The Ford Television Theatre (TV Series) Heart of Gold (1952) User Reviews

I guess a heart of gold prevents water drips.

[mark.waltz · 7/10 · 25 December 2018]

Sentimental but sweet without being too saccharine, this TV anthology episode shows the Christmas dreams of two children (Tommy Rettig and Beverly Washburn) and their mother (veteran actress Anita Louise) coming true thanks to the miracle of a snowman (Edmund Gwenn) coming to life. He's a mother's dream, not melting in the house (until he gets too close to the furnace) showing her visions of a happier past when husband George Reeves wasn't such a grouch. Obsessed with keeping his children free of fantasy and holiday "nonsense", Reeves runs a strict house that has wife and children extremely unhappy. It's up to this sweet friend of Frosty's to fix everything up in the period of half an hour, minus commercials.

In a tribute to his oscar-winning role in the holiday classic "Miracle on 34th Street", the writers have Gwen's Snowman confessing to a friendship with Santa Claus as he provides the children with memories of a favorite puppy and a doll that burnt up. The theme of the episode is simple, that childhood fantasies and dreams should be accepted and expected, and that while parents thrive on reality and the harshness of life, nothing should take away a simple choice that come to children, especially around the holidays. The resolution is far too easily wrapped up, but that's just a minor infraction on an otherwise pleasing look down memory lane and a reminder of how simple and beautiful TV was when it was in its infancy.

A bit sappy, but still enjoyable.

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 1 August 2012]

I can see that the other reviewer really loved this one. As for me, it wasn't bad but it did seem a bit sappy as well as inconsistent when it comes to one of the characters.

The film begins back around the turn of the 20th century. A mother (Anita Louise) and her two kids are regaled by the grouchy father (George Reeves). He complains and complains about imagination and kids and just comes off like a complete jerk. Soon after he leaves, the kids can have fun and they go off to build a snowman in the snow. However, something odd happens when the little girl puts a heart locket in the snowman's chest--he comes to live and becomes a weird looking hybrid--part snowman and part Edmund Gwenn. He's a nice snowman and they invite him inside to see their mother. There's more to it than this and it ends with an impossible to believe transformation where Reeves inexplicably behaves nicely. Perhaps he was an opium addict--all I know is that this just didn't make much sense. However, it was cute seeing Gwenn--he can make anything charming and fun. Not brilliant but since it's in the public domain, it's worth a look.

Quaint and Charming! A Relic of a Film From a Simpler Time.

[redryan64 · 8/10 · 17 September 2006]

This is a half hour television film that has kept this writer scratching his head for years, wondering just what program was it a part of and was its title. We already knew one actor, George Reeves, as TV's Superman and the older man, Edmund Gwenn, from MIRACLE ON 34th STREET. Well, on this evening, September 17, 2006, the film was found in a 16mm copy for sale on Ebay. It provided the Title and partial cast info. Yes, He surely moves in mysterious ways! I remember seeing this as a half hour drama more than one year back in the 1950's. I was probably 7 or eight years old then. It had quite an impact, as I recall. Stated simply, it is a sort of latter fairy tale.

Synopsis: On a Christmas Eve in Turn of the Century (19th to 20th), a mother (Anita Louise) and father (George Reeves) disagree about having father to play Santa Claus for the family. The father is very stoic and believes it to be better to make the children grow up faster by not believing in such (in his view) foolishness. Father seems very stern and heartless, but was this always so?

When the son (Tommy Rettig) builds a snowman(Edmund Gwenn) and puts a golden heart locket in its chest (to give it a heart), it comes to life and reminds the wife that the husband was once young at heart as was she. They were romantic and not always so practical about life. In the end, Father proves he has the Christmas Spirit and masquerades as Old St.Nick for the family.

This is a sort of minor TV classic and would well to be made available for viewing.