The Littlest Angel (1969) watch online HD

This is a beautiful story of a little boy who has a fatal fall and goes to Heaven. His guardian angel is Patience (played by Fred Gwynne). Michael (Johnny Whitaker) refuses to acknowledge that he is now an angel, and wants to go home. Even after flying lessons, he wants to go home to get his treasure box, and Patience allows him to do so. He arrives back in Heaven just in time for the birth of Christ, and decides to give the Holy Child his treasure box.

By today's standards, the special effects are somewhat "hokey" and very stage-like. I was surprised at the singing talents of some who were in it. Johnny sings like the young boy that he was at the time. Fred Gwynne sings pleasantly and on key, and Tony Randall later went on to make a career on the musical stage (playing Applegate in "Damn Yankees" in several productions, for instance). Cab Calloway delighted me, as did several other lesser known singers. The songs are less than memorable, but at least they were sung well.

This show is now out on DVD. I was able to purchase mine at the Hollywood Collectors and Celebrities Show, but I'm told its available other places. There are no special features with the DVD.

We may be able to petition Hallmark Channel, which still owns the rights to their Hallmark Hall of Fame Special, to run this show at Christmastime.

Donna

Like newscat, I was so taken by this film as a small child, that I asked my Dad to make me a wooden box for my treasures.

I found it to be such a moving story;the angel's giving his most treasured possessions to Jesus made a deep impression.

I don't think he knew why I wanted it, but I'm 43 and still have it.

After many years, I'm hoping to find a copy so I can see it again. and to share it with my husband who would be seeing it for the first time.

Yes, I'm sure the production values aren't up to today's standards and that it may look really cheesy. But I'm looking forward to seeing it to relive happy childhood memories.

This show really sent shivers up and down my spine. I remember seeing this as a child, and it just left such an impression on me. The part when he went fell off the cliff and went to heaven was just wonderful. When he went to return to his house to get a gift for God, played by E.G.Marshall, and his mom was crying and couldn't see him right there was just sad. The end of the show where his gift was the most special gift of all will always stay with me. It also taught me the value of a gift when it comes from the heart. I really want to see it again. I know its on video tape somewhere.

Its a Christmas treat! I hope people will show this show their kids. I think it should go down as a holiday classic.

I saw this show in 1969 as a wide eyed little girl anxiously awaiting Christmas. I loved it then and never forgot it as I grew up. Last year I discovered it was available and spared no time or expense in ordering it. What a disappointment! It was painful to watch how cheesy it really is and how little money Hallmark spent on the production. I guess at the age of 8 you are watching through a different set of eyes. I am so sad. I wish I had never ordered it so that my memories of it would still be fond ones. Please, if you enjoyed this show as a child do not watch it now as a grown up. I guess it's true - you can't go back.

aloha

I LOVED this movie as a child, and I still do. I don't know how many times my siblings and I rented it from the library because we enjoyed it so much. It really speaks to one's heart about what's really important. Michael's initial song foreshadows the gift of his box: "All these things, I love best, I have kept in this old chest. Sorted and counted hundreds of nights, they all have given me a thousand delights. Who can say how much they are worth...For these are the miracles of the earth!" It reminds us that although the Lord of Christmas was fully God, He was also fully Man and was able to identify with the things of man. A lovely movie, one that I would someday love to get on video so that I can watch it with my own children.

I recall seeing most of this "Hallmark Hall of Fame" musical special on NBC, probably when it first aired in December 1969. Seeing it again almost 30 years later, I found this shot-on-tape production every bit as dreary and depressing as I'd remembered it. "The Littlest Angel" is the heartwarming story of a shepherd boy named Michael who dies on his eighth birthday, and ends up in Heaven. (To make matters worse, the white dove that lures Michael to his death turns out to have been sent by God Himself.) Michael, less than enthusiastic about being in Heaven, just wants to go home - and who can blame him? If you have any small kids who weren't sufficiently traumatized by the demise of Bambi's mother, they're bound to get a kick out of the scene in which Michael is allowed to return to Earth briefly to retrieve his treasure box; he can see his parents, but his parents, who don't even know yet that their son is dead, can't see him.

In this special, Heaven is a place where people wearing white gowns and metallic halos are badly chroma-keyed against vaguely psychedelic backgrounds. There's very little plot, and a bunch of pretty forgettable songs which run the gamut from pious to perky. The video effects are hopelessly crude (even, I think, by 1969 standards). Johnny Whitaker, who was still co-starring in "Family Affair" on CBS at the time, is one of the few genuinely delightful things about this production. Fred Gwynne, a few years after shaking off Herman Munster, does what he can as guardian angel Patience. You may be surprised at how well he sings (as he did in the much later "Ironweed"). Connie Stevens appears for one number as a "flying mistress"; Cab Calloway leads a heavenly choir; E.G. Marshall plays God.

