‘A BILTMORE CHRISTMAS’: HALLMARK MAKES UNIQUE PERIOD DRAMA
Like a rare few of their other titles, A Biltmore Christmas is another film that proves Hallmark should create a few more period dramas.
A Biltmore Christmas (2023) Hallmark TV Film Review
Penning a script for the remake of a classic Christmas movie is all that’s on the to-do list of Lucy (Bethany Joy Lenz). Trying to get the details right and making it a good script is a consuming job, but against the studio, she also wants a sad ending. What she doesn’t account for in her research of the re-write is finding herself on the set of the 1946 movie.
Once there, Lucy is swept into the world of this story she’s trying to reimagine. Most unexpected of all is a leading man (Kristoffer Polaha) who may change not just her writing, but her future.
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‘A BILTMORE CHRISTMAS’: HALLMARK MAKES UNIQUE PERIOD DRAMA. Review of the 2023 #KristofferPolaha #romance from #Hallmark. #HallmarkChristmasMovies #ChristmasMovie #Hallmarkies #BethanyJoyLenz Share on X
Over the years, Hallmark has produced a handful of period dramas across their lines. This includes The Magic of Ordinary Days from their Hall of Fame collection to A Holiday Spectacular, their musical extravaganza from last year. A Biltmore Christmas was rumored to be one of their productions early on. It then became something I was quite looking forward to seeing.
The film is all about charm and is, overall, a really lovely thing to sit down and watch if you like the genre. This is the first pairing of Bethany Joy Lenz and Kristoffer Polaha, and they do well together. There’s a fun energy between them that I suspect is in large part to due to the era, and Polaha having more “freedom” to play his character differently than a modern script would use him. There is one thing, story wise, I don’t love that ties into the sacrifice theme, but it doesn’t ruin the film.
This film is one that does meet expectations. Some may not enjoy it, which is fair, but the film is excellent and the production is beautiful, set at the Biltmore Estate. It’s just so charming and old fashioned; and perfectly romantic, even with a heroine who isn’t romantic. Plus, hardcore fans will love seeing yet another Hallmark Easter egg.
Easily one of my top favorites of the year, and something I would have put on my 5 Unique Christmas Movies list, A Biltmore Christmas is worth the wait, and an example of the unique the network can accomplish.
Photos: Hallmark Media /David Scott Holloway
Content: There’s nothing to note outside of the usual TV-G rating.
Watched this tonight and LOVED it!!! Hallmark (and GAC) have really upped their games this year and I’m here for it!
Right? I found some really good ones from this year’s lineup too! I think Hallmark does the 50s-era really well. They’re doing some 1800s period drama this winter too and while I’m not quite as pumped about that (I think they do this era better), I’ll still be watching some of them. :)