Synopsis of Movie

“I'm at one with the yuletide, knowhutImean?”

Ernest’s co-creators—actor Jim Varney and adman John Cherry—reunited for this 1988 sequel to Ernest Goes to Camp, the second in a long string of Ernest movies. This time around, the vest-wearing, Vern-bugging doofus was given an even tougher task than saving a group of misfit campers: saving old Saint Nick and Christmas itself.

In Ernest Saves Christmas, Ernest is working as a cab driver in Florida when “His Big Redness” shows up as an airport fare. Santa is getting too old for his job, and he wants kids’ TV show host Joe Carruthers to take his place. But Joe’s slimy agent is complicating matters, getting Joe cast in the Christmas-unfriendly slasher pic Christmas Slay.

Ernest becomes Santa’s sidekick, helping the jolly old fat one deal with disbelieving kids, toy mix-ups and a little run-in with the law when Santa gets arrested for vagrancy. Spreading even more Christmas cheer, Ernest takes on a teen runaway named Harmony as his apprentice, trying to convince her to get back home for Christmas. Ernest being Ernest, slapstick misadventures ensue, but the goofy cabbie only has until 7 pm on Christmas Eve to get Santa and Joe together, or Christmas will be lost forever.

Released in time for the holiday season, Ernest Saves Christmas was an even bigger hit than Ernest Goes to Camp. Varney and Cherry kept the franchise going with TV’s Hey Vern, It’s Ernest! the following year, then came back for another feature, Ernest Goes to Jail, in 1990.

Movie Release History

1987 - Ernest Goes to Camp
1988 - Ernest Saves Christmas
1990 - Ernest Goes to Jail
1991 - Ernest Scared Stupid
1993 - Ernest Rides Again

Movie Sub Categories

live-action
comedy

Movie Studio

Touchstone, Silver Screen Partners III

Cast

Ernest P. Worrell Jim Varney
Santa Claus   Douglas Seale
Joe Carruthers  Oliver Clark
Harmony Star Noelle Parker
Marty   Robert Lesser
Chuck   Gailard Sartain
Mary Morrissey   Billie Bird
Bobby   Bill Byrge
Pyramus Buddy Douglas
Thisbe   Patty Maloney

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