Christmas Star, The (1986)

[bunniefuu]

...darkness of uncertainty
there come a light,

a brilliant ray of hope
from the heavens

that lit the Wise Man's way.

And 'twas then 'twas born
the Christmas star.

And to this day,
the star watches over us,

shining only whenwas born
a great sacrifice is made,

when a man does a deed with no hope
of reward, at great cost to himself,

for the love of his fellow man
and the spirit of Christmas.

(man blows nose)

Where'd you hear that one,
old man? Your mommy?

There's not a shred of good
in you, McNickle.

Yeah. That's what they said
about my old partner - Lucky.

And he's laying on a beach
somewhere countin' his money.

Now, if you saps will excuse me,

I gotta go turn a sirloin
on the barbie.

Christmas star.
(chuckles)

You beware, McNickle.

A man with no Christmas spirit
will die alone and forgotten.

Dopey old coot,
flapping his jaws,

and the old boys are just
hanging their ears out.

Boy, oh, boy, oh, boy.

I've waited eight years
to get out of this joint, Lucky.

Another six months,

and the rest of that money
will be mine.

All mine.

(♪ marching band playing ♪)

(man) That was the Jackson
High School Marching Band.

(woman) Oh, wonderful.

Little Suzie Thompson
knows how to throw her baton.

Remarkable.
They're as sharp as ever this year.
That's right.

I bet they take state again.
I hope so.

Everybody's turning out for another
Warrington's Christmas Parade.

Everybody's here to mark the
beginning of Christmas week.

That's right, Jim, and this
should be the best ever...

Come on, McNickle,
change the channel, will you?

Yeah. Put on Wheel of Fortune.
People's Court.

Oh!

(woman)
...a Warrington's Christmas

without these beautiful
historic artifacts.

The sleigh, the throne and the reindeer
were handmade over a century ago,

and, Jim, this just might be
their last public appearance.

Right. All these delicate antiques
will be auctioned off after the 1st

to make way for next year's
Christmas Robotland. Sad.

Well, I guess that's progress.

The money.

...drove all the way from
Capital City to be with us.

They did. Well...

(♪ band playing "Deck the Halls" ♪)

(man) So how you
doing there, huh?

Oh, yes, right over there.

(♪ "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" ♪)

There you go.

Oh, h*... it, uh...

it looks like, uh...
Santa needs a refill.

h*-h*-h*-h*...

Oh, Brother Gerard,
you're too generous a soul.

Oh... h*-h*-h*-h*.

Oh, now...

Merry Christmas, Santa.

You, too, Smitty.

How did you know my name?

(chuckles)

You can't fool old Santa.
Ha-ha-ha-ha.

Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha.

He stole my Santa suit!
He stole my Santa suit!

He stole my suit. He stole
my Santa suit. He took it.

He took my Santa suit.

(klaxon blares)

Come on. Go!

Move it! Come on.

(bell tinkles)

Agh! (groans)

♪ You better watch out,
you better not cry ♪

♪ You better not pout,
I'm telling you why ♪

♪ Santa Claus is comin' to town ♪

♪ Santa Claus is comin' to town ♪

♪ Santa Claus is coming to town ♪

♪ He's making a list,
he's checking it twice ♪

♪ He's gonna find out
who's naughty or nice ♪

♪ Santa Claus is comin' to town ♪

♪ Santa Claus is comin' to town ♪

♪ Santa Claus is coming to town ♪

♪ He sees when you are sleeping ♪

♪ He knows when you're awake ♪

♪ He knows if you've been bad or good ♪

♪ So be good for goodness sake ♪

♪ Oh, you better watch
out, you better not cry ♪

♪ You better not pout,
I'm telling you why ♪

♪ Santa Claus is comin' to town ♪

♪ Santa Claus is comin' to town ♪

♪ Santa Claus is coming to town ♪

♪ With little tin horns and little toy drums ♪

♪ Rooty-toot-toot and rummy-tum-tum ♪

♪ Curly head dolls that toddle and coo ♪

♪ Elephant boats and kiddie cars, too ♪

♪ Santa Claus is comin' to town ♪

♪ Santa Claus is comin' to town ♪

♪ Santa Claus is coming to town ♪

♪ The kids in Girls and
Boyland will have a jubilee ♪

♪ They're gonna build a toyland ♪

♪ All around the Christmas tree ♪

♪ So, you better watch
out, you better not cry ♪

♪ You better not pout,
I'm telling you why ♪

♪ Santa Claus is comin' to town ♪

♪ Santa Claus is comin' to town ♪

♪ Santa Claus is coming to town ♪

♪ Santa Claus is coming to town! ♪

(cheering)

(Santa) Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas!

