''To Grandmother's House We Go'' is a 1992

made-for-television A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie, telefilm, telemovie or TV film/movie, is a film with a running time similar to a feature film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a Terrestr ...

Christmas film Many Christmas stories have been adapted to feature films and TV specials, and have been broadcast and repeated many times on television. Since the popularization of home video in the 1980s, these films are sold and re-sold every year during th ...

directed by Jeff Franklin and starring

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Fuller Olsen (born June 13, 1986), also known as the Olsen twins, are American fashion designers and former actresses. Mary-Kate Olsen, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Ashley made their acting debut as infants playing Mi ...

. The film's title comes from a part of one of the first lines of

Lydia Maria Child Lydia Maria Child ( Francis; February 11, 1802October 20, 1880) was an American Abolitionism in the United States, abolitionist, women's rights activist, Native Americans in the United States, Native American rights activist, novelist, journalis ...

's Thanksgiving song " Over the River and Through the Wood". It debuted on ABC as a star vehicle for the Olsens, who were starring in Franklin's ''

Full House ''Full House'' is an American television sitcom created by Jeff Franklin for American Broadcasting Company, ABC. The show is about the recently widowed father Danny Tanner who enlists his brother-in-law Jesse Katsopolis and childhood best friend ...

'' at the time, and marked their first appearance as separate characters.

Plot

6-year-old twins Sarah and Julie ( Mary-Kate Olsen and

Ashley Olsen Ashley Fuller Olsen (born June 13, 1986) is an American businesswoman, fashion designer and former actress. She began her acting career at the age of nine months, sharing the role of Michelle Tanner with her twin sister Mary-Kate Olsen in the ...

) are sweet but naughty, to the frustration of their

single mother A single parent is a person who has a child or children but does not have a spouse or live-in partner to assist in the upbringing or support of the child. Reasons for becoming a single parent include death, divorce, break-up, abandonment, bec ...

, Rhonda ( Cynthia Geary). After overhearing her say she needs a break from them, they decide to run away to great-grandmother's house in Edgemont for Christmas. The girls sneak onto a city bus, but learn that it only goes downtown, and that Edgemont is three hours away. After getting off the bus downtown, Sarah and Julie spot Eddie ( J. Eddie Peck), a delivery man who has a crush on their mom and a love for cowboys. They sneak into the back of his truck for a ride, but are quickly discovered. Although Eddie generally dislikes children, he warms up to the charming girls over time, eventually buying a lottery ticket with the girls' birthdate for the numbers. Meanwhile, their babysitter has noticed the girls are missing and informs Rhonda, who rushes home and calls the police. Eddie calls and explains that he has the girls, promising to bring them back at the end of the day. Eddie drives the girls home, but the truck is stolen with the girls inside before they can be reunited with their mother. When the thieves, Harvey and Shirley (

Jerry Van Dyke Jerry McCord Van Dyke (July 27, 1931 – January 5, 2018) was an American actor and comedian. He was the younger brother of Dick Van Dyke. Van Dyke had a long and successful career mostly as a character actor in supporting and guest roles on pop ...

and

Rhea Perlman Rhea Jo Perlman (born March 31, 1948) is an American actress and author. She is well-known for playing head waitress Carla Tortelli in the sitcom ''Cheers'' (1982–1993). Over the course of eleven seasons, Perlman was nominated for ten Emmy Awar ...

), discover the girls, they decide they can make some money by holding them for ransom. They convince the girls they are taking them to their grandmother's house, so they will cooperate. Shirley calls Rhonda and asks for $10,000 in cash. She says they will make the trade at the ice rink in Edgemont, and that Rhonda is to wear a red hat. Meanwhile, Harvey has begun to like the girls. Eddie and Rhonda reluctantly raise the ransom money by pawning the contents of packages which Eddie is supposed to be delivering. Staff at the pawnshops become suspicious and alert the police. Believing they are known criminals Harvey and Shirley, Detective Gremp (

Stuart Margolin Stuart Margolin (January 31, 1940 – December 12, 2022) was an American actor, director, and screenwriter of film and television. He was known for playing con artist Evelyn "Angel" Martin on the 1970s television series '' The Rockford Files'', ...

) writes out a warrant for their arrest. Everyone makes it to the skating rink in Edgemont, although tensions are rising between both couples. When Harvey reveals that they are not going to their grandmother's house, the twins run off. They encounter the park's

Santa Claus Santa Claus (also known as Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle or Santa) is a legendary figure originating in Western Christian culture who is said to bring gifts during the late evening and overnight hours on Chris ...

, who has two horses and carriage made up to look like reindeers and Santa's sleigh. The twins race off in the carriage, still trying to reach their grandmother's house. The horses gallop towards a steep ravine, and Eddie is forced to use his cowboy skills to rescue the girls. Unbeknownst to Eddie and the girls, they have actually stopped right outside the home of the girls' great-grandmother, Mimi (

Florence Paterson Florence Paterson (November 3, 1927 – July 23, 1995) was a Canadian actress. Early life The daughter of machinist and politician George Nightingale and Violet Noseworthy, she was born in St. John's, Newfoundland and was educated there. ...

). Just as everything settles down, Detective Gremp and one of his officials arrives to arrest Eddie and Rhonda, still believing they are the thieves. Although Shirley tries to take the opportunity to flee, Harvey feels bad and confesses everything, and they are arrested. Gremp agrees to bring Eddie, Rhonda and the girls back to the city with him, so Eddie can be back in time to be able to have a chance at winning the lottery with the ticket he bought. He promises to split what he wins between Rhonda and the girls, and has the girls spin the prize wheel for him. He ends up winning the jackpot. Afterward, they give all the people their parcels back, and everybody is happy spending Christmas together.

Cast

as Julie Thompson * Mary-Kate Olsen as Sarah Thompson * Cynthia Geary as Rhonda Thompson, Sarah and Julie's divorced mother * J. Eddie Peck as Eddie Popko, a package delivery man who has a crush on Rhonda *

as Harvey, one of the FPD Bandits *

as Shirley, one of the FPD Bandits *

as Det. Gremp *

as Great Grandma Mimi * Venus Terzo as Stacey, the babysitter * Andrew Wheeler as Policeman * Rick Poltaruk as Santa * Walter Marsh as Crotchety Man * Bob Saget as Win-O-Lotto Lottery Host *

Lori Loughlin Lori Anne Loughlin (; born July 28, 1964) is an American actress. From 1988 to 1995, she played List of Full House and Fuller House characters#Rebecca Donaldson Katsopolis, Rebecca Donaldson Katsopolis on the American Broadcasting Company, ABC ...

as Win-O-Lotto Lottery Hostess * Lorena Gale as Waitress Andrea Barber and Candace Cameron cameo as audience members.

Production

''To Grandmother's House We Go'' was filmed in

Vancouver Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...

British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

. The production company visited Vancouver in March 1992 to scout locations for the film. Filming was set to begin in May 1992. While filming, the twins has Adria Later as their on-set acting and dialogue coach. ''To Grandmother's House We Go'' marked the first time the Olsen's had to memorize dialogue, on ''

'' the would just be fed the lines. The carnival scenes were filmed in Edgemont Village, a neighborhood in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It debuted in the United States on December 6, 1992.

References

External links

* {{IMDb title, 0105606 1990s Christmas films 1992 films 1992 children's films 1992 television films American Christmas films American television films Christmas television films Fiction about twins Films about child abduction in the United States Films about twin sisters Films shot in Vancouver

Plot

Cast

Production

See also

References

External links