Jingle All the Way is a 1996 American Christmas comedy film directed by Brian Levant. The film stars Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sinbad as Howard Langston and Myron Larabee, two rival fathers living in Minneapolis desperately trying to purchase the popular Turbo Man action figure for their respective sons on a last-minute shopping spree on Christmas Eve. The film's title is borrowed from the lyrics of the popular Christmas song "Jingle Bells".
The film was written by Randy Kornfield. Producer Chris Columbus rewrote the script, adding in elements of satire about the commercialization of Christmas, and the project was picked up by 20th Century Fox. Delays to Fox's reboot of Planet of the Apes allowed Schwarzenegger to come on board the film, while Columbus opted to cast Sinbad instead of Joe Pesci as Myron. Jingle All the Way was set and filmed in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul at a variety of locations, including the Mall of America. After five weeks of filming, production moved to California, where scenes such as the end parade were shot. The film's swift production meant merchandising was limited to a replica of the Turbo Man action figure used in the film.
Upon release, Jingle All the Way grossed $129.8 million but received generally negative reviews from critics for its uneven tone. In 2001, Fox was ordered to pay $19 million to Murray Hill Publishing for stealing the idea for the film; the verdict was overturned three years later. Jingle All the Way is the third and final collaboration between Sinbad and Phil Hartman after Coneheads (1993) and Houseguest (1995), and the last film featuring Hartman to be released during his lifetime before he was murdered in 1998. In 2014, the film was followed by a sequel in name only, Jingle All the Way 2, starring Larry the Cable Guy.
Plot
In Minneapolis, workaholic mattress salesman Howard Langston loves his wife Liz, and nine-year-old son Jamie, but rarely finds time for them. He is often put in a bad light by his neighbor, divorcé Ted Maltin, who harbors unrequited feelings for Liz. Howard misses Jamie's karate class graduation, due to being pulled over by Officer Hummel.
Howard resolves to redeem himself by fulfilling Jamie's Christmas wish for a Turbo Man action figure based on the popular television superhero. Liz in fact asked him to buy the toy two weeks earlier, which he forgot about. On Christmas Eve, Howard sets out to buy the toy but finds that every store has sold out. In the process he develops a rivalry with Myron Larabee, a postal worker father with the same goal.
In desperation, Howard attempts to buy a figure from a counterfeit ring run by con artists dressed in Santa suits, which results in a massive fight in the warehouse, broken up by the police. He narrowly escapes arrest by posing as an undercover officer. Exhausted at his failure and out of fuel, Howard goes to Mickey's Diner and calls home, intending to tell Liz the truth.
Jamie answers the phone but keeps reminding Howard of his promise to be home on time for the annual Holiday Wintertainment Parade. Losing his patience, he yells at his son. When Howard tries to apologize, Jamie scolds him for not keeping his promises, causing him to feel guilty. Howard then has coffee and bumps into Myron once more. During a discussion of what Christmas was like to them when they were kids, they overhear radio station KQRS-FM advertising a competition for a Turbo Man doll where the first caller has to name all of Santa Claus' reindeer. Howard and Myron both know the answer, and the two fight over the phone which gets disconnected. When the waiter tells them that the radio station is right nearby, the two of them race out of the diner and head to the station. Myron throws mail at Howard to distract him but to no avail. Howard manages to get to the station first, and when the DJ is about to play a song ("Jingle Bell Rock" by Bobby Helms), he tries to break into the studio which leads to the DJ calling the police. Howard manages to make his way into the studio and tells the DJ the correct answer. Myron shows up and threatens Howard with a package, which he claims is a bomb, but when Howard opens the package, it's a music box playing Christmas music. The DJ tells them about the contest and Howard is declared the winner. When they ask the DJ if he has the Turbo Man doll, he gives Howard his prize which is actually a Turbo Man gift certificate; he had said on the radio that the winner would get the doll sometime after Christmas when the stores were able to start selling them again. The police arrive, but Howard and Myron escape after Myron threatens the officers by pretending one of his packages is a bomb. However, when Officer Hummel opens the package, it actually explodes, much to Howard and Myron's shock.
Upon returning home, Howard finds Ted putting the star on his family's Christmas tree. In retaliation, he starts to steal the Turbo Man doll Ted bought for his son Johnny but cannot bring himself to do it. Liz catches him in the act, and Howard is left alone while his family goes to the Christmas parade with Ted and Johnny.
After dropping off Jamie and Johnny, Ted attempts to seduce Liz, but she rejects him. Meanwhile, remembering his promise to Jamie to go to the parade, Howard decides to attend as well, but runs into Officer Hummell again. The resulting chase leads to Howard hiding inside a storage room, where he is mistaken for the actor portraying Turbo Man.
