Cricket on the Hearth (1967)

I'll tell you why so serious

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.

BEWARE OF FALSE REVIEWS & REVIEWERS. SOME REVIEWERS HAVE ONLY ONE REVIEW TO THEIR NAME. NOW WHEN ITS A POSITIVE REVIEW THAT TELLS ME THEY WERE INVOLVED WITH THE MOVIE. IF ITS A NEGATIVE REVIEW THEN THEY MIGHT HAVE A GRUDGE AGAINST THE FILM . NOW I HAVE REVIEWED OVER 300 HOLIDAY FILMS. I HAVE NO AGENDA.Cricket on the Hearth is a Christmas special produced by Rankin/Bass, and based on the story of the same title by Charles Dickens..A talking cricket helps an impoverished toy maker and his daughter, who has been blinded after hearing her beloved is lost at sea. It is book-ended by live-action segments hosted by Danny Thomas.Not a bad special but this 1967 Television special has too many songs and none of them are very good. What does work is Television Icons Marlo Thomas and Danny Thomas bring life into an otherwise lifeless script.

This movie is horrific and just poorly made.Don't let your children watch this. Don't. It's boring, disturbing, long, and hardly about Christmas. I can't believe people are giving this more than 2 stars, it honestly does not deserve that much!All the songs are boring ballads and completely unnecessary (so hard to sit through), there is a murder of animals (say whaaaat?!), and it is just plain depressing (a girl goes blind because her love is lost at sea, a creepy, fat, old man wants to marry her against her father's will, and many, many more disturbing, depressing moments). Don't let your kids watch this unless you want to ruin your Christmas mood, because it really will. However, this movie is so bad that my sister and I make it a tradition to watch it, but in fast mode. It makes all the songs sound like tango songs and it makes it a little easier to sit through and we just make fun of it. Honestly, I don't even know how we sat through it once at normal speed! Please stay away from this film unless you want to make fun of it for how un-child friendly it is. When you see the name "Cricket on the Hearth" on a box set, logically consider why you have never seen or heard of this special before.After all, what kid doesn't love to listen to 30 irrelevant ballads and see their furry friends get shot on a boat by some creepy guy?! That just screams Merry Christmas to me!

Just watched this gem for the first time and understand why it's not aired every year with the likes of Rudolph, Frosty and Santa Claus is Coming to Town. Very depressing and a bit disturbing too. This good luck cricket seems to have brought nothing but ill will to the father/daughter it finds. Sudden blindness. Banruptcy. Kidnapping and cold murder. Dirty old man with warts and no teeth. Not the things I really want to share with my kids. Ever. I suppose its OK because both Jesus and the Pope due make an appearance. However, my husband and I were laughing so hard by the end due to it's utter ridiculousness that I think it will be a holiday tradition in our household for years to come. From now on our motto is: cricket on the hearth, take that horseshoe off the door, with a cricket on the hearth, you can leave that lucky penny sitting on the floor. Deep.

The next time you see a cricket chirping around your house, LEAVE HIM BE! It is well known that cricket's bring good luck. And if you are lucky enough to have a cricket on your hearth, so much the better. In fact, if you are lucky enough to have seen "The Cricket on the Hearth" you're luckier than most.This cell-animated special was released by Rankin/Bass right after their first big hit "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and, I think anyway, it's almost as good. It's a great shame that it's so hard to come by. Look for it on ABCFamily's "25 Days of Christmas."Based on the Charles Dickens story (no, not THAT Dickens story) Roddy MacDowall plays the Cricket, who decides to grace the home of Caleb and his daughter, blinded after suffering tremendous grief. The highlight of this special is the wonderful vocal performance of Danny Thomas (joined by real life daughter, Marlo) and the wonderful song he sings.I like this special, and if you aren't convinced, this entry didn't even EXIST on the database until I suggested it a few weeks ago. Merry Christmas one and all and may you be as lucky as a Cricket on the Hearth.