Christmas Movie Magic by Melinda Rucker Haynes

Long ago and far away at the famous Pinewood Studios in England, my six-year-old son, Gregory, won a part as a "flying boy" in Santa Claus: The Movie. I was also hired has his chaperone or wrangler in movie-making terms. I was surprised that my son taken himself into the auditions held at his American School outside of London. When I asked why, he said he thought it would be fun. Me, too. And easy, since from the time he was four-years-old, my darling little redhead modeled for Seattle department stores and took direction really well. What he didn’t tell me was that he thought he was going to meet Santa Claus on the movie set.

In the movie, a runaway elf created magic lollipops from the sparkling dust that made Santa’s reindeer fly. Children who ate the lollies flew, too. Before we started rehearsal, Gregory had to take lessons with the famous flying unit that had done the Superman movies. We were both excited when they strapped him in the harness, attached the wires at either side of his waist, and the stagehands hoisted him.  His little body instantly zipped up fifteen feet in the air and tumbled head over toes, round and round. When they lowered him to the floor, the screaming stopped. Despite the flying unit’s adjustments and coaching, Greg proved to be too small to find his center and not spin on the wires but he wanted to keep trying. Of course, I discovered later that he believed he had to fly in order to meet Santa Claus.

Instead of torturing the boy further, the flying unit decided to lay Greg on his stomach at the end of an extending rod on a snorkel lift.  And with Christmas movie magic, he flew into a kitchen where he snagged a cookie from the jar his movie mother put on top of a cabinet and waved. After several takes, the director placed me on the floor at the movie mom’s feet where I wouldn’t be in the shot and could coach my flying boy. It was his real mom the flying boy waved at. Personally, we believe it’s the best scene in the movie. If you see Santa Claus: The Movie this Christmas, be sure to watch for the darling redheaded boy flying into the kitchen to steal a cookie, but who never got to meet the jolly old elf the movie was named for. He was filming on a different soundstage at Pinewood Studios.

Happy Christmas to All!

Mmmmmelinda

MelindaRuckerHaynes.com
Author of Award-Winning Paranormal and Romantic Suspense

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