Genre: Drama

Starring:  Mickey Rooney, Scott Grimes, Gary Bayer, George Gaynes,

Description: Mickey Rooney plays Mike Halligan, a retired cop from Manhattan living in California with his family who decides to show his grandson, who has never seen snow before, what a real white Christmas in New York is like. But he dies from a sudden heart attack in which Halligan makes a deal with the Archangel of Heaven to return to Earth for a week until Christmas and show his grandson the seasonal glories of New York City.

How To Order: Buy It Now new and used from Amazon.com.

Heartwarming Christmas Classic This is one film that I wish was still aired during the holiday season. Mickey Rooney stars as Mike Halligan, a loveable, devoted grandfather to Scott Grimes who plays Robbie Westin. Robbie and Mike are extremely close and are looking forward to spending the holiday season together. When Mike suffers a fatal heart attack, Christmas joy suddenly turns to Christmas sorrow, devastating Mike's daughter (Robbie's mom), Robbie and the rest of the Westin family. As Mike arrives in Heaven (a very short montage), he asks for a second chance at life, because he has promised Robbie that they would go to New York for Christmas. An angel gives Mike an assignment that allows him to return to Earth, but for only a short time. Robbie accepts and welcomes Mike's second chance at life and Mike and Robbie take off for New York without the rest of Robbie's family knowing it, which sends the family into a confused, astonished dash for New York in search of their son. The real impact of the movie comes when Mike and Robbie arrive in New York. Annie Potts (Ghostbusters, Pretty in Pink, Designing Women) who plays Cindy Mills, a news reporter, sets out on assignment to find the true meaning of Christmas in New York, and is left empty-handed and wondering what has happened to Christmas. Mike and Robbie, in the triumphant conclusion, help her and many other New Yorkers re-discover the meaning of Christmas. The ending is quite a tear-jerker as Mike and Robbie are reunited with their family on Christmas Eve. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear is a family film. It sends that warm feeling through you that causes you to appreciate your family and the memories that come with each Christmas. Although this movie is not aired on television anymore (obviously because of it's family values), I still recommend that you search for it in the dusty holiday corner of your local video store. It really brings the holidays right to you, and may become a holiday viewing tradition. -courtesy amazon.com