'Toon Reviews 10: Rankin/Bass Christmas Specials Part 5: Santa Claus is Comin' to Town

Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town

Told and Sung by Fred Astaire

Original Airdate: December 14, 1970

Airs annually on Freeform’s 25 Days of Christmas

Widely Available on DVD and Blu-ray

One of the most popular Christmas figures is Santa Claus, the jolly old man in a red suit who delivers presents.  True, you learn that he’s just a myth when you grow up, but the very idea of Santa is so engaging that you can’t help but wonder about the reasons for what he does and what he's like.  This classic Rankin/Bass special sets out to answer every Santa question, even the small ones, resulting in a thoroughly entertaining and all-around amazing origin story. 

There's an interesting framing device of a mailman (voiced by Fred Astaire) answering questions in letters he’s delivering to the voices of children. Out of this, the story comes up with ingenious ways to weave in every Santa Claus element.  In fact, one of the first things about Santa we learn is how he got his alternate name, Kris Kringle, when he’s raised by a family of Kringle elves.  In addition to his red suit, and famous “Ho, Ho, Ho,” his upbringing from the Kringles is what gives him the ambition to make toys for children everywhere.  That's actually a believable way for most people to decide on their goals in life.  As a man, Kris grows big enough to bring the toys out into the world, which the other Kringle elves are too small to do, especially with the wrath of Winter Warlock to deal with.  From there, the special is all about Kris’s escapades of trying to deliver toys to the adjacent Sombertown.  The ruler, Burgermeister Meisterburger, has banned toys due to an accident he had with one, rendering everyone miserable.  As someone who understands the need for leisure when life gets too busy, I find the lengths Kris goes to just to give the children of Sombertown toys worth getting behind.  It's meaningful that he allows himself to be labeled an outlaw over this.  Plus, his attempts greatly demonstrate his virtues of bringing joy to others when his thoughtful gifts grant him the friendship of many.  People include his future wife Jessica, and even Winter Warlock who offers the way Santa can check on kids to see if they’re naughty or nice.  Through Kris’s continuous deliveries, more Santa Claus customs evolve as Burgermeister Meisterburger tries to stop him.  The outlawing of Kris Kringle is the reason he works at night. A law to lock the doors and windows lead to why he uses chimneys to get into houses. His practice of putting toys in stockings comes from a clever way to hide them from the Burgermeister.  Not only do these well-known customs cleverly blend with the narrative, but they also make for some of the special’s funniest parts.  Most of them come from the Burgermeister’s over-the-top reaction over toys.  However, they don’t just provide laughs.  There’s also a good deal of emotion from some answers to many Santa questions.  At one point, Winter Warlock’s magic disappears due to Kris turning him good, and you can easily feel how broken up he is about it.  When what remains of his magic is put to good use by bringing about Santa’s flying reindeer who rescue him, Kris, and the Kringles from jail, it’s great relief.  Other emotional moments include Kris learning his birth name, Claus, which he uses to keep safe from the law, his wedding to Jessica featuring the first Christmas trees, and his decision to deliver toys one night a year, Christmas Eve, the perfect night for giving, when his growing fame leads to more orders.  We even get an the honest look at the presence of cynics despite Santa no longer being an outlaw nowadays.  Out of it there's a nice message from the mailman on how the world can be better if we learn to be generous like Santa. That's a perfect reflection of real life and a good fit for me since, at my age, I believe in what Santa stands much more than Santa himself.  It’s truly impressive how well this special answers more about Santa Claus than one might expect and still work in an engaging story with effective humor and heart.

The story of Santa’s origins is great, but two little aspects make this special stand out as a grand experience.  One is Mickey Rooney’s performance as Santa.  The famous movie actor approaches the role with the right amount of warmth and love for all he’s serving as well as energy through his determination to his mission.  Because of this, Mickey Rooney, to me, makes for the perfect Santa Claus, and it’s especially nice that he reprises the role in a few other Rankin/Bass specials.  Another aspect is that this special features the absolute best song score of any Rankin/Bass special.  True, the title song is great, and Fred Astaire’s cover is the best one of it, but each song exclusive to the special sells the tone and/or basic idea they convey. 

The best of the bunch is “Put One Foot in Front of the Other” which Kris sings to help Winter Warlock change from bad to good. It’s so catchy that you could get motivated to change for the good as well.  It’s certainly true for me since I’ve been in love with this song for most of my life.  The special is already impactful as it is, but with the perfect person for the role of Santa and some amazing songs, its appeal really goes the extra mile.

For seamlessly explaining so much about Santa Claus and offering memorable characters and songs, impactful moments, and one of the most genuine Christmas feelings, this is one of Rankin/Bass’ top-tier works, and a special that many should make part of their traditions.

Highly Recommended

The Ranking

1. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
2. Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town
3. Frosty the Snowman
4. The Little Drummer Boy
5. Cricket on the Hearth

Be sure to stay tuned for the review of the next special where after a special of Santa making it his goal to bring toys to everyone in the world, one non-believer convinces him to ignore an entire town in the adaptation of the classic Christmas poem, "'Twas the Night Before Christmas."

If you would like to check out other Rankin/Bass special reviews on this blog, click here for the guide made especially for them.