Santa Claus.

Have a Merry Christmas.
Hi there.

Hi there. Merry Christmas.
What's your name?

Nina.

Nina. Isn't that
a pretty name?

What a bunch of suckers.

Look at them. They think
it's Santa Claus.

It is Santa Claus.

Oh, yeah? Watch this.

Hey, Santa, over here.

h*-h*-h*, little boy.
And what's your name?

Jack the Ripper, fatso.

Oh! Stop that kid.
He stole my beard.

Dad.

Dad.

Dad.

Careful now.

Don't worry, Mrs. Thurgood.
I got it.

After all these years, I'd
hate to see it get scratched.

Dad, Dad, John Sumner
pulled Santa's beard off.

Ha-ha-ha-ha.
He did, did he?

Can I have some quiet out here?

Some of us have to
work for a living.

Sorry, Mr. Sumner.

You really think Sumner
will sell the building?

Let's hope not. Maybe we could
raise the money ourselves.

Mom.

Just a minute, Billy.
I should go, Clara.

OK. Talk to you later.
Bye-bye.

Now, what's all this commotion?

Mom, John Sumner
pulled Santa's beard off.

Billy Jameson, will you stop worrying
about what John does all the time?

The boy has it hard enough.

But...
But nothing.

Be a little generous, Billy.

He doesn't have as much
to be thankful for like you do.

But he pulled it off.

(dog whining)

Hey, boy.

Hey, boy.

You all right?
Huh? Yeah?

Good boy, yeah.

(clock chimes)

Dad?
Get it out.

Dogs smell, they shed
and they eat more than you do.

But I thought we could...

You didn't think.
You never do.

(dog barks)

Vicious, too.
Almost bit me.

City pound, please.
No!

(dog whines)

You'd better watch out.
I'm telling you why.

Police say that
con artist Horace le

escaped today
from Graybridge Pen

disguised as
Kris Kringle himself.

Though refusing to discuss details
of this bogus Santa's escape,

police insist
it was not by reindeer.

And for what we are about to receive,
make us truly grateful. Amen.

Amen.
Amen.

And please check up on Santa
so he doesn't forget a thing.

Trudi, it's time to eat now.

Well, the weatherman wasn't too
hopeful about a white Christmas.

If it doesn't snow, do they
call it a green Christmas?

Now, there is an idea.

♪ It came upon a midnight green ♪

♪ That glor... ♪

Stewart...
What? What?

Not at the table.

Heather Brown's getting
a space-station stable

for her angel ponies
for Christmas.

Sweetheart, I think it's better
if we don't get our hopes up

and expect too many things
for Christmas this year.

Clara...

What's wrong?

Well... nothing, really.

It's just that...

business has been a little slow
for everybody, that's all.

There's no presents this year?

Trudi, is that what we taught you
that Christmas is all about?

No, ma'am.

Now hold it right there.

There are gonna be presents
and lots of 'em.

And... and a tree.

And a turkey... a turkey so big,
your eyes will pop out.

This is gonna be the best Christmas we
ever had, no matter what old Sumner does.

Yeah, the best Christmas.

That's right.

(doorbell rings)

Now, who could that be?

I'll look.

A dog rang the doorbell.

(whines)

(Stewart) Someone
must have left him.

His name is Spider.

He doesn't look very well.
Can we keep him?

(Trudi) Sure we can,
it's Christmas.

We have to be charitable.
Right, Mom?

Well, uh...

Billy.
Um...

I don't know.

"And the little tree
stood proud and tall.

"And from that time on,
every Christmas tree

stayed green throughout
the year." That's it.

Just one more story, Mom?

No, that's all, sweetheart.
Lights out now.

Just one teeny, little one?

Don't I remember somebody
writing to Santa Claus

saying that they were
gonna be a good girl?

Good night.

Night.

Night-night.

Do we really have to move, Mom?

I don't know.
Maybe we won't.

You just try to get to sleep now, OK?
OK.

Night, Mom.
Night.

(police radio plays)

Hey, Waters.

Don't look at me like that.
This came straight from the top.

They don't want a Santa jailbird runnin' around.
It'll k*ll business.

Waters, for cryin' out loud,
it's your wife.

She says your whole neighborhood's
waitin' to see Santa Claus.

Wants to know
when you're comin' home.

My first Christmas off
in six years, Lou.

My kids never see me.
They think I'm a rumor!

I should have nailed him
when I had the chance.

(man) You know that guy?

He ought to. He put him away
eight years ago this week.

Happy anniversary.

Warrington
Department Store heist.

McNickle and his partner Lucky
pulled a Cincinnati switch

on the entire Christmas take.

