The Story Lady (The Christmas Story Lady) (1991)

The Story Lady (also known as The Christmas Story Lady) is a made-for-TV movie fit for fans of The Waltons though slightly modernized: It has no objectionable language or behavior (children are respectful of authority and soldier on with a patent shrug through life's challenges) though one woman is a marketing executive who briefly colludes with the smarmy salesmanship of her colleagues before she accedes to the virtues of compassion and kindness. In our story, the elderly Grace McQueen (Jessica Tandy) moves in with her daughter Meg (Tandy Cronyn) and son-in-law, who pick at her first home-cooked meal as if it were cellulite casserole. Since they both work, Grace looks for a place to work or volunteer but no one will have her. She stumbles on an opportunity use public-access TV to express one of her greatest gifts -- reading storybooks to children -- before a marketing firm connives to commercialize her show and control her contractually. How Grace deals with the situation is a story of plucky resourcefulness, common sense, and humanity. The genuine warmth found in parts of this movie more than compensates for its few maudlin or overly sentimental moments. Here is a family story and a Christmas story that was nominated for an Oscar. Enjoy! 3 stars.