‘Family,’ ‘Santa’ Touch Heart in Different Ways

In tonight’s well-acted but unsubtle USA movie, “An Unexpected Family,” the message is paramount: Children who are the victims of parental abuse and neglect should have a voice in legal decisions regarding their fate.

Stockard Channing stars as Barbara, a successful career woman, single, emotionally guarded, childless by choice. Her life changes when she’s saddled with 10-year-old Matt (Noah Fleiss) and 5-year-old Megan (Chelsea Russo) after her irresponsible sister Ruth (Christine Ebersole) abandons them.

Although at first she was blind to the children’s anguish, Barbara’s attitude changes with the help of a close friend (Stephen Collins), a few convenient emotional crises and some wise-beyond-his-years observations from Matt. Soon a healthy, loving family unit forms.

When Ruth finally shows up again, Barbara fights for custody in court, where biological parents usually have the edge, whatever the circumstances.

Children’s advocacy isn’t a new issue for writer/executive producer Lee Rose and director Larry Elikann, who previously teamed up for the 1995 USA movie “A Mother’s Prayer,” about what happens to the child of a mother dying of AIDS.

In “An Unexpected Family,” the worthy message takes precedence; believability is secondary. Collins is a widower who always wanted children and is a willing baby-sitter, Barbara’s high-paying job is so secure that she can take apparently limitless time off and when Matt’s not whipping up an omelet or a complete Thanksgiving dinner, he’s serving up psychological insights.

When Barbara confides to him that she gave up painting because of a little voice inside that said, “You’re no good,” Matt’s sage response is, “Oh, yeah. The same voice my mom hears.”

Despite the film’s creative shortcomings, however, the fine cast gives it a touch of heart.

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“Belief is the one thing that really makes magic happen,” according to “The Story of Santa Claus,” a cheery new animated special featuring the voices of Ed Asner, Betty White and Tim Curry, undoubtedly destined to become yet another TV Christmas perennial.

In this version of Santa’s origins, written by Rachel Koretsky and Steve Whitestone, with pleasant music by Marie Maxwell and John Thomas, Santa and his wife (Asner and White) are shipwrecked at the North Pole, home to the elves.

When Santa, a toy maker impoverished by his own generosity, saves the son of the elf leader (Curry), he is told that elf law requires that he be granted his fondest wish, which turns out to be giving every child in the world a toy at Christmas.

The magnitude of the wish may be too much for the elves, and the hitch is, if they don’t deliver, they’ll lose their magic.

Never fear, Santa’s can-do spirit, bolstered by Mrs. Claus’ loving support, inspires the elves.

Meanwhile, parents can point out how this gentle-spirited cartoon isn’t about gift glut but gift-giving.

* “The Story of Santa Claus” airs at 8 tonight on CBS (Channel 2). “An Unexpected Family” is broadcast at 9 tonight on cable’s USA.