What'd they get?

McNickle got ten to fifteen.

Lucky got away clean with half a
million smackers we've never found.

That's what we thought, anyway.

What do you mean by that?

Lou, the guy had just
six months to parole.

Why would he want
to bust out now?

Unless there was a mighty good reason
for Santa Claus coming to town.

So you're with us, huh, Waters?

I have a choice?
No.

I'm with you.
Good.

Start checking all the chimneys.

Now, you're both on the clock
as of right now.

And Waters, I want this guy,
with or without the dough.

Terrific.

Hey, Waters.

Maybe you should have listened
to your mother, become a priest.

Then I'd be stuck
working every Christmas.

(Lou chuckles)

(hammering)

Everybody please settle down.

Settle down?

How do you expect us to be out by the 2nd?
What about my family?

I am a businessman, Mr. Jerome,
not a social worker.

(Stewart) How about
a human being?

Where are we going to go?

(Sumner) Can we try to be
civilized about this?

Civilized? Just where
are we supposed to go?

I don't know. It'd be easier if
you'd just come up with the money.

Money, money.
It's always money.

Now, who's going
to pay for this?

Mr. Sumner, how could you do
this to your own neighbors?

It's Christmas.
Would it hurt you to just wait a little?

We're adults here,
Mrs. Jameson.

Let's not quibble about dates on the calendar.
One day is the same as the next.

It's not. Christmas...

Sumner, you are
a heartless miser.

Daddy, what's goin' on?

Billy, why don't you go down and hit that boiler?
It's gone off again.

Go on, son. It's all right.

(Sumner)
Parliamentary procedure.

I insist on
Parliamentary procedure.

(tenants argue)

(snoring)

(humming)

Here. Now you can
play with it.

Trudi!

Shh.

Is it really him?

I don't know.

Aah! Let me at him.
Let me at him.

It is Santa Claus.

He did it.

Who are you?
What do you want?

Heather Brown's getting
a space-station stable

for her angel ponies
for Christmas.

What do you want me
to do about it?

Get me the deluxe model.

Christmas.
Didn't you get my letter?

Oh... (chuckles)

I mean... h*...
h*-h*-h*-h*...

Ow! Ooh! Ow...

You got a mean chimney
there, kid.

Is that how you hurt your leg?

Mmm... Santa's
got a lot of agony.

Listen, do you want
to do Santa a favor?

See if you can find
a crutch or something.

Then I could hit the road...
I mean, my sleigh.

Come on, come on, come on.
Snap it up.

I got a factory full of elves working
double time out there. Come on.

Grandpa's cane.

OK, I'm out of here.

You be good boys and girls and keep
your yaps shut about seeing me.

And don't follow me,
neither. OK?

Good. That's extra presents
for the two of you.

Billy.

Come on.
But he said...

I can't help it.
I want to see the elves.

(♪ "The Twelve Days of Christmas" ♪)

Go to the back of the line.

Just be on your way now.

Yeah. Straight down there.
Thank you.

Santa's wrestling the reindeer.

You got a problem, mister?

No, but you do, son.
Surprise fire inspection.
Did you stuff this deer?

Me?
Very flammable newspaper.

City ordinance number 563 -
all reindeer stuffing

must be done with
nonflammable newspaper.

Nonflammable...
Hold these horns.

I'm calling the chief.

Nuts.

Come on.

(rings)

Fourth Precinct?

We're in business.
Just spotted your Santa walking with a cane.

Just left Warrington's.

Right. Got it.
They spotted him on Main.

Home for Christmas.
Let's go!

(ding ding)

(ding ding)

(siren wails)

What's the matter
with you, anyway?

Show a little gumption.
Ring that bell.

(police whistle)

Here, try this. I've been
raking it in all morning.

(siren wails)

Wait.

Billy.

Wait.

Santa?

I got to get out of here.
I know a way out.

Show me quick, pal, and it's
Brownie points with Santa.

You in the Santa suit, freeze.

All right, freeze.

Let him go.
What?

I said let him go.
It's not him.

But I saw him with the cane.

Where'd you get the cane?
Santa Claus.

Sure it wasn't the Easter bunny?

(Waters) Take it easy, will you?

Hey. Look at this.

Great. How many Jamesons
are there in town?

You got something better?

Take it downtown
and get some prints.

Ah... Merry Christmas,
yourselves.

Ow!

Bit my tongue.

Santa?

Santa.

We thought you might be hungry.

I tried to hold it straight.

He's hungry.

Of course he's hungry.
He's come a long way.

What's that?

Don't you remember?
You gave it to me last Christmas.

It broke.

Too bad. (burps)

You brought the phone book.

I couldn't bring it sooner because
I had to sit on it at dinner.

(Billy) What are you
looking for?

Reindeer.

I didn't know reindeer
were in the phone book.

Um... a reindeer doctor.

Yeah, a reindeer doctor.

Prancer's sick, twisted a horn.
He's flying crooked.

Oh.

Our dog Spider's sick, too.

What a shame.

Bingo.

(Stewart) Billy? Trudi?
Are you down there?

Yeah.

What are you doing down here?

(both) Playing.

Sort of a crummy place
to play, isn't it?

What's up, Dad?

Well, it's the boiler again.

I can do it.

Oh, as long as I'm here
I might as well do it.

I tell you, they're gonna put this
thing in a museum one of these days.

Ah, there we go.

That was painless.

(groans)

Well, don't stay down here
too long.

Are you OK, Santa?

No, Santa's not OK.
Santa's very upset.

He hasn't been beaten
over his body like this

in many a Christmas.
(groans)

You guys git.
I got to run an errand.

Thanks.

Well, look what the cat
dragged in. What do you want?

Evening. I'm, uh...
looking for Sarah, Lucky's wife.

What for?
I got to talk to her.

Start talking.

Sarah? Why, Sarah was...

I don't have a party dress
to come to the door in.

So sorry.

Who are you?

Just an old friend of Lucky's.

I didn't know he had any.

There's no fan club here,
that's for sure.

You know where he is?

What are you, a cop?

No. No.

Not that it matters.
I'd tell you if I knew where he was.

I haven't seen Lucky in years.

I guess when you
clean someone out,

you're not gonna leave your
forwarding address. Right?

Right. I got stuff to do.
I'll see you.

Say, wait, Sarah.

A guy named McNickle sent me.
You remember him?

Yeah.

I remember him.
He took the rap for Lucky.

Wound up with the same thing
I got - nothing.

I remember him.

Hey, Santa, who are you?

Nobody.

You and me both.

(McNickle) Lucky,
you got the money?

I left it with the reindeer.
(laughs)

Lucky... Lucky!

No, Lucky. Lucky!

(Lucky laughs)

He told me to hold this for him.

He's not coming back.

Maybe your friend McNickle
will know what to make of it.

When you see him,
say hello for me, will you?

He's not such a bad guy.

♪ The first Noel,
the angel did say ♪

♪ Was to certain poor shepherds
in fields as they lay ♪

♪ In fields where they... ♪

(Sumner and John, indistinct)

(Sumner) Ridiculous.
Wasting my time.

♪ ...winter's night
that was so deep... ♪

(Sumner) Christmas presents?
At your age?

What kind of sissy
are you? Huh?

All I want is a dog.
Stop that sniveling.

Toughen up, boy.
Toughen up. You hear me?

John, do you hear me?

Yes, sir.

Yes, sir.

(chuckling)
Christmas presents.

(door closes)

(Clara) Is that you, Stewart?

Yeah.

How did it go?
Did you find anything?

No, not yet. There aren't many
vacancies this time of year.

Nobody's moving.

Except us.

Yeah.

No presents this year,
Stewart, for us.

That way, we'll have
more for the kids.

I got everything that I want.

You're my best friend.
You know that, mister?

Well... what do
you kids want?

We came to say good night.

Oh...

Oh, good...

Listen, uh...
come on in. Sit down.

Yeah...

Yeah...

I guess you're wondering
what all this is about.

Why Santa's running around
like this, huh? Yeah.

Uh... it all started when
I was walking to the store

and this fake Santa
bagged me and took my money.

Why were you going to the store?

To buy toys. I was
running short this year.

But I thought elves made them.

(laughs)

Well, that was back in the old days.
It's all cash-and-carry now. Yeah.

Oh.

Well, anyway, this crook, this fake
Santa, he's so mean, he hid my money.

Now, it's only a few days
left to Christmas,

and if I were to go out
to look for it,

I'm afraid that the coppers...

I mean, the authorities,

will mistake me
for the fake Santa.

Boy, what a meanie!

How can we help?

Good. I like
your attitude, son.

Don't think we won't square things
up when all this is settled.

And I mean big presents.
You, too, sweetheart.

Oh, boy.

But first, the money.

Now, we know it's
around the store.

We don't know where,
but we got some clues.

So tomorrow, we find the money.

Ah. We've got to.
We've got to.

Because if we don't,
all the kids in the world

will be getting
underwear for Christmas.

One more thing - if I'm to get
into the store unnoticed,

I'm gonna need
some kind of disguise.

Do you think you can
dig up an outfit for me?

Any kind of outfit will do.

(Trudi) This way, Grandpa.

Need a hand?
No.