As Turbo Man, Howard uses his chance to present the special edition action figure to Jamie. However, they are confronted by Myron dressed as Turbo Man's archenemy, Dementor. Despite Howard's pleas for Myron to stop, another chase ensues, during which Myron grabs the toy from Jamie but is cornered by the police, while Howard rescues Jamie.
Howard reveals himself to his family and apologizes for his shortcomings. Officer Hummell returns the toy to Jamie, who decides to give the toy to Myron for his son. The entire parade then praises Howard as his son admits his performance as Turbo Man was the best present he could get.
In a post-credits scene, Liz, admiring the lengths that Howard went to for Jamie's gift, asks Howard what he got her for Christmas, and Howard realizes in horror that he completely forgot to buy her a gift.
Cast
Production
Development
The film draws inspiration from the high demand for Christmas toys such as the Cabbage Patch Kids and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers in the late 1980s and early 1990s, which often led to intense searching and occasional violence among shoppers, such as the Cabbage Patch riots, over finding the toys. Randy Kornfield wrote the film's original screenplay after witnessing his in-laws go to a Santa Monica toy store at dawn in order to get his son a Power Ranger. While admitting to missing the clamor for the Cabbage Patch Kids and Power Rangers, producer Chris Columbus experienced a similar situation in 1995 when he attempted to obtain a Buzz Lightyear action figure from the film Toy Story, released that year. As a result, he rewrote Kornfield's script, which was accepted by 20th Century Fox. Columbus was always "attracted to the dark side of the happiest holiday of the year", so wrote elements of the film as a satire of the commercialization of Christmas.
Brian Levant was hired to direct the film. Columbus said Levant "underst[ood] the humor in the material" and "was very animated and excited, and he had a vision of what he wanted to do". Levant said "The story that was important to me was between the father and son... It's a story about love, and a father's journey to deliver it in the form of a Turbo Man doll. The fact that I got to design a toy line and do the commercials and make pajamas and comic books was fun for me as a filmmaker. But at its root, the movie's about something really sweet. It's about love and building a better family. I think that's consistent with everything I've done."
Arnold Schwarzenegger was quickly cast. He became available in February 1996 after Fox's remake of Planet of the Apes was held up again; Columbus also exited that project to work on Jingle All the Way. The film marks Schwarzenegger's fourth appearance as the lead in a comedy film, following Twins (1988), Kindergarten Cop (1990) and Junior (1994). Schwarzenegger was paid a reported $20 million for the role. He enjoyed the film, having experienced last-minute Christmas shopping himself, and was attracted to playing an "ordinary" character in a family film. Columbus initially wanted Joe Pesci to play Myron. Comedian Sinbad was chosen instead, partly due to his similar height and size to Schwarzenegger. Sinbad was suggested for the part by Schwarzenegger's agent, but the producers felt he was unsuited to the role of a villain as it could harm his clean, family-oriented comedy act and reputation, although Sinbad felt the character would generate the audience's sympathy rather than hate. Furthermore, he missed the audition due to his appearance with First Lady Hillary Clinton and musician Sheryl Crow on the USO tour of Bosnia and Herzegovina, but Columbus waited for him to return to allow him to audition and, although Sinbad felt he had "messed" it up, he was given the part. He improvised the majority of his lines in the film; Schwarzenegger also improvised many of his responses in his conversations with Sinbad's character.
Filming Filming took place in Minnesota for five weeks from April 15, 1996; at the time, it was the largest film production to ever take place in the state. Jingle All the Way was set and filmed in the Twin Cities metropolitan area of Minnesota at locations such as Bloomington's Mall of America, Mickey's Diner, downtown Minneapolis, Linden Hills, residential areas of Edina and primarily downtown Saint Paul. Unused shops in the Seventh place Mall area were redecorated to resemble Christmas decorated stores, while the Energy Park Studios were used for much of the filming and the Christmas lights stayed up at Rice Park for use in the film. The Mall of America and the state's "semi-wintry weather" proved attractive for the studio. Although Schwarzenegger stated that the locals were "well-behaved" and "cooperative", Levant often found filming "impossible" due to the scale and noise of the crowds who came to watch production, especially in the Mall of America, but overall found the locals to be "respectful" and "lovely people." Levant spent several months in the area before filming in order to prepare. The film uses artistic license by treating Minneapolis and Saint Paul as one city, as this was logistically easier; the police are labeled "Twin Cities Police" in the film. Additionally, the city's Holidazzle Parade is renamed the Wintertainment Parade and takes place on 2nd Avenue during the day, rather than Nicollet Mall at night. Levant wanted to film the parade at night but was overruled for practical reasons.