This film brings back a lot of great Christmas memories. Yes, the special effects are dated and the costumes a bit cheesy (it's from the 60's, for Pete's sake, give it a rest!). However, the music is actually good and is still worth listening to (anyone who thinks the music is sappy, perky, etc. probably didn't particularly like any of it in the first place).

I also think it would be great if this particular film could be redone with better special effects/costumes/etc. However, I wouldn't change the music (arrangements) as it really fits the overall mood and message.

I have to admit that looking at it again in later years (I've had a copy of the VHS tape for a long time) there are a few elements about the film that were rather morbid (like the child visiting his parents after his death to get his box and they had no idea that he had actually died).

I suppose everyone has their own take on the film. For me, the overall message and appeal is still there and has made it a Christmas staple for me; it's one of the elements that gets me "in the Christmas spirit". Time seems to go backward and, for a little while, I can remember what it was like to be a child.

For me, "The Littlest Angel" will always be a classic.

3 WORDS: BUY this video. It has a CALMING effect. Displays death in a sensible and delicate way. The child is met at the gate of heaven by a gentle man and a dove, and then a welcoming chorus surrounds him. Then he gets is OWN angel, named Patience, to guide him. Most touching is the waltz song that Fred Gwynne sings as they view earth from the clouds. Fred/Patience sings about his memories, and Johnny puts his arm around him, and tho his just a child, Johnny tries to console his guardian angel. And--Tony Randall's rousing "you're not real" song is SO good. And there are A LOT of 1960's stars, people you haven't thought about for years. Yes, it looks like 1960 BUT you don't have to worry about the kids having nightmares. I have watched it a dozen times in the last 5 years and never tire of it , Children are watch in a Mr. Rogers-type trance. It made such a striking impression that 40 years later people still remember it, and those who watch must understand they are viewing a production made YEARS ago, so don't expect 2011-type HYPE. Accept it through the lens of 1960's charm. I gave it a high vote because it was designed to explain a difficult subject to kids and charm parents -- it did both.

My family and I watched this last Christmas. My wife found the DVD in a cut-out bin and bought it, vaguely recalling the movie from her childhood. Our mouths were hanging open through most of the show. We couldn't believe what we were seeing. Fred Gwynne, one of the finest actors of his generation, attempted to bring a sense of dignity to his bumbling angel. But he had so little to work with. The script was pretty weak and somewhat disturbing. And although I appreciate the pioneering video work that was attempted, the film is a visual mess.

The one saving grace of this production is the hauntingly beautiful ballad that Gwynne sings, Once Upon Another Time. That one song makes the movie worth tracking down. And Tony Randall has a lot of fun with his amusing number, "You're not real." Those were two oases in this otherwise difficult-to-watch production.

Lan O'Kun, the songwriter, showed a lot of promise with some decent songs. There was also a heavyweight cast. But the "book" and the direction were too weak to carry the rest of the show. Perhaps if the musical had been done once upon another time....

This is a movie I remember seeing as a little girl, not when it first came out but in reruns. I loved this simple story of Michael who discovers even though he is small he has a lot to offer. As events change his world as he knows it. He meets a slew of Heavenly people to help him adjust along the way. With the help of Patience (His Guardian Angel) he decides the best thing to do is to try to fit in. By doing so he is bestowed the ultimate gift due to his unselfishness. The props, and the look of this film is a bit to be desired, but the story fits right into the Christmas mood and the music will stay with you for years. It is the most endearing memory I have of this film. Listen to the words,sing along with the songs and enjoy the story of The Littlest Angel.

BEWARE OF FALSE REVIEWS & REVIEWERS. SOME REVIEWERS HAVE ONLY ONE REVIEW TO THEIR NAME. NOW WHEN ITS A POSITIVE REVIEW THAT TELLS ME THEY WERE INVOLVED WITH THE MOVIE. IF ITS A NEGATIVE REVIEW THEN THEY MIGHT HAVE A GRUDGE AGAINST THE FILM . NOW I HAVE REVIEWED OVER 200 HOLIDAY FILMS. I HAVE NO AGENDA. I AM HONEST

This 1969 Hallmark Hall of Fame as an adaption of the beloved children's story. This stars Johnny Whitaker who was best known at the time for playing Jody in the television show "Family Affair". This was most likely shot when "Family Affair" was on hiatus.

