Klaus
by Robbo
Posted on 1 December 2021
Rating -
Klaus is a 2019 English-language Spanish animated Christmas film written and directed by Sergio Pablos in his directorial debut, produced by his company Sergio Pablos Animation Studios and distributed by Netflix.
Jesper (Schwartzman) is a lazy, spoiled son of the Royal Postmaster General who used his influence to enrol Jesper into the postman training academy.
Jesper deliberately underperforms thinking he will be thrown out and sent back to his life of luxury, but instead he is posted to the distant town of Smeerensburg with the task of posting six-thousand letters within a year. If he succeeds he will be able to return home, however if he fails he will be cut off from his families fortune.
On arrival at Smeerensburg he finds that the town’s two familial clans—the Ellingboes and the Krums—comprise nearly all of the populace and are perpetually at war, spending more time fighting each other than writing letters.
He meets bitter teacher-turned-fishmonger Alva (Jones) who was forced to close the school as the clans refused to allow their children to mix there, and is trying to earn enough money to leave.
While desperately searching for people to post letters, Jesper finds an isolated dwelling outside of the town where he meets a reclusive woodsman named Klaus (Simmons), who has a house filled with handmade toys. Terrified by Klaus’ imposing appearance, Jesper flees and leaves behind a sad drawing he had found from one of Smeerensburg’s Krum children. Klaus forces Jesper to lead him to the house depicted in the drawing, and then makes Jesper secretly deliver a toy to the boy inside.
Word of this event spreads to other children and they go to Jesper the next day, each believing that they will receive a toy if they send him a letter. Jesper capitalizes on the idea, and asks Klaus if he can donate his toys; Klaus agrees provided that they operate at night, and that Jesper continues to deliver the toys in secret.
This single act of kindness leads to others which leads to townspeople to end their feud which transforms the whole town.
Many of the children are illiterate which leads them to beg Alva to re-open the school and teach them how to write so they can compose a letter to Klaus.
As Christmas approaches, Jesper proposes that he and Klaus deliver toys to every child in town.
Unhappy with the current status quo, some of the clan elders conspire to get rid of Jesper by sending 14,000 letters and exceeding his target. This promts Jesper’s father to travel to Smeerensburg to collect Jesper and return him home, inadvertently revealing to his friends his selfish reasons for the good deeds.
Just as they were about to leave, Jesper reveals his true feelings to his father who allows him to stay.
As Netflix’s first foray into animation it is better than I expected.
Klaus is a charming, animated re-imagining of the origin of Santa Claus which has a beautiful hand drawn look.
It may not appeal to everyone, and may not become a Christmas staple, but it is a lovely story which I will admit made a grown man cry.
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