In the previous “Practicing Catholic” episode Dec. 6, Zach Jansen, the digital content producer for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, explored Christian themes in the holiday movie “Planes, Trains and Automobiles.” For the program airing at 9 p.m. Dec. 13, Jansen explored the Christian themes of the Christmas movie “Elf”.
Jansen told “Practicing Catholic” host Patrick Conley on the program on Relevant Radio 1330 AM, “I think people should watch ‘Elf’ because it’s a movie that brings people together. It shows that you can find relationships in the strangest of places and people that you don’t know and people that you’re connected to that you’re unfamiliar with. You can go home again and reconnect with people and you can bring joy to those people who may not think that they deserve joy anymore.”
The casting of James Caan — who portrayed hardened gangster Sonny Corleone in “the Godfather” — as Buddy’s father sells this idea, Jansen said. Throughout Caan’s career, he’s displayed a tough guy persona.
“You get that great juxtaposition of the old Hollywood of James Caan and this naivete that Will Ferrell really does bring to every role,” Jansen said. “In his more adult comedies of ‘Old School’ and ‘Anchorman,’ he brings this buffoonish-ness. But when you water that down and you get rid of all the adult humor, you get Buddy the elf. It becomes naive and it becomes more touching and more relatable, I think. That’s what it’s like to be innocent, to be a child, to experience everything new. And when you see that cynicism, you’re like, ‘Okay, what can I do? Why is there that cynicism?’”
In the context of the movie’s plot, Santa Claus really exists. However, toward the end of the film on Christmas Eve night, Santa—played by Edward Asner, known in part for his role in the TV show “Mary Tyler Moore” — experiences a problem delivering presents: not enough people believe.
“He needs people to believe,” Jansen said. “You can’t see it. You just have to feel it, you have to know that it’s there without having that proof. That carries a lot of weight … especially as Catholics and Christians because we don’t really nowadays get a lot of proof of Jesus, of God in our lives in a physical, tangible way. We get these moments maybe or these feelings or a passing glance. Santa Claus is almost analogous to God … or a Jesus presence where you just have to know that he’s there. … Even if you don’t ever see him, he’s always there.”
To hear more from Jansen about the themes in the Christmas movie “Elf” tune into “Practicing Catholic,” which repeats at 1 p.m. Dec. 14 and 2 p.m. Dec. 15.
The program also includes a discussion with Angie Burnes, a parishioner of St. Patrick in Oak Grove, who shared her experience at the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis. Also, the program includes a rerun of a “Practicing Catholic” episode featuring Kendra Tierney on living liturgically during the Advent season.
Produced by Relevant Radio and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the program can also be heard after it has aired at archspm.org/faith-and-discipleship/practicing-catholic or choose a streaming platform at Spotify for Podcasters.
