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| Buttons: A Christmas Tale - 2018 |
Our next film is not one that is very well known. In fact, it had a very limited theatrical release before it began to be shown on various streaming services. 2018's "Buttons: A Christmas Tale" tells the story of two young orphaned girls who are desperate and long for a family. Will they get their Christmas wish and become part of a family they need?
The film's cast includes Alivia Clark, Abigail Spencer, Noelle E. Parker, Paul Greene, Dick Van Dyke, Angela Lansbury, Katie McGrath, Ioan Gruffudd, Julie Burrows, Reilly Anspaugh, Roma Downey, Jane Seymour, Charles Shaughnessy, Kate Winslet, and Robert Redford.
On a snowy day at Christmastime, a mysterious man leaves a letter on a front doorstep and then vanishes into thin air.
The couple who receive the letter read it and learn that there is a child in need of adoption at a local hospital. The letter is signed only "Rose". The husband and wife are thrilled and embrace each other.
A young orphan girl named Emily is brought to a local hospital and is feverish. The nuns keep her comfortable and try and nurse her to health.
An elderly woman named Rose comes to visit Emily and serves her hot chocolate. Rose also reads the girl a story, and Emily listens attentively. (I mean, who wouldn't listen attentively while Angela Lansbury is reading you a story? Am I right?)
Rose tells the story of a baby named Annabelle, who is dying of scarlet fever. Her father says a prayer, and an angel comes when the hour seems darkest.
Little Annabelle makes a miraculous recovery to the relief and delight of her parents.
As Annabelle grows, her guardian angel keeps an eye on her. His particular talent seems to be bringing Annabelle out of any sadness that she may have. There's a smile on her face whenever they're together, especially when they sing and dance. (And who wouldn't smile non-stop if you were dancing and singing with Dick Van Dyke? Am I right?)
Disturbing the happy peace of Annabelle's family life is the absence of her father, who is a sea captain and is away for long periods of time. On this particular day, he tells Annabelle to take care of her mother while he's gone.
And when she's at her saddest point, Annabelle's guardian angel is right there to lift her spirits once again with a song.
This time, however, Annabelle's father does not come home, his ship being lost at sea. Annabelle and her mother must leave their home as they can no longer afford it. With the closing of the door, Annabelle's belief in angels and fairy tales is shattered.
Annabelle's mother's rich stepsister, Katherine Wentworth, offers a position in her husband's cotton mill. She is a horrible woman who wants nothing to do with a poor relation. "Charity is the breeding ground for beggars. Why the wealthy must be held responsible for the
misfortunes of the poor, I’ll never understand," she says with disdain in her voice.
The long hours and dirty conditions of the mill undermine Annabelle's mother's health severely. Eventually, she dies.
Annabelle is forced to take her mother's place and work at the mill. She's also placed in a boarding house for the girls who work at the mill. Her job at the mill is sewing buttons on clothes.
The other mill girls are bullies and start calling her "Buttons". Annabelle keeps her head down and her nose in her work in spite of her tormentors.
Eventually, Annabelle decides to run away from the mill, taking with her only a small glass dog which her mother gave to her before she died.
When Annabelle's aunt is informed that she's run away, she is furious. Katherine Wentworth says she will not be embarrassed by the girl. She's particularly anxious that a certain wealthy family named the Brownings not find out anything about Annabelle.
Time passes and Christmas Eve arrives. Annabelle is now living on the streets, struggling to keep warm in the bitter cold.
She even meets her guardian angel, who is also on the streets, but she no longer recognizes him. Still, she has kindness in her heart, and she gives him her scarf as well as a bite of food to eat. Annabelle tells the old man that she's headed for the church to get warm.
When Aunt Katherine hears that Annabelle has been sighted, she orders a mill worker to chase the girl until she is caught. She knows that Annabelle will need a place to get warm and will likely head to the church, which she is most anxious the girl avoid because the Brownings will be attending service there.
The Brownings are a wealthy family who are in the depths of grief this Christmas. It is the first holiday season without their beloved youngest daughter, who passed away from scarlet fever. As Rose explains to Emily as she reads her story, "No matter what one thinks, sadness and grief can
come to all no matter their position in life. Both the rich and the poor share equally...at least in this."
Putting on a brave face, the Brownings head to church with their surviving daughter Elizabeth.
In the middle of the service, a sharp knock on the door draws the attention of Elizabeth Browning, who sees a wet and freezing Annabelle lying on the front steps. Mr. and Mrs. Browning come outside and try to revive the girl. After they do, the Brownings decide to adopt her. In fact, they adopt all the girls who worked at the mill alongside Annabelle, giving their stories a happy ending.
After Rose finishes her story, Emily asks if she has a guardian angel. "You most certainly do!" says Rose emphatically with a smile. Emily also tells Rose that her wish is to be adopted by Christmas. The young girl drifts off to sleep.
When she awakes in the morning, Emily realizes that Rose and the story were just a dream. She's extremely disappointed to say the least. However, a young couple (the ones from the beginning of our story) arrive and inquire if Emily would like to spend Christmas with them.
Watched by their guardian angels, Emily and the young woman (now revealed as Annabelle) embrace. "They'll have a wonderful life together," says Rose to her fellow angel.
Cast rundown:
Alivia Clark......................................Annabelle Kingsley
Abigail Spencer................................Annabelle Hill
Noelle E. Parker................................Emily
Paul Greene.....................................Mr. Hill
Dick Van Dyke..................................The Angel
Angela Lansbury...............................Rose
Katie McGrath..................................Katherine Wentworth
Ioan Gruffudd..................................William Kingsley
Julie Burrows...................................Sarah Kingsley
Reilly Anspaugh................................Sister Mary
Roma Downey..................................Mother Genevieve
Jane Seymour..................................Mrs. Browning
Charles Shaughnessy........................Mr. Browning
Kate Winslet....................................Narrator
Robert Redford................................Narrator
And that's all for Buttons: A Christmas Tale. Though this movie/musical is called "Buttons" there are no actual buttons shown in the film. Part of the proceeds from this movie were donated to Kate Winslet's charity The Golden Hat Foundation, which focuses on autism awareness.
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