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 (Running Time: 94 Minutes) (NOT FOR PUBLICATION)
Some 50 years ago, Santa Claus (ALBERTO RABAGLIATI) finds he is in serious trouble. The zillionaire industrialist Phineas T. Prune (ROSSANO BRAZZI) has purcheased the entire North Pole and plans to evict Santa and Mrs. Claus from their home because they can't pay their rent. The rent must be paid by Christmas Eve at midnight or there will be no Christmas. So Santa seeks the aid of Sam Whipple (PAUL TRIPP).
Sam, a struggling Attorney, wants to help. He accompanies Santa to Prune's house, and when the man who hates children is not at home, Santa tells Sam that Prune must have gone to the North Pole. They take off with a swish of Santa's sleigh.
At home, Mrs. Santa (LYDIA BRAZZI) is busy with Santa's seven dwarf helpers trying to finish work on toys. Santa's bookkeeper, Jonathan (MISCHA AUER), supervises as they all worry about Mr. Prune.
Santa and Sam arrive, followed shortly by Mr. Prune, who demands the rent and refuses to listen to Sam's pleas. Insisting he was never a child himself, he sings "I'm Good At Being Bad," and leaves.
Santa, wanting to discover the reason for Prune's mean behavior, asks Jonathan to search the records for a child named Phineas T. Prune. Meanwhile, Sam decides Satna needs an ordinary job to make enough money by the deadline - now only a few days off - to pay the rent.
Sam has a great idea! He sells Mr. Prim (SONNY FOX), owner of Prim's Department Store on the idea of having Santa appear in the store as himself to chat with children and pass out free balloons.
Crowds of parents and children of all ages fill the store. The venture is a great success, and the first department-store Santa is in does heavy business. Suddenly, on December 24th, the store becomes empty, and Santa discovers that Prune has bought the store from Prim and put him out of a job.
Once again, Santa and Sam, alone in the town square, are disheartened, certain that there will be no Christmas that year and that little children will be terribly unhappy.
A small boy recognizes Santa and Sam and greets them. When he is told about Santa's problem, the boy rushes around the square shouting to children that Santa is in trouble and needs money. Amidst a snowfall the children of the world come running to bring their pennies to help Santa.
Back at the North Pole, Mr. Prune arrives to take over, but just at the crucial moment, Santa and Sam rush in with huge sacks of coins, which they give to Prune. Santa has won! Santa and Sam then quickly load the sleigh with gifts for Christmas Eve delivery, and streak though the sky.
As they prepare to deliver the last present, a package Jonathan had handed them just before they left, they discover the present is for Mr. Prune. Santa and Sam enter Prune's old house to give him the present. It is a sailboat, which he had asked for when he was five years old, but the postcard had been lost all these years. Prune regains his faith in Christmas and everyone is filled with happiness. |