Oh, uh... thanks, we're fine.

I promised their grandma
I'd take them to see Santa.

Have a good day, sir.

Way to go, guys.
This is just the ticket.

Now, you get up as close as you
can, and I'll stay here and look.

A keyhole.
A big keyhole.

Go get 'em.

(Santa) h*-h*-h*-h*-h*...

h*-h*-h*-h*-h*-h*.

Amateur.

Awful about the throne, isn't it?
Terrible.

You'd think such a historic
piece would be protected.

I'll tell you.

I mean, look at the detail
on that thing.

Those craftsmen really
cared about their work.

Pride, that's the key.

(♪ "Hallelujah Chorus"
from Handel's "Messiah" ♪)

It's beautiful.
When do they take it away?

Christmas Eve, I suppose.

The day after tomorrow.
I'm sick about it.

Give me one good reason anyone
would want to touch that throne.

Lady, I'll give you thousands.

♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah ♪

♪ Hallelujah ♪

♪ Hallelujah ♪

♪ Hallelujah! ♪

(♪ "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" ♪)

Hey, button that coat, Billy.

Hey, Dad, look at this one.

What about this little fella?
Looks like he could use a home.

But Dad...

Come here, Billy.

Billy, I...
I want to talk to you.

We're gonna have to move,
aren't we?

Let's not tell Trudi, all right?
You know how she gets.

Now you go gather up
some scraps for our wreath,

and I'll go talk to
the gentleman about our tree.

All right.

That looks really good.
Think he's got enough?

Give him some more.

(Stewart and Billy)
♪ O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree ♪

Who's that?

♪ How lovely are thy branches ♪

What in heaven's name?

♪ O Christmas tree,
O Christmas tree ♪

♪ How lovely are... ♪
What possessed you?

Well, what's
a few bucks, anyway?

Stewart Jameson...

Why, thank you, ma'am.
Whoa!

(barks)

(♪ Stewart hums "O Christmas Tree" ♪)

♪ O Christmas tree,
O Christmas tree ♪

♪ How lovely are thy branches ♪

No, ma'am, I am not a cane salesman.

That's right.

Thank you.

11 Jamesons to go.

What do you say we ring a few
doorbells, get some exercise?

Fine with me. Oh...
I guess I'd better call home,
tell them I'll be late again.

They givin' you grief?

No. They're great.

Hey, Waters.

Your wife just reported you
to Missing Persons.

The keyhole's around the side.

Trudi, you give him cover.
Somebody stops you?

I tell them I'm lost.

If they ask too many questions?

I start to cry.

Good. You got the pack?

Hey, boy. What you
doing here, huh?

(McNickle) All right,
now, what we've just done

is called
"doing it by the numbers."

It's the best way, it's the only
way of getting away with...

I mean, doing
what we have to do.

Now listen carefully, because this is
the only way we're going to do it.

When I first started out
with the deer

and with the elves
working on the toys,

they were just as disorganized
as anybody else. It only took...

John?

Get away from my dog.

He's not your dog.
I gave him to you.

Did not.
Did too.

Quiet. You wanna
wake the whole world?

Go ahead, mister.
Touch me. Just try it.

Oh... tough
as your old man, huh?

Why don't you guys
wait upstairs?

Santa wants to have
a little talk with John.

Who are you?

Who do you think?
Come here.

I don't believe in you.

I know you don't.
Come here.

Hmm?

Big deal.
I've seen that on TV.

Wait a minute.

I bet I can tell
what you want for Christmas.

Yeah, right.

Pick one.

Queen, for Billy's mom.

'Cause you wish
she was your mom.

Pick another.

King. 'Cause you wish
your dad was like Billy's dad.

Then he'd listen to you.

Pick another.
Take it.

The ace of spades.

For your good friend Spider.

'Cause you wish more than
anything that he'd get well.

Can you make him better?

Well... let's see
what Santa can do.

(♪ "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" ♪)

When he comes, start whistling.
OK.

(Santa) h*-h*-h*-h*...

I can't whistle.

(blows, but no whistle)

Hey!

Billy! Someone's coming.

Hey!

Come on out, you guys.
Behind the ropes.

(whistling)

Now what do we do?
It's not my fault.

(John) Is too.
You dropped it.

Hey, look.
A book about the throne.

"Hidden secrets
in compartments hollow

can be found in clues
of the rhymes that follow."

(Billy) There's another way in.
We have to read the rhymes.

Sure. How do we
turn the pages?

Look.

"Tug the elf's arm
as hard as you may,

hit the bull's-eye
hiding its passageway."

Good work.

No problem.

An elf's arm and a bull's-eye.