In this film an 8 year boy finds out he is now an angel and he isn't too happy about it. He wants to go back home. He misses his mom and dad. He also misses being a shepherd and his little box of treasures he kept under his bed.

This adaption suffers because most of the musical numbers drag it down. The songs are not memorable. There is a minor highlight. We get to see the legendary Cab Calloway leading a heavenly choir.

This film however would have been much better had they just stuck to the story and not turned into a musical. If they wanted a musical then they should of cast a better singer in the lead role. I like JW but his singing is terrible in this film.

Johnny Whitaker however would go in to co-star with Jodie Foster in 2 films. "Napoleon and Samantha" & "Tom Sawyer" which also happens to be a musical and perhaps the film adaption of the classic American Novel.

If you look past the bad songs in this then you will enjoy this. It is however fun to watch to see all the familiar faces in this cast. This is family safe but, most people might get bored watch. Running 79 minutes the film seems to run much longer.

I fondly remember this movie, although I probably only watched it once when I was little -- probably the year it came out. It so impressed me that I talked my father into making me a box like the one owned by The Littlest Angel.I'm 40 now and I still have that box although it's in two pieces. It made an impression on me -- a good one.

I wish I could see this again...cheesy or not! I must have been only about 7 years old when this came out...probably about the same age as the boy in the movie...all I can remember is that it left an impression on me and made me really think about death and God and heaven...It was sad but the happy ending in Christmas made your little heart glad...I don't remember the singing at all though so the songs didn't make an impression on me like the old Lawrence Welk or Andy Griffith specials at Christmas...but I think Hallmark should redo this movie with up to date special effects...the story is well worth the time and is very memorable...I remember it even decades later!

this was just heavenly. i hadn't seen this old Hallmark Hall of Fame television special since i was a child. i remember liking it a lot back then but for some reason i didn't think it would stand the test of time and seem hopelessly corny. i was surprised to find it to be a very earnest and sincerely pious production with some cute visuals, top notch acting and very pretty inspirational music.

i didn't like this because i'm a Christian, i liked it because it was sweet and quaint retro television. i also happen to love the Disney classic 'Napoleon and Samantha', so i'm a fan of Johnny Whitaker. i also think the schmuck who called this "the worst movie ever", was just that. a schmuck. for one thing "the worst or best ever" hyperbole is sooo done to death. it's stupid to say something is "the most ever". that's dumb hyperbole and not real criticism. besides i happen to admire many low budget productions and films on the internet and TV. if that drip thinks this is the "worst ever", that dummy has obviously never seen 'Santa Claus conquers the Martians'.

this was a first rate production with lots of class and good, wholesome Christian values. it's definitely a good alternative for many Christians who are offended and fed up with the recklessness of the current media. and it does too stand the test of time. it's wonderful retro television stuff.

i would highly recommend this pious little Christian gem to everyone. and i would certainly consider it a must view for all Christian households with children. i don't always know exactly what gets you into Heaven, but this should help.

Although this TV special, probably quite imaginative for 1969, now looks like an under-dressed, blue-screen relic from years past, it still has enough musical flair, talented players and soft-hearted sentiment to make it a passable holiday entertainment. Johnny Whitaker, as the shepherd boy who follows a white dove off a cliff and winds up in the Hereafter, isn't an accomplished vocalist yet is still a most efficient child-actor, carrying most of this show along with his youthful enthusiasm; Whitaker is quite adept at picking up his musical cues, and is comfortably at-home sharing the screen with heavyweights such as Fred Gwynne (sporting a thick crop of dark hair!), Tony Randall, Connie Stevens, James Coco, and E. G. Marshall. The costumes are fairly unflattering on everybody (Whitaker's shepherd's skirt is far too brief--exposing his knobby knees), and the primitive effects are an eyesore, however the songs are rather tuneful and everyone involved proves to be a good sport and pulls this off with sheer professionalism.

An all star cast in this campy story about a shepherd boy named Michael who is sent to heaven where he must learn to adapt to his life as an angel. There are plenty of familiar faces like Fred Gwynne who plays Michael's guardian angel Patience. Tony Randall played Democritus, a philosopher angel. This Christmas special might appear dated and laughable by today's standards. Perhaps, it is because it was filmed for a network. Johnny Whittaker was a child star at the time and he does a superb job in his role as Michael. The cast also features Connie Stevens even for a brief moment too. I didn't like the ending and felt they edited it too much.

No flashy production numbers, no Rockettes line kicking, just a pure, well intended, and well made story of the little boy who goes to heaven, and learns about life, death, and love. Great acting performances, apparently shot live on stage. I remember fondly watching this as a child, and now watch it every year with my kids. This is MUST SEE TV!!!!!!!!

