Many have been the portraits of down-and-out Santas and Christmas Scrooges in the movies. Yet never has the world seen a Santa who has started out in quite such a hilariously rock-bottom place as Willie T. Stokes. He drinks like a fish, swears like a sailor and spreads a lot more Christmas sarcasm than holiday cheer. He’s completely politically incorrect, not to mention he’s only in the Santa business for the criminal opportunities. But, as BAD SANTA reveals, even Willie isn’t beyond finding his own little piece of holiday redemption – even if his idea of a Christmas tale might have Charles Dickens spinning in his grave.
The story of Willie’s wild Christmas turn-around all began with a one-line idea from executive producers Ethan and Joel Coen. They summed it up this way: “A bad Santa suddenly changes.” The Coens had in mind for the story’s hero a character like those the 1930s actor Wallace Beery used to play – a deliciously bad-tempered, comical rascal who turns out to be a rough-edged diamond. Another major inspiration was Michael Ritchie’s classic comedy “Bad News Bears” -- and especially Walter Matthau’s portrait of the unforgettable Coach Buttermaker, a man who is not above conning little kids into making martinis for him, even as he leads his rag-tag team to victory.
Says producer Sarah Aubrey “ ‘The Bad News Bears’ is one of Joel and Ethan’s favorite movies. As we developed Willie’s story, we were inspired by the tone of the hilarious relationship between Walter Matthau and those misfit kids, which is always biting, never sentimental, yet also has some qualities you could almost call moving.”
Once the concept was in place, producers Aubrey and Cameron took the project to the screenwriting team of John Requa and Glenn Ficarra, who turned in a savagely smart script. Even Aubrey and Cameron were a bit shocked by its fearless, forthright comic style – but in a good way. “We started out with the idea of a drunken, slovenly, criminal Santa Claus who gets changed by the love of a kid and it just evolved from there,” explains Cameron. “From the very first draft, the script took a lot of chances. It pushed the envelope of Christmas comedy in every way imaginable, but at the same time it was laugh-out-loud funny.”
Soon, the project grabbed the attention of director Terry Zwigoff, who had recently drawn critical acclaim and a hip, cult audience for his raw-edged comedy “Ghost World” -- as well as his offbeat ode to underground comix “Crumb” – and he brought further inspiration to the creative team. “I read the script on a plane and I was laughing so hard I was almost embarrassed,” Zwigoff recalls. “What also appealed to me was the challenge of making this unsympathetic character sympathetic. I usually find that Christmas films ladle on the cheap sentiment, but with this story I saw a chance to do something more truthful. That’s what I liked so much about the screenplay – it’s harder edged and more true and, therefore, ultimately more moving.”
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