1974 saw the next Rankin-Bass special, 'Twas the Night Before Christmas. Still traditionally animated, Jerome Coopersmith and Larz Bourne took on the writing duties from Romeo Mueller, who'd written the previous specials. The special featured Joel Grey reading the classic poem as inventor Joshua Trundle.
The special opens on Christmas Eve as Joshua anxiously waits to see if Santa will visit his family, his anxiety shared by Father Mouse living under his home. The reason is revealed as letters to Santa were sent back to the senders in Junctionville. A letter in the Junctionville Register claimed that all the citizens don't believe in Santa Claus.
Joshua proposes building a musical clock tower that should get Santa to visit the town. The proposition is carried. Meanwhile, the father mouse discovers his son Albert wrote the letter. Father Mouse then encourages Albert to believe with more than just rationality.
The town does a test run of the clock tower, but it breaks down. And that's how a sad Junctionville was hoping Santa might visit them after all on Christmas Eve.
Father Mouse discovers from Albert that he had gone to check out the clock tower and had broken it. Father Mouse sends Albert to fix it, who manages to do it one minute after midnight, the music only just getting to Santa as he passes over. He visits the Trundle's home, with Joel Grey reading the poem over matching animation.
The Trundles and the mice wave goodbye to Santa, who seemingly leaves Junctionville after visiting just one house...
And that's the end.
Well, it was fairly inoffensive, though it seemed to revolve around just one mouse screwing over an entire town. And it's of course a huge stretch to pull a half hour special out of the Clement C. Moore poem.
Overall, not making the best of Rankin-Bass list here.
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