Dragnet (TV Series) The Big Little Jesus (1953) User Reviews

Very schmaltzy yet highly enjoyable...and it's so good, they did it twice!

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 23 November 2013]

I am very familiar with the remake of this episode. It seems that Jack Webb liked it so much, it was repeated. And, when his second "Dragnet" series came out in the 1960s, he even remade it as "The Christmas Story" for season two. This is one of two Christmas episodes I know of for the original series. As I mentioned above, they repeated these shows each year.

The show begins with a VERY strange phone call. It's from a local priest who's called to say Jesus is missing--or, more correctly, the statue of baby Jesus from his church's manger scene. Friday and Smith investigate but the question they all have to ask is who would steal a cheap statue? It has very little intrinsic value, plus what sort of evil scum-bag would do such a thing? While the case isn't that important when it comes to the value of the item, it is important to the parish and the officers take it very seriously. The ending is a bit of a surprise--and quite adorable.

Technically speaking, this is not among the best episodes. It's very schmaltzy, the music at the end is way overdone, the child isn't the best actor and it's dripping with sentimentality. However, despite all this, it works! The more cynical viewers will probably laugh at it, but it tugged at my heart. Also, it was very nice to see Jack Webb actually smiling in the show!! At heart, despite his outer demeanor, you could tell from the various episodes that in real life, he was a real softy.

Take A Look In The Mirror; A Break from All the Bad

[biorngm · 9/10 · 11 February 2018]

Review - The Big Little Jesus Season 3 Episode 17 12-24-53 This episode says to all watching, we have to take time to think of all around us, give thought of all the bad things happening just in our own backyard, there is good in the world, sometimes you need to look for it, sometimes it appears in front of you.

Excellent story, well-acted by all participants, even those doing it again years later in Season 2 Episode 15 airing 12-21-67 with three cast members (in addition to Jack Webb) reprising their original roles. Mission for the viewer, identify the same actors from 1953 and 1967. The story is genuine and worth a watch; both episodes.

Friday, Smith are working Robbery Division when the call comes from the Old Mission Church, there was a theft, the baby Jesus statue was taken from the manger; gone sometime in less than a day among masses. Friday alerts all pawn shops to be on the lookout for anyone wanting to pawn a statue. A visit is made to a religious store selling similar items, no such luck, and the owner says the person trying a shop like his to sell stolen property would have to be sick. An altar boy gives the description of a parishioner carrying a bundle when leaving mass that morning. Friday, Smith think they might have their thief based on hearsay and the bundle. It turns out the suspect is innocent and he is let loose. Friday, Smith return to the church to report to the priest they are unable to find the statue when Paco Mendoza comes into the church pulling his shiny red wagon. The wagon has the statue in it because Paco promised the baby Jesus would have the first ride in the new wagon if his prayers were answered. Paco got a wagon for Christmas. Paco Mendoza and Father Rojas return the statue to the manger. Father Rojas explains the firemen fix old toys and give them to children. Paco's family is poor, says Father; Friday replies, are they Father? Friday, Smith walk out of the church, case closed, no arrests.

Church interiors were photographed in the Old Mission Plaza Church, founded September 4, 1781, the founding date of The City of Los Angeles.

The Best Dragnet Christmas Epsiode!

[Sylviastel · 9/10 · 3 February 2019]

I watched this episode among the other Dragnet holiday episodes and this is my favorite. It's heartwarming tale about the statue baby Jesus stolen from a church and the police go into an investigation. It's not that sad but hopeful and meaningful. I enjoyed this holiday episode from this series more than the most.

I still remember this episode even after all these years

[unkadunk0801 · 10/10 · 29 November 2013]

I was about 8 years old when this episode was shown,and even now 60 years later,I still remember it.And it stands out even now in my memory .And even though at the time I didn't know who the actors were,I still enjoyed it.and when I purchased the DVD of Dragnet,I found the episode on it and watched it again and enjoyed it even more .And when Dragnet did it in 1966 I watched it again and enjoyed the episode again and it was nice to see that some of the actors who had been in the original were in this one as well.Its one of my favorite episodes of all time.And I hope that more people will see it,so that they to will enjoy it as much as I did

The Big Little Jesus is a touching Christmas episode of "Dragnet"

[tavm · 10/10 · 5 December 2008]

Having just seen the more tragic "Dragnet" holiday episode-"The Big .22 Rifle for Christmas"-I'd thought I'd check the more positive-influenced one called "The Big Little Jesus". In this one taking place on Christmes Eve-which is the same day of when this was broadcast in 1953-Friday and his partner Frank Smith (this time played by Ben Alexander) have promised Father Rojas (Harry Bartell who was born in New Orleans in my home state of Louisiana) to recover the stolen baby Jesus statue for the church nativity by the Christmas Day mass the next morning. I'll stop there and just say that this was a more lighter episode concerning the holidays as evidenced by Friday and Smith's banter about presents in the beginning scenes and that the ending was one of the most touching in the series history. Also appearing are Walter Sande, who died in my birthtown of Chicago, Illinois, as Captain Bernard and child actor Billy Chapin as Joseph Hefferman. His sister, Lauren, would later become one of the stars of the hit show "Father Knows Best". Now I'm going to watch the remake for "Dragnet 1967"...

My all-time favorite Christmas TV program

[leighant · 10/10 · 25 January 2007]

Dragnet a Christmas favorite? Yes. As the detectives search through the inner city neighborhood asking about the missing Baby Jesus statue, more and more people give testimony about how much the image of the Baby Jesus at Christmas means to the Hispanic community, including a presumably Jewish second-hand dealer or pawnbroker and skid row derelicts.

I won't spoil the ending here, I'll just say I cry whenever I describe it. It was so strong I remembered the episode from seeing only once over 50 years ago. A year ago,I found it on DVD. Funny, I "remembered" some incidents that weren't actually in the show...

I have found more than one version of a DVD, different collections, etc. Both contained this show, "The Big Little Jesus." I would recommend for Christmas viewing or anytime.

Dragnet Meets Christmas

[dougdoepke · 6 May 2007]

A religious themed show such as this is largely a matter of taste, particularly the ending atmospherics which are not exactly subtle. Up to that point, the plot of a missing Jesus statue is nicely handled, just the right amount of Christmas thematics without being heavy-handed. Still and all, if memory serves, this was one of the most talked about of the early episodes. It obviously struck a popular chord. Perhaps it was because the audience enjoyed seeing the two bloodhounds tracking after a two-dollar statuette, not for its dollar value, but because of its sentimental and symbolic value to a poor parish church. The solution itself is appropriate to the lightweight story. There's also a good look at some regulars among the Webb stock company of actors, particularly .the ever-cranky Ralph Moody and the slyly eccentric James Griffith. Little Billy Chapin also appears, a fine little actor soon to make a permanent mark as one of the two terrified children in that great Gothic classic, Night of the Hunter (1955).

My Favorite Dragnet Episode

[theanarchistclubhouse · 10/10 · 23 December 2020]

So good and heartwarming that it's becoming a Christmas time tradition at my house.

a reason to hate cops

[cartjos · 1/10 · 14 December 2020]

I think they did a remake of this for the 60's edition of Dragnet. I think that is the one I remember more warmly as this one made my blood boil. Firstly, the young boy comes down to their office to answer questions and Friday got nasty with him when he was unsure about someone carrying a package out of the church. Secondly he got nasty with the hotel clerk who was very cooperative. Thirdly, the way they treated the down on his luck suspect was the worst. He was under arrest but they forcibly took him "downtown" for questioning. Never apologized or offered him a ride back. The Gestapo would be proud.