Plot
A divorced woman (Michael Learned) moves to San Francisco from Omaha with her young son. She's trying to re-build her life after her divorce, she leaves her son with his grandmother. She joins the choir of a local church. She has some issues with the choirmaster (John Houseman) who tries to get the choir into shape before the Christmas concert. The choir overcome some personal setbacks as they all deal with personal issues. Zoe (Michael Learned) thinks of quitting the choir all together when push comes to shove.
A Christmas Without Snow is a tale of personal growth. Zoe Jensen (Michael Learned) is a divorcee, who has moved to San Francisco from Nebraska to make a new life for herself. A teacher by profession, she soon learns no positions are available and that she is not trained to do other work. Living in an inexpensive flat, she brushes up her typing skills in order to gain work before her mother wearies of looking after her teenage son.
Zoe receives her grounding at church, where an assortment of inner-city residents range from a former opera singer to a minority seeking to educate himself for a life in a profession. The opera singer falls by the wayside when ego gets in the way, while the student is falsely accused of vandalism simply because of his race, yet is vindicated by those who know and believe in him. Together, they form the church choir.
This group aims high, and with the help of retired music conductor Ephraim Adams (John Houseman), they learn Handel’s Messiah, which they perform for Christmas. Unexpected talent abounds in the small church choir. No one even thinks to bring in professional musicians. These amateurs will give their best as ones who do the thing for the love of it. This love extends far beyond the choir loft. When vandals damage the pipes to the church organ, the choir band together to make the needed repairs.
Along the way, Zoe finds an office job and, with the help of a bargain hunter, creates a pleasant home for her son and herself. The choir performs acceptably well accompanied by the vintage organ. They have progressed far beyond an unlikely group of city dwellers. They have become a family.
Directed by John Korty
Produced by Whitney Green
John Korty (producer)
Screenplay by John Korty
Richard W. Beban
Judith Anne Nielsen
Story by John Korty
Music by Ed Bogas
Cinematography Mike Fash
Editing by Peter Parasheles
Barbara Pokras
Country United States
Language English
Release date
December 9, 1980
Running time 95 minutes
Cast
Michael Learned as Zoe Jensen
John Houseman as Ephraim Adams
Ramon Bieri as Henry Quist
James Cromwell as Reverend Lohman
Valerie Curtin as Muriel
David Knell as Terry
Calvin Levels as Wendell
Ruth Nelson as Inez
Beah Richards as Wendell's Grandma
William Swetland as Hartley
Ed Bogas as Seth
Daisietta Kim as Maisie Kim
Joy Carlin as Cora Newman
Anne Lawder as Evangeline Burns
Barbara Tarbuck as Carol Thorpe
Roberta Callahan as Alice Lohman
John Patton as Mr. Jefferson
Gail MacGowan as Alto soloist
Will Connolly as Bass soloist
Jane Frasier-Smith as Mrs. Dienhart
H. Leonard Richardson as Mr. Hitchrick
Matthew Hautau as Robbie
Sterling Lim as Arthur Kim
Jay Krohnengold as Mr. Goodman
Barbara Squier as Ms. Meyers
Lou Picetti as Mr. Loop
Will Marchetti as Dan Garner
William Browder as Bride's father
Joe Bellan as Taxi driver
Stephanie Smith as Waitress
Carol McElheney as Office worker
Steve Prescott Jones as Man in office
Mark Anger as Doctor
Dan Leegant as Sergeant
Tony Dario as Detective West
Yule Caise as Tough youth
Kevin Harris as Tough youth
Robert Rivers as Tough youth
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