Movie Review: Santa and the Three Bears

Santa and the Three Bears 

Ellman Film Enterprises, Key Industries Ltd., Pirate's World, Tony Benedict Productions, USA, 1970. 

Part of Mill Creek's Family Holiday 20 Film Collection.

Mr. Ranger (Hal Smith) goes to see family of talking bears before they go to have their winter sleep. Cubs Chinook (Bobby Riha) and Nikomi (Chris Gilmore) want to play in the snow and see Mr. Ranger cutting a Christmas tree. They want to celebrate Christmas but mother bear Nana (voiced by Wilma Flintstone, Jean Vander Pyl) wants to sleep. Maybe if they meet Santa, the kids will go to sleep. Nana gets an idea that backfires. Is the Christmas spirit lost for the cubs?

Mr. Ranger

Chinook and Nikomi

Nana

Sweet-natured Christmas special has a relaxingly unhurried pace. The warmth and coziness have made this a childhood favourite for many. Tony Benedict worked for Hanna-Barbera so the style of animation is familiar and nostalgic. Mill Creek's version runs 46 minutes. Originally the film version was longer with some live-action sequences, but those versions seem to be rare.

Santa

Relaxing evening

Rating:Good

Voice actors: Hal Smith , Jean Vander Pyl, Chris Gilmore (as Annette Ferra), Bobby Riha
Directors: Tony Benedict, Barry Mahon