local theater, and while Bridges is there, he encounters Cloris Leachman whom he knew when he was in college in the area. As much as I like Leachman, she's rather annoying in this, someone who doesn't stop talking while in the theater and then whose presents later ruins a ice cream date between Jones and Bridges. A flashback scene has Jeff Bridges playing his father's character when younger, while the actress playing the young Leachman looks really nothing like her.
The adorable Nydia Westman (a veteran character actress who was playing old ladies in the 1930's) is memorable as the inn's maid, a good natured and cheery woman whom you just want to hug. Carlin is extremely frantic as the wife, rather depressing in her few scenes. Carrie Snodgrass has a small role as a young woman staying at the end with her boyfriend whom Bridges and Jones spend some time with. This is at its best when it just has the two leads by themselves discussing real life issues and becoming close as stranger sometimes do in tender situations when they need someone to confide in. This is certainly not a traditional Christmas movie, nor is it "Same Time Next Year". The important thing is that it's about two characters you really come to like, played by two actors you most likely have always liked.