This made-for-TV drama, based on the book by Earl Hamner Jr., was the basis for the popular long-running television series
The Waltons. In this opening installment, the Waltons, led by matriarch Olivia Walton (
Patricia Neal), spend an anxious 1933 Christmas Eve together as they await the arrival of their father during a snowstorm. The film won the Golden Globe Award for "Best TV-Movie" that year, and Neal won the "Best Actress" award for her performance. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide