Quiet divorcée Michael Learned makes a new life for herself in San Francisco and finds a life she couldn't imagine from before. Lonely without her young son with her, she becomes an on-looker in the private lives of the troubled members of the choir and through her total unselfishness helps her fellow members look forward to a merry Christmas and a brighter future.Many familiar character actors have little bits of drama to express their inner turmoils with the highlights being a young black man facing hardships in his desperation to escape his struggling existence and an aging chorus member who must take a different role in the choir when her voice begins to fail her. John Houseman gloriously hams it up as the demanding but ultimately kind choir director while the sweet faced Beach Richards provides wisdom and guidance as the troubled Calvin Level's hardworking grandmother. James Cromwell is wise and funny as the church's minister. A lot of time is shown at the rehearsals and various performances, and a twist towards the end leads to near tragedy.Overall a decent T.V. movie that is honest and refreshing in the sense that it looks at real human beings. Learned, as always. is totally likable, but is more of the eyes rather than the mouth of the story. Great San Francisco location shots are nice as well.

Zoe is a divorced woman who moves to San Francisco to start a new life. She's left her son with her mom while she gets situated. Zoe decides to join a very small church choir. They have just hired a strong minded choirmaster. Even though they are just amateurs, he demands perfection from the members. They are a quirky group, who we get to know as the movie progresses. After going through personal issues with members and the choirmaster, a broken organ and other small dramas, she isn't sure its worth staying in the choir. She hopes she made the right decision to stay. Their performance of the Messiah, looks like it may not happen when and unfortunate incident happens just before Christmas. The movie is a little slow, but if you enjoy a nice little movie, with an interesting story line, good acting and enjoy listening to Handel's Messiah (which is sung throughout the movie), you will enjoy it.

When this was first broadcast back in 1980, we taped it for later viewing because, as pro singers, we were both out (where else?) singing Christmas concerts. On the surface, this would seem to be yet another retelling of the cliché that the Christmas spirit has the magical (and cloying) power to bring us all together, mend fences, cure global warming, etc., etc. But it's more. Each character, even the minor ones, faces a moment of realization that the status quo of his or her life is simply not enough to meet the needs of reality.In leaving a bad marriage, Zoe strives to be a more fulfilled person, but also understands that her decision will ultimately benefit her ex-husband and son as well; rather than an expression of selfishness, it's a wrenching left turn that frees them all from a future of ennui and anger. Plenty of preachers make it through their careers without having to stray from the bland platitudes they learned in seminary, but the Rev. Lohman (James Cromwell) is grabbed by the scruff of his faith and compelled to deal with a world that isn't "nice," where pain and injustice don't just melt away. Even Muriel is forced to climb out of the frantic little box of fears she has built for herself, even if it's just a step or two. In fact, the only character who doesn't approach a state of satori is the "professional" soprano, who must protect her fragile ego at all costs, and thus becomes the one truly unsympathetic character.I've never really thought about this little film until now, but always wondered why it was so satisfying year after year. Now I know.One more note -- I bought a DVD version of this film last year in the hope of improving on the quality of my 27-year-old Beta (!). Sadly, it's just as choppy as the original, as if the negative were lost and all that's left for striking new copies is a work print. Also, does anyone else think the ending is a bit abrupt, as if there were about three minutes of resolution that had to be cut? Happy New Year!

I just watched this movie again, must be my fourth viewing, and it really holds up. It just never fails to get to me emotionally.The story is simple, but it is the characters and their backgrounds that engage the viewer. There are no simple solutions to the problems presented, unlike the emotionally manipulative movies of today.A young widow grieves for her dead husband, someone suffers a stroke, a father and son resolve a tremendous difficulty with a very slow smile at each other and no words are spoken.Each story stands on its own. A microcosm of life. One does suffer, there is sometimes no magic solution, just a choir and an ambitious undertaking of "The Messiah" to get your mind off the same old, same old.Michael Learned, what has ever happened to her, a great performance. Also John Houseman being John Houseman, a delight. Not one jarring note from the large cast.An 8 out of 10. Catch this one if you can.