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| Geraldine Page won an Emmy as eccentric but loving Cousin Sook in Truman Capote's tale. |
Truman’s
Capote's classic A Christmas Memory, based
on his boyhood, was first a fondly remembered television special aired in
December of 1966. Truman was at the height of his literary career with his
crime classic, In Cold Blood. A Christmas Memory is the total opposite
of that epic piece of work, and is a sweet remembrance inspired by Capote’s
childhood time spent with poor relatives.
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| Donnie Melvin is naturally appealing as "Buddy," nicknamed by Page's Sook after a childhood friend. |
The
slight story, told with great feeling, shows the bond between the precocious
little boy, Buddy, and his much older, eccentric cousin. Together, they prepare
for their annual ritual of making fruitcakes, gifted to acquaintances and
strangers that they admire. Cousin Sook, played by Geraldine Page in one
of her greatest roles, has the memorable opening line: “Oh, my… it’s fruitcake
weather.”
The
unlikely pair head off with their dog, Queenie. They ignore the “No Trespassing”
sign and pilfer pecans from a neighbor's farm, filling an old baby buggy. Later,
with money earned throughout the year, they go to town to buy ingredients for
their fruitcakes. Just listening to Geraldine Page recite her grocery list to
the storekeeper alone is worth watching this story.
On
the way home, they buy whiskey from Ha Ha Jones, an Indian who seems fearsome
at first, but gives them the booze for free, in exchange for a fruitcake.
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| Sook and Buddy pay a visit to Ha Ha Jones to buy some hooch for their fruitcakes! |
It's
really a two character story, with Donnie Melvin quite appealing as little Buddy,
but it is Geraldine Page's show all the way. Page was a born actress, no doubt,
but she could also be an outrageous ham. As Sook, Geraldine gives one of her greatest
and most subtle performances. Page is
effortlessly believable as a child-like woman who has lived a small life, but
with great heart. Amazingly, Page was only 42 when she played this
heart-warming woman. She has a number of sweet moments, as when she refuses to
sell the Christmas tree she and Buddy have cut down, to a snooty local. Or when
Sook and Buddy finish off the bit of whiskey left over from baking. The lovely
last scene, with Buddy and Sook flying their handmade kites on Christmas Day,
with Capote’s narration and snippets of Page’s dialogue, offers a postscript to
this last happy day together that is simple, yet still so touching.
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| The bittersweet ending to 'A Christmas Memory,' with Buddy & Sook carefree as they fly their handmade kites. |
A Christmas Memory
was directed by Frank Perry, back when he made artistic films, like David and Lisa and Last Summer, before moving on to camp classics like Mommie Dearest and Monsignor. His wife Eleanor Perry helped write the teleplay with
Capote. Conrad Hall (In Cold Blood)
was one of the cinematographers and the score by Meyer Kupferman is both sweet
and melancholy. This was filmed on location in Snowdoun, Alabama, a small town that
passed for the Depression-era setting, was suggested by Truman's lifelong
friend, Harper Lee.
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| Geraldine Page, at 42, playing a 60-something year-old spinster. |
A Christmas Memory
has been told in every way, from audio books to Broadway to opera. But the most
memorable telling is still the Geraldine Page television version. You can find
faded but watchable versions on YouTube, as well as an audio reading of A Christmas Memory by author Capote,
where you can savor Truman’s way with words. Either way, enjoy.
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| Geraldine Page with Truman Capote. |