Hey, Billy?
Yeah?

How about I keep
Spider overnight?

Yeah, OK, but just for tonight.

What are they doing here?

I don't know.

Just keep walking.

You told.

No, I didn't.
I just told Heather Brown.

Go away.

We want to see Santa.

You can't.

You don't own him, you know.
He's for everybody.

Well?

I lost the key.
You what?

But I found another way in.
What do you mean?

There's a hidden compartment
in the throne.

All we got to do is follow the
clues to the rhyme we found.

Rhyme?
Yeah. It's like a puzzle.

We can do it at night
when nobody will see us.

But there's one other thing.

Trudi told.

I told you to keep quiet.

She only told Heather Brown.
No grown-ups know.

(footsteps)

(groans)

They're only kids from the block.
They'll be quiet.

We can use the help,
anyway, right?

Maybe.

All right, bring them in.

Come on. It's OK.

Aren't you going to ask me
what I want for Christmas?

Well...

Yes. I think we have
some of that in stock.

Here.

Billy, what about you?

Is there something you want more
than anything else in the world?

A home.

One apartment building
for Billy.

Trudi.

I can't decide.
Yeah...

(children giggle)

I know. A hundred
angel ponies.

So many? You better be good
and help Santa.

I will.

All right.

I'd like a white Persian kitten
with black spots.

A white Persian kitten
with black spots.

That's pretty.

All right, next?

I want a new bike.

New bike.
What's your name?
Brittany.

Brittany? You got it.
But you gotta be good. You?

I want a new kitten
with a white purse.

A new kitten with a white purse.
All right, what's your name?

Monica.

All right. New kitten,
white purse. You?

I want a secret passage
through my house.

Secret passage
through your house?

You have to be good for that.
You understand?

You better be good.
What's your name?

No question about it.
This is definitely my father-in-law's.

Did he sell it, ma'am,
or give it away?

Well, no. We thought
we had it right here.

Mmm... dinner smells great.

Thank you.

Maybe you left it somewhere.
A public place?

Well, it's possible,
I suppose. I don't...

I remember home cooking.

If it's all right,
Mrs. Jameson,

we'd like to hold on to it
till we figure this thing out.

Of course.

Well, Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas to you.

Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas.

Hey, kid, uh... excuse me.
Do you live here?

(whines)

What's wrong with your dog?

I was walking him,

and he sat down,
and he didn't walk anymore.

Oh. He's getting old.

Keep him warm,
that's about all you can do.

(tapping)

Come on, Trudi, hurry.

Come on.

(boots squeak)

Song books?

Flashlight?

What's this?

Supplies.

Wake up, boy.

Come on.

OK, now, remember -
an elf's arm and a bull's-eye.

All you guys got to do is give Billy
enough time to find them. Ready?

(all) Ready.

Just remember -
Santa will be watching.

Christmas patrol, move it out.

Oh... John.

Spider's dead.

He's dead.

You lied to me.
You lied.

Oh, John, I never meant that.

Spider was old, Billy.

Billy...

Billy!

Will you listen to me
if I tell you a story?

Once there was this little boy.

He was kinda like you.

Kinda like John.

And his dad got real sick.

He even promised if his dad got
better, he would always be good.

Sometimes his dad
wouldn't treat him so good,

but the boy loved him
just the same.

Did he ever get better?

No.

The boy felt betrayed.

He felt like
he had lost everything.

He got mad
at everybody around him.

Then one night,

someone special told him
about the Christmas star.

He said, "Up there
is a very special star

"which not everybody can see.

"And one night, after you've done
something special for people,

"with no hope for a reward,

"you'll go outside
and look up at the sky,

"and you'll see that one star shining
brighter than all the others.

"And that will
fill you with hope.

"And that...
that'll be your star,

"your Christmas star,

finally come alive,
watching over you."

Did he ever see it?

No.

Not yet.

But... then maybe he hasn't been
looking in the right places.

(door opens)

(Trudi) Billy, come on.

We won't let you down, Santa.

Billy...

Yeah?

Nothing. Be careful.

Come on, let's go.

John?

What are you kids doing? Huh?

♪ Joy to the world

♪ The Lord has come ♪
OK.

♪ Let earth receive her king ♪

♪ Let every heart
prepare him room ♪

♪ And heaven and nature sing,
and heaven and nature sing ♪

♪ And heaven and nature sing ♪

Get in.

♪ Joy to the world,
the savior reigns ♪

♪ Let men their songs employ... ♪

Where are we going?

Shh! Be quiet.

I'm scared.

Southern Railroad?

This is d*ck Jenkins over at
the Track Workers' Local.

Say, what time is that southbounder going
through the westside freight yard?