This production still stays with me after all these decades.Around that time television never openly addressed death.The censors would tell the characters of a show that the person who died simply WENT AWAY to visit a sister.Great cast and they all sang on key but the songs slowed down the continuity or flow to the performance.Sad ending seeing bewildered grief stricken parents, and of course that hug from the littlest Angel makes your eyes misty; no water.Nice to see Fred Gwuinn, Tony Randall and James Coco. Connie Stevens was a perfect angel herself trying to teach the new arrival how to fly.Special effects at that time could easily use improvement.A period piece for sure.

The story line is bad enough but then one has to endure the musical numbers that are just dreadful. The worst is the absolute atonal music that the angels sing while giving their gifts to the Christ child. The whole view of heaven that this movie offers is actually rather offensive. Many of the extras that act the parts of the angels act like whacked out hippies that had to clean themselves up for this production. Their dopey facial expressions and antics are just too hard to bear. One gets the feeling from watching the actors that they are making fun of the whole subject of Christianity.I bought this DVD at a $3.00 bin because I vaguely remembered seeing it as a child. It struck me that it has not been played much, if at all for the past twenty or thirty years. After watching it it becomes very apparent why that is so. Absolute dreck.

I recall seeing this film on television ONCE during my childhood. Being 8 years old, I remember I thought it was pretty good and waited for it to return the next Christmas. Never saw it again. Was it pulled? I would have to assume so since after seeing it now I realize it's quite nauseating. Fred Gwynne can sing, I appreciated that, however I can't understand why the big names for the time agreed to do this. Horrific special effects, beyond forgettable songs of infinite length. Heaven is depicted as a shallow, materialistic no mans land. The movie is not meant to be a comedy, but if you are masochistic enough to sit through this film you'll find yourself laughing for all the wrong reasons. Since when do angels think the Son of God wants golden wings, silks and golden knick knacks for his birthday? You'd think these folks would have a clue that Jesus would not have use for such shallow things. Nice underlying message, but I had the irresistible urge to turn this drivel off...the urge won. But watch if you want to laugh at the ridiculous plot, nasty sets, awful costumes and amusing dancing. I wish I'd allowed the memories of childhood to remain that...you really can't go back home.

"The Littlest Angel" is a title that suggests a good and sentimental story and movie about faith and heaven. Unfortunately, this film isn't very good. It's weak in several aspects, not the least of which is the musical arrangements and singing. I'll grant the young Johnny Whitaker some leeway for a young boy's voice, but the singing of lines by the rest of the cast comes off quite amateurish and bad.

To start with, the screenplay is weak, and there seem to be holes. Perhaps those mostly are from scene changes when this TV movie broke frequently for commercials. But the story itself doesn't resonate. Michael's parents back on earth are left hanging when the film ends – waiting for their little boy to come home from wherever he ran off to. The acting is fair to poor among some of the cast. Patience (Fred Gwynne) seems to force his role at times (facial expressions, movements) and is mostly wooden throughout.

Michael's parents in Biblical times are very wooden and stiff, especially the father (James Coco). About the only role done well, other than Johnny Whitaker's Michael is Connie Stevens as the Flying Mistress. But even the special effects and staging to give the illusion of being in heaven seem awkward. One other reviewer called it "cheesy," and I agree.

Of course, the whole business about a person going to heaven and getting wings to be an angel flies in the face of basic Judeo- Christian belief. Heaven is populated by angels and saints. One reviewer thought that this is a gentle movie for introducing death to children. I think there are many ways one can discuss with children death and Christian beliefs about the afterlife without distorting or fantasizing the beliefs.

I wonder if most children well into the 21st century are as touched by this film as some reviewers say they were decades ago.

It was Christmas morning. One of my gifts that year was "The Littlest Angel" movie. As a family we decided to watch it Christmas day. When the movie started I was horrified. The movie was so low budget, it looked like a school play.... a really bad school play. And the plot was just as bad as the budget. Maybe even worse. Its about a little boy who jumps off a cliff because he's chasing a bird. Then he ends up in heaven and becomes the most annoying angel ever. By the end of the movie I was already asleep so I don't even know how it ended. And I didn't care. In my opinion I have never seen such a low budget, boring and stupid movie ever since. It's so bad it's not even funny.

