In this heartwarming made-for-television film, Connie and Will are each struggling to stay in business with their toy stores in New Britain. The Forrester Toys and DiNova Toys establishments have some baggage due to the respective fathers of Connie and Will, who couldn't get along.
But it is clear from the opening scene that Connie, a young widow, and Will, a young divorcee, will meet on the common ground of attempting to save their businesses. The villain in the film is a mean-spirited capitalist, Roy Barnes, who wants to open his own larger store and put his two young competitors out of business.
Although Connie and Will hijack a truck to intercept a large shipment of the popular Princess Alicia dolls for Christmas sales, they are, with the exception of that one unfortunate business practice, a decent and honest pair of entrepreneurs, in contrast to the unsavory Roy Barnes. Adam Smith's laissez-faire economics will be put on trial to see who will survive the cutthroat world of free-market capitalism.
The film has some subplots that are not perfectly connected to the main story. Joe runs a local restaurant and is interested romantically in Connie's mom, Pam. Francine, a waitress at Joe's diner is in love with Connie's brother Randy. To get his attention, she becomes a compulsive shoplifter. And Will takes time to help Connie's young son in building his sled for the winter race. But the various plot strands converge on the budding romance of Connie and Will.
The film is nicely photographed and scored with the goal of evoking a charming Currier and Ives painting. Connie and Will may start out as rivals. But, it becomes clear that their shared love of hard work will bring them together. The delicious pecan (pronounced in the film as PEEK-on) pies of Joe's diner will serve as the icing on the cake for a Christmas romance in New Britain.
But it is clear from the opening scene that Connie, a young widow, and Will, a young divorcee, will meet on the common ground of attempting to save their businesses. The villain in the film is a mean-spirited capitalist, Roy Barnes, who wants to open his own larger store and put his two young competitors out of business.
Although Connie and Will hijack a truck to intercept a large shipment of the popular Princess Alicia dolls for Christmas sales, they are, with the exception of that one unfortunate business practice, a decent and honest pair of entrepreneurs, in contrast to the unsavory Roy Barnes. Adam Smith's laissez-faire economics will be put on trial to see who will survive the cutthroat world of free-market capitalism.
The film has some subplots that are not perfectly connected to the main story. Joe runs a local restaurant and is interested romantically in Connie's mom, Pam. Francine, a waitress at Joe's diner is in love with Connie's brother Randy. To get his attention, she becomes a compulsive shoplifter. And Will takes time to help Connie's young son in building his sled for the winter race. But the various plot strands converge on the budding romance of Connie and Will.
The film is nicely photographed and scored with the goal of evoking a charming Currier and Ives painting. Connie and Will may start out as rivals. But, it becomes clear that their shared love of hard work will bring them together. The delicious pecan (pronounced in the film as PEEK-on) pies of Joe's diner will serve as the icing on the cake for a Christmas romance in New Britain.