I got a crew over there
working on the signal.

9:09.

Right. I'll let 'em know.

Thank you very much.

What time you got?

Gee. Quarter to already.

We'd better hurry. They're
pulling up the gates early.

Oh, just keep your eye on the clock, or
we'll be spending Christmas in here.

Ah, that will be the day.

(♪ "Silent Night" ♪)

(chatter and laughter)

I know it's Christmas Eve.

Look, he's probably
on his way home to his family.

I know you should be.
I should be, too.

I got to get ahold of him.

Yeah. OK. Merry Christmas.

Aah!

Come on. We haven't
got much time.

Go get a clock, OK?
A real one, not a play one.

Be careful.

Tug the elf's arm.

Where's the bull's-eye?

(grunting)

They almost found me, but they
didn't, and I found a clock.

So what time is it?
Oh.

Hurry up.

♪ Sleep in heavenly peace... ♪

♪ Sleep in heavenly peace ♪

Hey, sweetheart, I'm home.

(phone rings)
Daddy.

Presents.

Hold your horses.
Wait till Christmas.
Where's your mom?

Mom!

It's for you.

Yeah?

What? The boy with the dog?

I'll be right there.

I'm glad Santa's not a cop.

The big hand's at the ten, and
the little hand's at the eight.

The elf's arm
and the bull's-eye.

Bull's-eye?

Maybe it was the wrong rhyme.

The little hand's at the 8, and the
big hand's one mark away from the 12.

Bull's-eye?

(mechanical sound)

Bull's-eye! Trudi,
grab the elf's arm and pull.

Oh!

♪ Jingle all the way... ♪
OK, that's it.

Now, that's enough.

(protesting)

Listen, I got a job to do,
so come on. Get out of my way.

Have a Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas yourself.

Don't you kids
have anyplace to go?

(all) No.

Well, you should have.
What about your homes?

Look at the time here.
Listen, it's time you guys were all in bed.

So - do you hear me?
Skedaddle.

You hear it? Beat it.

(children) Merry Christmas!

(sirens wail)

Police. Did you see a bunch of
kids singing Christmas carols?

Yeah, sure.
They just left.

Just left? Come on.

They got the money.

Send a car to the neighborhood
and put out an APB.

He's out there right now,
waitin' for 'em. Come on.

(clock striking)

We did it.

Go ahead.

Excuse me, Santa.
Can I change my present, please?

Yeah, sure.

I don't want
the angel ponies anymore.

I just want it to be
a white Christmas for my dad.

White... Christmas.

Right.

Thanks, you guys.

Billy.

What's the matter?

I'm gonna miss you.

I'm gonna miss you, too, kid.

You guys better be good,
you hear?

'Cause I'll find out.

Merry Christmas.

Let's go.

I'll be there in a minute.

Santa!

♪ She'll be comin' round
the mountain when she comes ♪

♪ She'll be coming round
the mountain when she comes ♪

(whistles)

Lucky, you devil.

The last laugh is mine.

(train approaches)

♪ She'll be coming round the mountain ♪

♪ She'll be coming round the mountain ♪

(horn blares)

(wind howling)

Lucky.

Hello, Horace.

You came back for the money.

(Lucky cackles)

No, Horace.

I spent my whole lifetime
for the money.

I cared for nothing else,
no one else,

and no one cared for me.

I must be dreaming.

I was forgotten as quickly
as the last penny I spent.

What do you want?

Not your money, Horace.

You.

(evil laughter)

(screams)

(John sobs)

(child sobbing)

(cackles)

You beware, McNickle.

A man with no Christmas spirit
will die alone and forgotten.

(evil laughter)

(laughs)

McNickle, you snake,
the last laugh is mine.

Heh-heh-heh-heh.

What do you want from me?

Take my hand, partner.

I'll change. I swear it.
Just get me out of here.

It's too late, Horace.
(laughs)

I don't want to end up
alone and forgotten.

(Horace's voice)
Where'd you hear that one,
old man? Your mommy?

(laughs)

I'm not gonna end up
like you, Lucky.

You already have, Horace.

(thunder)

I saved a seat for you.

No.

(evil laughter)

(cackling trails off)

(thunder rumbles)

Billy.

Why are you up so late?

You OK?

Sure, Dad.

Never seen a clearer night.

Don't you think you'd
better go back to bed?

Santa might never come.

He'll come.

(♪ "The Star-Spangled Banner" ♪)

(snoring)

(door creaks)

(McNickle) I hear you've
been bad-mouthing me.

I... I...

Toughen up, Sumner.

What kind of sissy
are you, anyways?

Who are you?

Who do you think?

This isn't possible.

