The Santa Clause (1994)
Tim Allen kills Santa (accidentally) and legally becomes him.
Divorced dad Scott Calvin startles Santa off his roof on Christmas Eve, and a tiny card — the Santa Clause — makes the job, the belly, and the beard his. His son Charlie's joy versus the adult world's disbelief is the engine, and it runs for two sequels. The definitive '90s Santa movie.
Tim Allen was the biggest sitcom star in America when he made this, his first leading film role, and the movie's engine is a pun: put on the suit, accept the Clause. Watching Scott Calvin slowly, unwillingly transform — the beard that grows back overnight, the reindeer who simply know — gives the film a body-comedy warmth under the fantasy. It launched two sequels and, decades later, a Disney+ series with Allen still in the suit, which tells you how completely this reluctant Santa became a fixture of the season.
From the Film
The Facts
- Year
- 1994
- Director
- John Pasquin
- Runtime
- 97 minutes
- Genres
- Fantasy, Comedy, Family
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Tim Allen | Scott Calvin / Santa Claus |
| Judge Reinhold | Dr. Neal Miller |
| Wendy Crewson | Laura Miller |
| Eric Lloyd | Charlie Calvin |
| David Krumholtz | Bernard, the Arch-Elf |
| Peter Boyle | Mr. Whittle |
Good to know: The first film in The Santa Clause franchise, grossing $190.3 million worldwide against a $22 million budget.
Where to watch The Santa Clause
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