Review of Olive, the Other Reindeer (1999) by Colette W — 15 Feb 2018

Kids who watch this film can never know how revolutionary it was. Every one of its dozens of innovations, from the progressive structure to the use of reindeer models for additional authenticity, has become all but standard. No problem -- there is time enough for them to study these aspects of Olive, The Other Reindeer's brilliance if they decide to learn more about film history and criticism. For their first viewing of this brilliant work (and for purposes of a family discussion about the spirit of Christmas), just let them focus on the story, the dialogue, and the characters, which remain as compelling and contemporary as they were more than 19 years ago.

Like Willie Stark in All the King's Men, Olive begins as a populist and triumphs as a champion of Santa, and we cannot help but hope for some explanation of how that happened, as her owner does. Both Olive and Stark were based on real-life figures. Olive was based largely but not completely on Rudolph Hearst, the almost impossibly wealthy heir to the largest milk and cookie mine owner in The North Pole, who became a powerful sled pulling machine. Olive might also have been based on Matt Groening himself, only 25 years old when he co-wrote, directed, and starred in this, his first Christmas film. He spent the rest of his life coming up with one excuse or another for why he never came close to that level of achievement again.