Look at me when I talk to you.
You hear me?

Answer me.

Yes.

Yes what?

Yes... Santa.

We're gonna sit down and have
ourselves a little talk.

You've been a very bad boy.

Psst!

I knew you'd come.

Listen to me.

You got to understand.
I'm not who you think I am.

What?

But you can't
stop believing in things.

You hear me?
Never do that. Never!

I'm trying to tell you,
I'm not...

(sirens wail)

He forgot his list.

Santa!

Billy!

Get back.

Get back.

(Stewart) Billy!
(Clara) Billy!

You traitor!

(♪ "We Three Kings of Orient Are" ♪)

Hello, McNickle.

Santa!

Believe me, kid, this is
the last guy to be Santa.

Push over.

I believe in you, Santa.

Billy, let's go.

Please.

Good con, McNickle.

You almost got away with it.

Almost.

Santa!

Thank you.

Merry Christmas, Waters.

(dog yelps)

(whines)

Daddy, look what
I got you for Christmas.

Look what I got you
for Christmas!

What?
Look what I got you for Christmas.

What...
Look what I got you for Christmas!

OK, all right.
What is it?

Look what I got you
for Christmas.

Jumping Jiminy Cricket.

Merry Christmas!
Now what?

Merry Christmas.

(laughs)

Merry Christmas!

♪ Don we now our g*y apparel ♪

♪ Fa la la la la la la... ♪

What on earth
is going on out here?

♪ 'Tis the season to be jolly, fa la... ♪

Good morning, Mrs. Thurgood.
Merry Christmas.

Come along, come along.

♪ Don we now our g*y apparel ♪

♪ Fa la la la la, la la la la ♪

(knocking) Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas.

♪ Deck the halls... ♪
Mr. Sumner? Look...

(woman) Merry Christmas, Stewart.
Merry Chri...

(Sumner) ♪ Fa la la la la, la la la la... ♪

Mr. Sumner,
what's going on here?

Merry Christmas, Jameson.

Mr. and Mrs. Jerome.

Mrs. Thurgood.

Merry Christmas,
Merry Chris... (laughs)

Well? Open it, open it.

Stewart, what is it?

It's ours?
Yeah.

It's ours.

(Sumner) ♪ Merry Christmas,
Merry Christmas ♪

♪ Merry Christmas... ♪

It's ours.
It's all ours.

Merry Christmas,
you lovely woman, you.

It's paid for in cash
in all your names, in cash.

But who?

Santa Claus.

(laughs)

(man) Merry Christmas.

♪ Hark, the herald angels sing ♪

♪ Glory to the newborn King ♪

♪ Peace on earth and mercy mild ♪

♪ God and sinners reconciled ♪

♪ Joyful, all ye nations rise ♪

♪ Join the triumph of the skies ♪

♪ With angelic hosts proclaim ♪

♪ Christ is born in Bethlehem... ♪

Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas, many more.

Merry Christmas, old man.

Get ahold of yourself, McNickle.

Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas!

(♪ "O Come, All Ye Faithful" ♪)

♪ O come ye, O come ye ♪

♪ To Bethlehem ♪

♪ Come and behold him ♪

♪ Born the king of angels ♪

♪ O come, let us adore him ♪

♪ O come, let us adore him ♪

♪ O come, let us adore him,
Christ the Lord ♪

(♪ "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" ♪)

Merry Christmas, Daddy.

♪ Glory to the newborn King ♪

♪ Joyful and triumphant ♪

♪ God and sinners reconciled ♪

♪ ...to Bethlehem ♪

♪ Join the triumph of the skies ♪

♪ Born the king of angels ♪

♪ O come, let us adore him... ♪

What do you want?
Look what Santa brought us.

♪ ...adore him ♪

♪ O come, let us adore him ♪

♪ Joyful, all ye nations rise ♪

♪ Join the triumph of the skies ♪

♪ Light and life to all ♪ ♪ he brings... ♪

Merry Christmas, son.

Merry Christmas.

♪ ...angels sing ♪

♪ Glory to the newborn King ♪

(prisoners) ♪ Hark, the herald angels sing ♪

♪ Glory to the newborn king ♪

♪ Peace on earth and mercy mild ♪

♪ God and sinners reconciled ♪

♪ Joyful, all ye nations rise ♪

♪ Join the triumph of the skies ♪

♪ Hark, the herald angels sing ♪

♪ Glory to the newborn King ♪

(chorus) ♪ Come and behold him ♪

♪ Born the king of angels ♪

♪ O come, let us adore him ♪

♪ O come, let us adore him ♪

♪ O come, let us adore him ♪

♪ Christ the Lord! ♪

(♪ "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" ♪)