Zoooma A Hallmark Hall of Fame production so the quality is definitely above and beyond a normal made-for-Hallmark Channel movie. Released about twice a year to American television, these are usually pretty good movies which would sometimes be able to compete in the theaters. Anne Heche and Tate Donovan were both very good in the lead roles. The story is mostly about a runaway teen but there's surely a nice Christmasy feel here. Other Hallmark Hall of Fame productions have a way of really tugging at the heartstrings but this falls a bit short of that. Still a nice little movie for Christmastime.--A Kat Pirate Screener

danielwesthoff511 I enjoy all the Hallmark Holiday films, however, "Silver Bells," was one of the better ones. A simple enough story that we can all relate with, Tate Donovan plays Christy Byrne a widower, who goes to New York a month before Christmas to hawk his Christmas trees every year, and he brings his two children Danny (played excellently by Michael Mitchell) and Bridget (Courtney Jines).Problem is, Danny doesn't want to miss school, or take over his father's business as Donovan's Christy wants for him. He wants to go to college to be a photographer. And, one year, during this Christmas hiatus after an argument with his father about his life and future, Danny runs away in the big city.The bulk of the story takes place the next Christmas. Christy has been looking for his son the past year - wants to reunite and make amends. However, unbeknownst to him, Danny is not only surviving, but thriving int he big city, and is being harbored and helped by Catherine O'Mara (one of Anne Heche's most likable roles!).The story gets more involved when Christy and Catherine begin a potential relationship, and Catherine has to come clean to Christy about his boy. It's a wonderful and intelligent holiday film and I really enjoyed it.8 STARS for this film. And, like all Hallmark movies, you can purchase this on DVD at most Hallmark stores. That's how I bought my copy of the DVD after watching it on T.V.

whpratt1 Hallmark presented their typical Holiday story that involved a young teenage boy who was very confused and trying to find himself in this big world. He lost his mother and his father did his very best to guide his son, however, there was a conflict between the father and son and he simply took off to the Big Apple and disappeared while the father was selling his Christmas Trees in Manhattan. Ann Heche appears in the film and helps the young runaway establish himself with at least a place to sleep and earn a few bucks. As I was watching this TV film, I began to wonder about the Silver Bells and found this story typical for the Holiday Season, too Sweet for me.

lavatch "Silver Bells" was billed as the 225th presentation in the Hallmark Hall of Fame made-for-television film series. Sadly, this effort was not among the strongest of their offerings.The likable cast included Anne Heche and Tate Donovan, whose characters were a widow and widower, and who inevitably became the central romantic couple. Unfortunately, the plot focused on a teenager runaway problem, as opposed to joys of the holidays, which should have been the film's central preoccupation. As played by Donovan, the young runaway's father was a hard-working Christmas-tree dealer and decent man, and it made no sense that the boy would take to the streets of New York City following an argument with his father. The runaway story bogged down the film as a lugubrious, mechanical plot device. The film should have celebrated the holidays with more joy in the lives of the characters. The most heart-warming scenes were the ice-skating sequence and the singing of the children in the church choir. The son Danny (Michael Mitchell) was an aspiring photographer. The film should have been about the photos, the great New York scenery, and the young man's love of photography, not the maudlin, melodramatic, and ultimately unconvincing story of a runaway.