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Jingle All The Way (Exclusive Series)

  • Writer: Matt Palmer
    Matt Palmer
  • Dec 19, 2022
  • 2 min read

Initial release sate: November 22, 1996


Studios: 20th Century Fox/1492 Pictures/Fox Family Films


Tagline: Two Dads, One Toy, No Prisoners


Plot: Workaholic Howard Langston wants to make things up to his son, Jamie, and his wife, Liz. He promises to get Jamie the hottest toy of the season, Turbo Man - even though it's Christmas Eve and the toy is practically sold out. As Langston hunts down the elusive gift, he runs into mailman Myron, another father on the same quest. With the clock winding down, Langston's moral code is tested as he starts to learn the real meaning of Christmas.


Cast

Arnold Schwarzenegger - Howard Langston

Sinbad - Myron Larabee

Phil Hartman - Ted Maltin

Rita Wilson - Liz Langston

Robert Conrad - Officer Hummell

Martin Mull - DJ

Jake Lloyd - Jamie Langston

Jim Belushi - Mall Santa


Writer: Randy Kornfield (Eight Legged Freaks)


Director: Brian Levant (The Spy Next Door; A Christmas Story 2 - not the HBO Max sequel)


Rated PG for action violence, mild language, and some thematic elements (89 minutes)


The 1996 holiday comedy 'Jingle All The Way' is a hilarious little movie that I'm sure a lot of families will really enjoy watching together. I have seen this many times over the years and even still have the original VHS copy of the movie (remember VHS?).

It does feature quite a few silly moments yet silly moments can also be quite humorous. Schwarzenegger and Sinbad work really well in their scenes together and Sinbad is funny in mostly everything he appears in.

Parents can probably relate to their characters in this movie since they have likely done some very last minute shopping for a hot, popular toy for the kiddos on Christmas Eve. But, probably not to the extreme that the two lead characters went through (at least I hope not lol).

So, if you're looking for some silly holiday fun, make sure to check out 'Jingle All The Way'. I will also be checking out the DVD sequel starring Larry the Cable Guy that was released a few years ago that I never knew existed!!


Here are a few fun tidbits for 'Jingle All The Way':

  • The world premiere was held on November 16, 1996 at the Mall of America in Bloomington where parts of the movie were shot. A day of events was held to celebrate the release and Schwarzenegger donated memorabilia.

  • Sinbad improvised the majority of his lines. Schwarzenegger also improvised many of his responses in his conversations with him.

  • The story is based on the 1980s shopping frenzy over the Cabbage Patch dolls. However, it ended up perfectly mimicking the Tickle Me Elmo craze of Christmas 1996.

  • In contrast to their characters, both Rita Wilson and Schwarzenegger got along very well with Phil Hartman off camera. They found him to be very warm and friendly, and considered him a delight to work with.

  • 20th Century Fox offered Schwarzenegger the project after development on a potential 'Planet of the Apes' remake, which had been a longtime pet project for the actor, fell apart.

  • Opening on November 22, 1996, 'Jingle All The Way' made $12.1 million in its first weekend, opening at No. 4 behind 'Space Jam,' 'Star Trek: Contact' and 'Ransom'; it went on to gross $129 million worldwide ($60.5 million domestic).

  • Over eighteen years after the movie's release, a stand alone sequel was released in December 2014.






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