Plot In A Paragraph: In the heart of the English countryside lies the village of Gladbury. Legend has it every 25 years an angel visits the village candlemaker and touches a single candle. Whoever lights this candle receives a miracle on Christmas Eve. But in 1890, at the dawn of the electric age, this centuries old legend may come to an end. When David Richmond (Hans Matheson), a young minister, arrives in Gladbury, the villagers discover a new formula for miracles: good deeds and acts of kindness. While David's quest to modernize Gladbury sets him at odds with the old world candlemaker (Sylvester McCoy) he finds an unlikely ally in the lovely skeptic, Emily Barstow (Samantha Barks). Now, the fiery candlemaker must fight to preserve the legacy of the Christmas Candle.
Not sure why I've read so much hate about this movie, it has some good performances especially Barks, McCoy and John Hannah. Susan Boyle is here too, and she performs admirably. It's far from perfect but it was a pleasant way to spend a cold winters afternoon.
I have loved Samantha Barks since I first seen her in "Les Miserables" I think she is both gorgeous and talented, and will continue to look out for her work.
The Christmas Candle
2013
Action / Drama / Family
The Christmas Candle
2013
Action / Drama / Family
Plot summary
Deep in the heart of the English countryside lies the enchanting village of Gladbury. Legend has it every 25 years an angel visits the village candlemaker and touches a single candle. Whoever lights this candle receives a miracle on Christmas Eve. But in 1890, at the dawn of the electric age, this centuries old legend may come to an end.
Uploaded by: OTTO
October 31, 2014 at 09:31 PM
Director
Top cast
Tech specs
720p.BLU 1080p.BLUMovie Reviews
Not Sure About The Hate
Loved this Christmas Movie
This is a movie filled with hope, faith and kindness. It is a faith builder, feel good movie. It has great acting and interesting characters with a beautiful story line. I loved it and would watch it again. A great Christmas movie for the family.
The candle of life
Other than my lifelong love of Christmas, my main reasons for wanting to see 'The Christmas Candle' were that the messages appealed to me, they are nice messages and still important and relevant in this day and age, and because of the cast, which is a talented one. Lesley Manville especially and Samantha Barks is an immensely talented performer in acting and singing. Despite liking Susan Boyle's voice and liking what she stands for, there were doubts as to her acting ability.
While not exactly loving 'The Christmas Candle', so much is done right here and do agree (if not as vehemently, and in a way as disrespectfully, as with others) that it does not deserve some of the over-the-top criticism it has garnered. Can understand some of the flaws (as they are there), but then there have been some that can easily pass as straight out weird and nit-picky. Is it perfect? No, not to me. But a big part of me really couldn't help appreciate the film and what it had to say and its good intentions are present throughout. As said, its good things are a lot and the best of those good things are done extremely well indeed.
Shall start with the drawbacks. There are parts that are a bit contrived and others that are too sentimental, with the conclusion being one of the prime examples of the latter (too sappy for my taste). Would have liked some of the messaging delivered with more subtlety in the script at times.
Although Boyle does sing angelically, her acting inexperience does show. Compared to the more seasoned actors, she seemed a little stiff but does still do her best.
However, 'The Christmas Candle' is incredibly well made. The scenery is exquisite and the time and place is remarkably authentically evoked in the production and costume designs. The photography enhances all this beautifully and atmospherically. The quaintness and charm of the setting translates very well here while not making too picture perfect. Also a beauty is the music score, it brings a lump to the throat and often haunting without being too syrupy or over-emphasising the mood.
Despite the script not being perfect, it is well-meaning and doesn't sound like it doesn't have any substance to it. It flows quite well too and doesn't come over as stilted. Again the story has imperfections, but it didn't come over as dull to me, it was coherently structured and it was moving. The messaging didn't come over as vague and, while subtlety would have been more welcome perhaps, it is hardly out of date and important in society today in a way if one is not too cynical. The characters engage and one admires and relates to their trials and tribulations and how they go about them. Barks and Hans Mattheson are charming and sincere leads and Manville, Sylvester McCoy and John Hannah are distinguished support, McCoy's more understated than usual performance stands out.
Concluding, very worthwhile and, while with its drawbacks, deserving of more credit. 7/10