The Christmas Candle

Introduction

It is based on Max Lucado's novel The Christmas Candle. The film is an Impact and Big Book Media Production presented by Pinewood Pictures being distributed by Rick Santorum's film production company EchoLight Studios in the US and by Pinewood Pictures in the UK. It is Susan Boyle's debut on the big screen. Boyle also contributes an original song to the film, "Miracle Hymn".

Locations

It was shot in Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and in the Isle of Man. Locations included Stanway House, Tudor House in the Worcestershire village of Broadway, and the Wiltshire village of Biddestone, including the White Horse pub. Studio work was completed on the Isle of Man in the Mountain View Media Village studios in Lezayre.

Summary

In the fictional village of Gladbury, every twenty-five years an angel visits the candlemaker and bestows a miracle upon whomever lights the Christmas Candle. However, shortly after the arrival of a new pastor, David Richmond in 1890, the Christmas Candle goes missing.

Theology

The Christmas Candle makes use of the Bible and the main character, the pastor, quotes Jesus from the Gospels while focusing on the Advent season. The viewpoint of the movie is a mixture of Protestant and Roman Catholic theology, where the main character is struggling to find his lost faith.

Cast

Reception

The film received 18% positive reviews on the aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. The New York Daily News described it as a "Dickens-meets-Sunday-school movie", and that it was "as artless as the setup [was] muddled". The New York Post referred to it as a "throwback, made-for-TV-style film" with a "cheesy climax". The Arizona Republic judged it as "resolutely stiff and hollow".

Rare positive reviews included The Portsmouth News, which gave the film 4 stars writing "Boyle's performance is endearing and her stunning vocal talent continues to dazzle while the gentle chemistry between Matheson and Barks complements the piece without upstaging the film's central ideas." The Los Angeles Times wrote, "Hammy histrionics of a Hallmark movie are present, but its message of community and faith shines brighter." The Dove Foundation awarded 5 Doves as a "Family-Approved" film.

The film expanded from five to over 390 venues for its second week.