Like other veteran viewers of holiday specials of my youth, I too remembered having seen this as a child, several times in fact. The innocence of childhood and a love of all things which made me part of the all ye faithful, I had not remembered much about it but seeing it again after mucho anos brought back all the memories that were as long gone as rotary telephones. Church services, family gatherings, sled rides, the joy of getting from the stocking to what was under the tree, playing with new toys, and the beautiful real china plates utilized for occasions like this, followed by a T.V. special like this one before we would go to bed exhausted from the day. Unfortunately, the years and technology have taken their toll as at first glance of this videotaped special made it appear grainy and cheaply made. Getting past that and into the real meaning to what is a combination of tragedy and triumph, I came out just as enriched as I had been some 40 years ago when a lack of worldly tiredness had made me more open to innocent stories like this one.

T.V. favorite Johnny Whittaker is Michael, a Hebrew shepherd boy who holds dearly to the belongings in his treasure chest, a wooden box which includes all the types of things that little boys of my era might have been curious about and collected. Papa James Coco is edgy and crabby to his obsession with the box, while mama Evelyn Russell is certainly understanding and totally accepting of the young boy's collection. Chasing a beautiful white dove, Michael ascends to the heavens, and while it is not clear if he falls off the mountain he seems to fly from, the real point is the destination to which he is heading: heaven. Immediately encountering a bearded old man who reveals to him where he is, Michael is naturally curious but longs to go back home, even if it is to just collect his box. He meets Patience (a delightful Fred Gwynne), his guardian angel, and encounters with other residents slowly begins to reveal why he is there. Ultimately, the secret is revealed after Michael briefly returns to collect his treasures, and the littlest angel must find it in his heart to determine what gift he must present to God's surprise for his heavenly residents.

The songs are rather mediocre, but how can you be cynical about that when the message is so beautiful? I felt guilty about even dishing it, but I couldn't deny that they are not all that memorable. Little Johnny Whitaker has a sweet, angelic voice, and his character is so endearing that you can't help but be swept up in his eternal adventure and the desires he has to return to earth after having been so suddenly swept off of it. Seeing this years later made me wonder if I realized as a kid that he had either been killed or simply transcended to heaven or if that part escaped me altogether. Still, it probably is smart for a wise parent to explain not only their theories on that, but why the film does look so old and how technology isn't always the priority in something where character and story should be tops.

Tony Randall has an amusing small part as a Greek philosopher who has a hard time in dealing with his presence in heaven, simply describing it in song as a dream. Astute T.V. fans will recognize Mary Jo Catlett ("Different Strokes") as one of the angels, while John McGiver ("The Patty Duke Show", "Midnight Cowboy") adds an imperious twist as God's right-hand angel who perhaps needs a little lesson in angelic behavior himself. Character actor veteran E.G. Marshall makes a wonderful "God" while the fantastic Cab Calloway is an energetic Gabriel. So if you can't get past the lack of technical advances this is missing and can't simply accept the story for the sweet parable it is, you are missing out on a real important message. Those of us who can see past those things will adore it and might even find ourselves a little teary- eyed with each repeat viewing.

I saw this movie when it debuted back in 1969. However, my recollection of it is very limited since I was only 5 at the time. Now when I see it, my experience is quite a bit different because I didn't remember so much singing when I was young. Now the film seems to have too many songs--songs used for EVERYTHING! Additionally, while Johnny Whitaker was an incredibly talented boy, listening to any boy singing again and again can be tough to take--especially when the songs are not stellar and are mostly about mundane things--things normal folks would never sing about (such as a love of green or his love of a box). Times were different, that's for sure.

Despite the story is about Heaven, angels and God, it's not really a religious film. None of these would really correspond to teachings of any religion but are more like traditions that have oddly evolved over the years. In this case, when people die they become angels and hang out in a super-boring place out in space. Again, I know that the Bible, Torah, Koran and other teachings DON'T indicate that's our future (thank goodness). But the story is about a little boy (Johnny Whitaker) who dies and goes to Heaven--where he finds it boring and stupid. Also, oddly, there are no other child-angels--and considering all the plagues and the like, there should be millions or billions. But, instead of hooking him up with a child angel, they assign the boy-angel to be chaperoned by a dopey angel, Patience (Fred Gwynn). Patience shows him about Heaven where folks flit about and sing A LOT. Not surprisingly, the kid misses the Earth and his family. What's to become of this little malcontent? Watch the film--provided you can keep yourself from turning off the movie! I don't know how I managed it!! This is a sappy song-fest that you'll either love or despise. Guess which group I fall into?! Now I know I may sound like a crotchety old man. Well, that might be true but at least I am not the sort of guy who says things were always better in the 'good old days'! No, in many ways things are better today--as this film is NOT the sort of family entertainment you'd see in the 21st century (thank goodness). Plus, this sort of view of the afterlife is enough to scare children, that's for sure!! After all, the place is dreadfully dull and filled with singing jerks!