Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas 1999

[7.6/10] Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas is a collection of simple, familiar yuletide stories, but each of them is done well. What an older viewer may see as old hat is perfectly calibrated to younger viewers less familiar with the tropes the film deploys. And, more to the point, there's a heartening message at the center of each segment, each fit ot the holiday season and warm enough to please all ages who cue this one up in December.

The best of the three stories in this anthology piece is the middle one, which features Goofy and his son, Max, trying to prove the existence of Santa Claus. A lot of this story is silly. It takes time to put together ample slapstick scenes for Goofy’s general tomfoolery to take hold, with the guy slipping and falling and crashing and splatting as usual. At the same time, there’s some broad humor with Pete as their irascible neighbor (a la Goof Troop), and gags like our heroes mistaking one of Beagle Boys burgling Pete for Santa Claus.

But there’s a surprising amount of truth and heart to this one. Goofy is at his best here, someone who’s undeniably dopey, but has such a kind, giving heart that you can’t help but love the guy. His kindness to family friends who've fallen on hard times, and the lengths he goes to try to reignite his son’s belief in Santa, are endearing as all hell. Better yet is the skeptical Max seeing how his father’s Xmas spirit becomes broken in the attempt, only for Max himself to take up his dad’s mantle, trying to spur Goofy’s belief in Old Saint Nick and eventually finding his own spirit of putting another person’s happiness first. Max recognizing the good his dad does, and trying to emulate it rather than look askance upon it, is wonderful. It’s a lovely father and son story, a small but potent growing up story, and a great holiday story.

The next best segment is the first one, starring Donald and his nephews, and the rest of the Ducktales crew. This is basically just Baby’s First Groundhog Day, but it hits its targets. Huey, Dewey, and Louie wish it were Xmas everyday, and sure enough, their wish comes true. The segment doesn’t do much to differentiate one day from another, which makes the tale a bit tedious at times.

But eventually, it finds its footing, as the boys learn to stop pampering themselves amid the doldrums of reliving the same day over and over again, and instead try to make it the best Xmas for everyone else. True to the Phil Connors-inspired source material, it’s that selflessness which breaks them out of the loop and helps them learn the true spirit of the season. The story doesn’t have the complexity or impact of the Bill Murray film, but it’s a nice beginner version of the same idea for the younger set, with a lovely message to boot.

The last segment, which follows a similar tack, is the weakest. It sees Mickey and Minnie starring in a Gift of the Magi-like tale. It too will seem obvious and a little tired to older viewers, but makes for a solid starting point for younger ones who will, presumably, be less versed in O. Henry. The catch is that this story doesn’t do much with the premise. There’s something mildly interesting about positing Mickey and Minnie as working class shlubs living on love, pressed under the bootheel of their callous and/or outright terrible bosses. But otherwise, this is a paint-by-numbers version of the classic story, without much to recommend it beyond a few cute gags and musical interludes here and there.

That said, the whole movie is well-animated, with the characters bounding around and seeming appropriately expressive for their cartoon worlds. The colors and backgrounds are inviting, creating a setting of snowy wonderland across each story, with light and shadow adding a richness to the frame. For an (I think?) DTV release especially, the art and animation is surprisingly robust and enjoyable.

That just leaves the wraparound segments, which are solid. Kelsey Grammer lends his mellifluous baritone the narration, and has a delivery which sells the warmth of each tale. The various Disney characters all coming together to sing an Xmas medley at the end feels like filler, but it’s a solid enough note to go out on.

Overall, Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas surprised me. I was expecting some cheap, if enjoyable holiday fun. But there’s depth and care to this one, despite the simplicity and accessibility of its stories. For one of the rare outings for Mickey and company in the late 1990s/early 2000s, the film’s creative team does justice to the artistry and joy generations of fans see in these characters.