The Man Who Saved Christmas (2002): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 2002, The Man Who Saved Christmas is a drama film directed by Sturla Gunnarsson, running about 100 minutes. “He couldn't stop the war, but he wouldn't let the war stop Christmas.” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. Alfred Carlton Gilbert invented the Erector Set and is trying to get it onto the toy shelves of the country. A.C. is startled to be summoned to the White House, where top officials ask him to convert the toy factory into a weapons manufacturing company for the duration of the war. "No" is really not an option, for fear of being labeled unpatriotic so the switch is made. Later, government officials ask A.C. to be their spokesman for a campaign to avoid "toy giving" for the coming holidays and buy war bonds instead. With a young son himself, who looks forward to Christmas like any other child, what will A.C. do this time?

Who’s in it. The Man Who Saved Christmas stars Jason Alexander as A.C. Gilbert, Kelly Rowan as Mary, Ed Asner as Charles Gilbert and Jayne Eastwood as Mrs. Gilbert, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 6.4/10, The Man Who Saved Christmas has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Man Who Saved Christmas page.

If you liked it. Fans of The Man Who Saved Christmas tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.