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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Cut Into Your Plans To See ‘Christmas Tree’

Faye Zuckerman New York Times S

Sally Field’s acting is rooted in playing a nun. (You remember “The Flying Nun,” 1967-70.)

It seems fitting that her directorial debut be a movie about sisters who live in a convent.

Field makes the characters in ABC’s “The Christmas Tree” (Sunday at 9) come to life with personality, style and flair.

You’ll like this movie because the star of the modern holiday tale, based on Julie Salamon’s novel, is a stately Norwegian spruce. The tree is spotted by landscape architect Richard Reilly (Andrew McCarthy), who wants it to become the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center.

The tree resides on a dairy farm owned and operated by nuns. Sister Anthony (Julie Harris), a lover of plants, stands in his way of obtaining the tree.

She has affectionately dubbed this special spruce “tree,” and to her it’s a living symbol of nurturing, friendship and life. She’s not about to let it become “an international symbol of Christmas.”

This movie becomes much more than a tug-of-war over a tree. Sister Anthony and Reilly forge a tentative friendship in which their differences unlock hidden truths about themselves.

There’s lots to learn in this yuletide tale that tries hard to avoid laying on holiday schmaltz too thickly.

Have some hankies ready, however. It’s hard to believe that you will shed some tears over a tree, but you just might.

Highlights

“It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946), NBC tonight at 8: Back again for the third year in a row (and on its 50th anniversary) is a resurrected version of Frank Capra’s most beloved sentimental classic. Gather up the family.

The network plans to show the film, starring James Stewart, Donna Reed and Lionel Barrymore, in black and white.

By the way, that’s Henry Travers portraying the bumbling angel. He’s dispatched to Earth to give George Bailey (Stewart) a look at what life would have been like for George’s loved ones if he’d never been born.

“Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman,” CBS tonight at 8: Christmastime takes a tragic turn when the Rev. Johnson (Geoffrey Lower) is suddenly blinded. Dr. Quinn is unable to cure the reverend, and she faces her own demons about the spirit of the season in a tense holiday episode.

“Relativity,” ABC tonight at 10: Religious beliefs clash in this hour about Leo’s Jewish family spending Christmas with Isabel’s WASPy relatives. It seems only a miracle can spare Isabel and Leo, and this intelligent and highly sensitive show comes up with an unexpected way to make things work out for the best.

“Look Who’s Talking Now” (1993), ABC Sunday at 7: The talking never stops in this less-than-funny second sequel to “Look Who’s Talking.” In this one, the dogs (Danny DeVito and Diane Keaton) talk. John Travolta and Kirstie Alley star.

“The Simpsons,” FOX Sunday at 8: Back for another go is the episode about Bart shoplifting. He steals a new video game because of his fear he won’t receive it on Dec. 25. Marge strikes back in this cautionary holiday repeat.

“Timepiece” (1996), CBS Sunday at 9: This yuletide yarn is the prequel to last season’s popular “The Christmas Box,” also based on Richard Paul Evans’ novel. Essentially it’s a lengthy flashback as former workaholic dad Richard Evans (Richard Thomas) recalls how Mary (Naomi Watts) and David Parkin (Kevin Kilner) fell in love.

The movie, which promises “quite a love story,” returns to the 1940s but never delivers on its promise of romance. David and Mary’s tale is soapy, sad and full of suds.

There’s tragedy, death, racism and a murder charge.

James Earl Jones plays a clock lover, who repairs timepieces for a living. He brings some magical moments to the long, drawn-out movie but, like the timepieces his clients bring him, this film needs adjusting.

Cable Calls

“Sabrina” (1995), HBO tonight at 8: Julia Ormond plays a chauffeur’s daughter who is romanced by two brothers (Harrison Ford and Greg Kinnear in his big-screen debut) in this remake of the 1954 Audrey Hepburn-Humphrey Bogart film. The original is better. (Go rent it.)

“How Do You Spell God?,” HBO Sunday at 7:30: This whimsical half-hour mixes interviews with kids from all over the world with animated tales, poems and parables by A.A. Milne, Isaac Bashevis Singer and Maya Angelou.

The interview segments are a hoot with young folks offering some mixed-up and thoughtful comments about God, life, illness and the unexplained.

Movie Marquee

“Honey, I Blew Up the Kid” (1992), ABC tonight at 8: This follow-up to 1989’s “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” has the absent-minded scientist (Rick Moranis) enlarging his toddler to giant proportions. Repeat.

“Sister Act” (1992), NBC Sunday at 9: Whoopi Goldberg is a blast as a lounge singer on the run after witnessing a murder. Hiding out in a convent and posing as a nun, she finds a new life - and rescues a failing urban parish. It’s predictable as hell but an altogether heavenly film. Repeat.

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Faye Zuckerman New York Times Syndicate