The Little Drummer Boy

The Little Drummer Boy

His gift was his song.

Directed by Jules Bass, Arthur Rankin, Jr., Takeo Nakamura

Produced by Rankin/Bass Productions

196825 min6.6 / 10

A tender, spiritually resonant holiday special about a lonely orphan boy finding redemption and belonging through an act of humble devotion at the Nativity.

After being kidnapped and escaping, young drummer boy Aaron searches for his camel and finds him in the Nativity of the Baby Jesus. Aaron gives Baby Jesus the only gift he has, a song on his drum.

Questions people ask

  • Does The Little Drummer Boy end with hope? Yes, very. More hopeful than 99% of films.

  • Is The Little Drummer Boy easy watching? Yes, very. More comforting than 98% of films.

  • Is The Little Drummer Boy scary? Barely. Less frightening than 76% of films.

  • Is The Little Drummer Boy violent? Barely. Less violent than 76% of films.

  • Is The Little Drummer Boy sad? About average. Almost exactly mid-range.

These describe how the film comes across, measured across the whole film and compared with other well-known films. They are not a content list — nothing here was counted or checked scene by scene, so for age-suitability or specific content use a classification board or a dedicated content-warning service.

52/ 100

Cinnamon Score

How much this film gives you that nothing else will, and whether it delivers.

Familiar shape, done well.

Rarity87

How unlike any other film this one feels

Surprise28

How much more it delivers than it promises

Love50

How much audiences actually like it

The highest scores in the catalogue →

Ensemble

Like The Little Drummer Boy

Nearest across the full emotional profile.

Same Mood as The Little Drummer Boy

Nearest on what's most distinctive about this one.

Like The Little Drummer Boy, But Darker

Similar, pushed toward heavier and more intense.

Like The Little Drummer Boy, But Lighter

Similar, pushed toward warmer and easier.

Like The Little Drummer Boy, But Less Popular

Same territory, far fewer people have seen it.

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