A Christmas Kiss
A Christmas Kiss is a 2011 American television romance film directed by John Stimpson and starring Elisabeth Röhm, Laura Breckenridge, and Brendan Fehr.[1] Written by Joany Kane, the film is about an aspiring interior designer who has a chance encounter with a handsome stranger, with whom she shares an impulsive romantic kiss in an elevator. Later she discovers that he is the wealthy socialite boyfriend of her callous and dominating employer. While decorating and preparing his home for an upcoming holiday charity fundraiser, they get to know each other, and soon he must decide which woman holds the key to his future happiness. Filmed on location in Richmond, Virginia, A Christmas Kiss first aired on December 11, 2011 on the Ion Television network.[2]
A Christmas Kiss | |
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Promotional poster, bearing the slogan, "A romance about how one kiss can change everything ..." | |
Genre | Romantic comedy |
Written by | Joany Kane |
Directed by | John Stimpson |
Starring | |
Theme music composer |
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Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
Production | |
Producers |
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Cinematography | Brian Crane |
Editor | John Stimpson |
Running time | 96 minutes |
Production companies |
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Distributor | Ion Television |
Release | |
Original network | Ion Television |
Original release |
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Chronology | |
Followed by | A Christmas Kiss II |
Plot
Wendy Walton (Laura Breckenridge) is an aspiring interior designer working as an assistant to Priscilla Hall (Elisabeth Röhm), a prestigious but callous Boston designer. Wendy works around the clock, catering to Priscilla's every demand. Wendy's roommates are concerned that she needs to focus on her own life. One night she encounters a handsome stranger (Brendan Fehr) in an elevator and the two share an impulsive romantic kiss. After the elevator is repaired, Wendy runs off to tell her roommates about her magical encounter whose name she never learned.
The next day, Wendy is summoned to Priscilla's apartment to take care of more menial tasks. There, to her shock and surprise, she meets the handsome stranger, Adam Hughes, who turns out to be Priscilla's wealthy socialite boyfriend — and future husband if Priscilla has her way. To Wendy's disappointment, Adam does not recognize her without her glitter makeup. Adam requests that his home be decorated for an upcoming Christmas fundraiser. Later at his home, Adam shares memories of his grandmother who gave him a rare copy of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, and who left him with a love for tradition. Inspired by Adam's memories, Wendy prepares a design concept around traditional Christmas themes, including three live Christmas trees representing Christmas past, present, and future. When she shares her design sketches with Priscilla, she is ridiculed. When Adam arrives and is unimpressed with Priscilla's own plans, the scheming Priscilla shows him Wendy's sketches, claiming she prepared them herself as an alternate design. Adam loves the traditional designs and gives the go ahead. Wendy is stunned that Priscilla would take the credit, but is unable to tell Adam for fear of losing her job.
In the coming days, Wendy and Adam work closely together decorating his home. Wendy realizes that she is in love with him. Despite the encouragement of her roommates, Wendy is unable to reveal the truth about the designs or her feelings to Adam. Meanwhile, Adam is having second thoughts about his marriage plans with Priscilla. Knowing they do not share the same values, he plans to return the engagement ring he bought for her. His memory of the romantic kiss in the elevator serves as a reminder of how he should feel about a woman he plans to marry.
One night after completing the decorations, Wendy and Adam watch her favourite Christmas movies together and fall asleep on the couch. The next morning, Priscilla discovers them together, and later fires Wendy. Just prior to the fundraiser, Priscilla discovers the engagement ring and plants an engagement announcement in the newspaper, undermining Adam's attempt to break up the relationship. At the fundraiser party, an aloof Adam asks Priscilla about the inspiration for the design and she makes a mistake revealing to him that the designs were actually Wendy's.
Meanwhile, Wendy returns to the local theatre where she once worked to help her roommates. In the audience that night, Adam and Priscilla are sitting together when Adam is beckoned backstage where he encounters Wendy. Priscilla arrives and Wendy finally confronts them both, telling them that they deserve each other because Adam did not recognize Wendy's love for him. As Priscilla prepares to rush off with Adam, Wendy's roommate arranges for a prop to bring Priscilla to a crashing halt and just in time for Adam to break off the engagement. He catches up with Wendy in an elevator, apologizes for his blindness, and admits his love for her. The two embrace and kiss, and soon after, their engagement is announced in the newspaper.
Cast
- Elisabeth Röhm as Priscilla Hall
- Laura Breckenridge as Wendy Walton
- Brendan Fehr as Adam Hughes
- Jerrika Hinton as Tressa
- Laura Spencer as Caroline
- Mark Joy as Charlie
- Jimmy Jernigan as Doctor
- Mark DeAngelis as Coachman
- Michael Waters as Carriage Driver[3]
- Steven Ramirez as Caroler (Lip Sync)
Production
A Christmas Kiss was filmed on location in Richmond, Virginia.[2] The Richmond Ballet provided the ballet dancers, and Hundley Carriages provided the horse and carriage.[3] The carriage ride was filmed in Worcester, Massachusetts.
Soundtrack
- "Nutcracker Op71 No2 March" (Tchaikovsky) performed by The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
- "Nutcracker Op71 No14 Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" (Tchaikovsky) performed by The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
- "A Wish Comes True Every Day" (Ali Theodore, Jason Gleed, Alana da Fonseca) performed by Debby Ryan
- "This Christmas" (Brian Alex) performed by Brian Alex
- "Christmas is Here" (Flynn) performed by Flynn
- "Deck the Halls" (Traditional) performed by Gracie Van Brunt
- "Jingle Bells" (James Lord Pierpont) performed by Gracie Van Brunt
- "The Holly and the Ivy" (Tim Renwick)
- "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" (Charles Wesley) performed by The Kaz Gamble Carolers
- "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" performed by The Kaz Gamble Carolers
- "O Christmas Tree" (Ernst Anschutz) performed and arranged by Vinx[3]
Home media
The film was released on DVD by Marvista Entertainment on October 16, 2012.[1]
Critical response
The Dynamite Review website gave the film three out of five stars, calling it "one of the better ranked Christmas movies available on Netflix".[4]
Sequel
A sequel, A Christmas Kiss II, was released on 2014. The film stars Elisabeth Harnois, Adam Mayfield, Lola Glaudini and Jonathan Bennett.[2]
References
- "A Christmas Kiss". AllMovie. Retrieved December 25, 2012.
- "Movie Filmed in Richmond Premieres Sunday". Richmond.com. December 9, 2011. Retrieved December 25, 2012.
- John Stimpson (director) (October 16, 2012). A Christmas Kiss (DVD). Marvista.
- "A Christmas Kiss (2011)". Dynamite Review. December 16, 2014. Retrieved December 26, 2014.