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The Santa Clause (1994) is a Christmas film released by Walt Disney Pictures, starring Tim Allen as a father who finds himself literally wearing the mantle of Santa Claus after the merry elf's tragic death. In cosmic contractual terms, "if you put on the suit, you're the big guy" (hence the film's title).
Tagline: This Christmas, the snow hits the fan.
Plot
Middle-aged father, Scott Calvin, turns into Santa Claus. Calvin must get his life in order before taking over the helm of the famous Yuletide elf.
Detailed Synposis
Scott Calvin (Allen) is an undependable divorced father with a poor reputation of spending quality time with his son, Charlie (Eric Lloyd). On Christmas Eve, when Charlie is spending the night at his father's house, they are awoken by a noise on the roof. Going outside to investigate, Scott Calvin can see someone on the roof. He yells at the trespasser, startling him, and he falls off the roof to the snowy ground below, apparently dying from the twenty-foot fall.
Investigating, Scott and Charlie find the trespasser is dressed as Santa Claus. In moments, the man disappears, but his suit remains behind. Climbing a ladder, the pair inspect the roof and find a sleigh and eight reindeer perched atop. The pair get into the sleigh and the reindeer soon liftoff with them aboard. Scott puts on the Santa suit to appease his son's pleading and begins delivering toys as the deer go from rooftop to rooftop.
The last stop is a seemingly deserted spot in an icy landscape (the North Pole). There Scott is informed (indirectly) that he is the new Santa Claus. The head elf, Bernard (David Krumholtz), shows him a microscopic inscription on the card found in the suit that says whoever dons the suit, upon the death of the previous occupant, agrees to become Santa Claus (this is, in fact, the "Santa Clause"). He is informed he has 11 months to get his affairs in order before assuming the role of Claus fulltime. He and Charlie spend the night at the incredible factory.
Scott and Charlie awake in Scott's home, the only indication of their previous night's adventure being Scott's new silk pajamas with and "SC" monogram. Scott dismisses the whole adventure as a strange dream and goes on with his life.
Eventually, however, Scott starts to notice changes. He starts gaining weight without any effort on his part. He starts craving sweets, and just sweets. Eventually, he grows a long gray beard. Shaving it off has no effect—it regrows immediately. Passing strangers on the street, he knows who's been "naughty" and "nice".
Eventually he comes to grip with the fact that he is Santa Claus and must make amends with his ex-wife, Charlie's mother, Laura (Wendy Crewson). All along, he and her new husband, Neil (Judge Reinhold), have been telling Charlie that Santa Claus is fictional and doesn't exist.
Eventually Scott is arrested while delivering presents to his sons home for allegedly kidnapping Charlie (Charlie was actually helping Scott and the elves upgrade his Santa operation). While incarcerated on Christmas Eve, he is freed by a team of rescue Elves ("ELFS"—"Effective Liberating Flying Squad"). Charlie is returned home to his mother and step-father. Scott, now Santa Claus, flies around the world to deliver presents. Charlie joins him for part of the trip.
Sequels
In the 2002 sequel, The Santa Clause 2, some of the original cast reprised their roles. A second Sequel The Santa Clause 3 will be released 2006.
External links
1994 films | Christmas films | Disney films | American films
"The Santa Clause"