This variation on the Groucho Marx joke was not something that ever really needed fleshing into a full movie. Nevertheless, given the literal meaning of the title, a pretty good fist was made of it. It is a superhero origin film, just with Santa as the superhero. And seen in this way, Tim Allen gaining all of Santa’s “powers” – including getting fat – is plenty fun for the kiddies. Admittedly the secondary plot about the kid and his Dad is mawkish rot, but for the sense of wonder, The Santa Clause is actually not that bad.