Franklin's Magic Christmas

Franklin's Magic Christmas
Directed by John van Bruggen
Written by Betty Quan
Starring Noah Reid, Elizabeth Brown, Richard Newman, Bryn McAuley, Luca Perlman, Kristen Bone, Mari Trainor, Donald Burda, Joyce Gordon, Eric Peterson, Araby Lockhart, Chris Wiggins
Production
company
Distributed by USA Home Entertainment
Release dates
  • December 5, 2000 (2000-12-05)
Running time
 55 minutes
Country Canada
Language English

Franklin's Magic Christmas was the second Franklin movie, released direct-to-video and DVD in 2000. It is somewhat shorter than Franklin and the Green Knight and Franklin and the Turtle Lake Treasure. It has since aired on Nick Jr. In the United States, Canada's Family Channel and on Comcast Video on Demand. This movie was loosely based on the book Franklin and Harriet.

Plot

In this story, Franklin the turtle and his little sister, Harriet (introduced in the previous film, Franklin and the Green Knight) are planning to pay a visit to and spend Christmas with their maternal grandparents at Faraway Farm, a farm faraway from Woodland where their mother Mrs. Turtle grew up at. As the Turtle Family gets ready to go to the farm, they sing "Deck the Halls" in only the first and third verses. Franklin immediately becomes annoyed with Harriet when she throws a snowball, causing him to drop a large pile of presents. Bear and Beatrice come, and Franklin accidentally forgets his favourite stuffed toy, Sam, at home. Franklin thinks that Harriet dumped Sam in the snow on purpose, when it was really Beatrice who had Sam after they left, and Bear failed to give it back to Franklin and Franklin is still annoyed with Harriet when they get to Faraway Farm and it's revealed that he and Harriet will be sleeping in the same room. Later, his maternal grandmother tells a strange story from her childhood about a reindeer. This story involves a flashback showing the little Grandma Turtle and Great-Grandpa Turtle. She admits that she might have imagined it as the father takes a family portrait, in which Franklin gives a sad look. Grandma Jenny Turtle sends Franklin to bed, and shows him Sirius outside and sings to him and Harriet Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

The next day, as Franklin feeds the chickens, Grandma Jenny Turtle lets him in on a little surprise-she is fixing up an old sleigh for Grandfather Turtle. Franklin decides to help, and Grandma Jenny Turtle introduces him to the Collies, who collect the polish. That night there is a blackout, and while Franklin is checking the closet for candles, he comes across the bell from his maternal grandmother's story, revealing that she was not imagining after all.

Franklin shows the bell to Grandma Jenny Turtle the next morning (Christmas Eve), and suggests they use the bell for Grandfather Turtle's sleigh. Grandma Jenny Turtle has Harriet help with the sleigh, but spills the beans at lunch (fortunately Grandfather Turtle wasn't there). Later, as Franklin and Harriet work on the sleigh, Harriet rings the bell, and, just like in Grandma Jenny Turtle's story, a reindeer appears. Franklin runs to the house to tell Grandma Jenny Turtle, distracting Grandfather Turtle, making him slip on a puddle of ice, giving him a broken leg.

Franklin decides to use the sleigh to go and find Dr. Bear in Woodland, when he discovers that Harriet has come along, hidden in the back. The horse, Rosie, is just as surprised, and runs away. Franklin is furious, but then sees that Harriet brought the bell. They ring it, and this time two reindeer come, one with a bell exactly like the one Franklin has. Franklin realizes that the bell must belong to the other reindeer, which is why he comes when somebody rings it. With the bell back, the original reindeer creates a harness seemingly out of nowhere. As they soar above the clouds he sees Sirius, and he and Harriet sing this song, "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star". Grandma Jenny finds the note Franklin left for her, Grandpa Dut, Mrs. Turtle, and Mr. Turtle. Mr. and Mrs. Turtle soon arrive home because they were checking on the Collies. Jenny, Mr. and Mrs. Turtle decide to split up. Franklin and Harriet soon arrive home with Dr. Bear, they go home on the sleigh. Rosy soon comes back and Jenny, Mrs. Elizabeth, Mr. Jonathan Turtle and Rosy see Franklin, Harriet, and Dr. Bear, who gives Grandfather Turtle a cast for his leg. She also gives Franklin Sam, which Bear got from the very beginning.

That night, Franklin and Harriet see Santa Claus out the window. The film ends with Franklin and Harriet saying "Merry Christmas" to each other.

References

    External links

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